JANUARY 22 → FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Melbourne, Australia

CLOWN’s LIFE

An advanced training
on writing and devising
from the Clown State

WRITING AND DEVISING CLOWN POETRY

This workshop is an in-depth exploration of the poetic world of Clown, an archetypal comic space for the actor-creator and a key step in the journey of movement based theatre.
This advanced workshop will go into the depth of the clown state, considered as an Non-Ordinary State of deep creativity. The work starts with the analysis of the physical and emotional world of the actor, as revealed by their natural body with the help of the Neutral State. The reference to this state deepens the physical presence and allows a profound connection with the core movement patterns of each person. This leads to the unfolding of a unique clown, with a peculiar state of perception of reality.

The poetical power of the clown is based on an extreme emotional openness and vulnerability, a vivid articulation of the present moment, and a very direct and naïve approach to the world. The fluidity of contact with reality is the foundation of the poetic flow.

The Clown is a poetic transposition of the actor’s most intimate space. As the Neutral Mask is the mask of humanity, the Red Nose is the humanity of the mask.

Once the individual clowns have emerged, the journey of the workshop will guide them to the exploration of themes of everyday life, like love and relationships, illness and death, power and hierarchy, social conventions and institutions such as education, politics and health care…

The final step will be the approach to poetic writing and each actor will work on a clown monologue and on a variety of scenes emerged from the exploration. The final step of the workshop will be a public performance of the devised acts.
The last two days of the class, after the performance, are dedicated to the integration of the work and the exploration of various ways to bring the clown work on stage, with and without red nose, and in life.
 

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THE PROGRAM

THE CLOWN “STATE”
– Movement Analysis and Core Physical Patterns
– The Neutral Mask
– From the neutral state to the comic state: movement analysis of the body in space
– The Red Nose as a mask: amplification and articulation of movement
– The clown as an altered state of perception
– The poetic space and the non-intentional mind
– Amplification of movements, patterns, emotions, clown relationships
– The Clown’s Voice: breath, resonation, emotion, words

WRITING FROM THE CLOWN STATE
– Writing from the Emotional body of the actor
– Emotional awareness and Poetic awareness
– Exploring life through the eyes of clowns: power and hierarchy, love and relationships, the stages of lifes, illness and death, education and mental health, politics and spiritual awakenings…

DEVISING CLOWN TEXTS
– Devising of Clown monologues and acts based on the previous improvisations
– Staging and directing clowns: each clown will work and rework on some acts to be presented in a public performance
– Public presentation of a Clown’s Life Performance, devised by the participants under the direction of Giovanni Fusetti
– Feedback on the performance.
– The clown as a comic archetype: all participants play each other’s clown characters
– Feedback on the whole process and integration of the work: perspectives on the development of the red nose state on stage and in life.

PRACTICALITIES

ADMISSION
This workshop is for theatre practitioners with previous experiences in movement-based theatre and in the Pedagogy of Jacques Lecoq.

To apply to CLOWN’S LIFE, please email to giovanni.fusetti@helikos.com
– a short bio, including a recent photograph
– a letter of motivation sharing the essence of your story, vision, dream, desire, fear or inexplicable intuition that leads you to this training.

Please include in your letter these themes:
-how did you come to know about this work;
-your experience with movement-based theatre and masks
-your previous experience with clown;
-some notes about your personal journey in terms of healing or therapeutic practices, or other relevant inner experiences.
Giovanni will contact you after receiving the application.
Giovanni will choose students from the applications received. The selection of the participants will start after July 15th.
This workshop is in high demand: if you intend to participate, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

The class will be confirmed as soon as it reaches 8 participants. Once 12 participants will be confirmed, the workshop is full and a waiting list will be created.

Once accepted, you will need to confirm your enrollment with a deposit of 800 AUD
Please note that the deposit is non-refundable.

ENROLLMENT SITUATION AS OF AUGUST 10th:
The workshop is confirmed and fully booked. A waiting list is in place.

TUITION

Early Bird Registration: AUS $ 2.200
(Full tuition is due by September 1st, 2023.)

Full Price: AUS $ 2.600.
(If you pay after September 1st, 2023)

For those interested in applying to more than two workshops of the 2023/2024 series, there is a reduction of 10% on the cumulative tuition. Please contact us for further details.

A limited number of ‘reduced tuition scholarships’ are available for this course. It is up to you to identify if you think you are in need of a reduced price. If you are interested in taking advantage of this please outline it in your letter of motivation.

Please note that tuition does not include accommodation and that participants will be responsible for organizing their staying in Melbourne.

APPLICATION DEADLINE : October 1st, 2023
 

Before the beginning of the workshop the participants will receive a message outlining all practical details about the workshop.

LANGUAGE
The workshop will be taught in ENGLISH and a basic understanding of this language is required.

LOCATION
St Ambrose Hall, 3 Dawson St, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia

SCHEDULE
Classes will take place each day from 9:30 to 17:30, with one hour lunch break.
On week 3 extra rehearsal time is previewed in the evening of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday February 8th at 7pm, a public showing of acts devised during the training will be presented to an invited audience.

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For APPLICATIONS and further information about the content of the workshop
please contact Giovanni Fusetti at

For enrollment and practical enquiries please contact

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PHOTO CREDITS
(1) Boulder Clown’s Life, 2014
(2) International Red Nose Training, Kristiansand, Norway, 2008
(3) Boulder Red Nose 2010
(4) Boulder Clown’s Life, 2018
(5) Helikos School 2013