Theatre and the Body Acting Workshop
Thursdays 9 February - 2 March 2023, 5:30-7:00pm
University College Dublin, Room AA1, Ardmore Annexe,
Stillorgan Road, Belfield, Dublin 4
(opens in a new window)https://goo.gl/maps/VFZxXHRDRfG8hdMh6
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here”
(Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland)
Welcome!
‘Theatre and The Body’ is a 4-session workshop which explores the relationship between the human body and theatrical practice. Theatre is by constitution a space of encounter, bringing together actors and spectators and connecting their thoughts and feelings through multiple languages. This encounter requires a meeting at the threshold: between individuals, but also between real people and fictional characters, utterance and bodily expression, verbal and non-verbal communication. Yet, how do movements and non-verbal interaction, feelings and sensations of actors and audiences shape the theatrical experience, and how are they shaped by it in turn?
The aim of this workshop is to explore through practice how the embodied nature of theatre can build a sense of community and social integration and develop bridges of communication between diverse groups of people. We will explore the liminal condition which enables theatrical encounters to happen and some of the thresholds that the theatrical experience allows us, often imperceptibly, to cross.
Each session will approach the relationship between the body and theatrical practice through four different themes:
a) Language - 9 February 2023, 5:30-7:00pm
b) Affects - 16 February, 5:30-7:00pm
c) Trust - 23 February, 5:30-7:00pm
d) Absence - 2 March, 5:30-7:00pm
Each session will begin with a 10-minute introduction of the session’s theme. Then, the actor and director Ludovico Nolfi will guide the participants to experience the theme through embodied practice and theatrical exercises. All sessions will take place at UCD campus, room AA1, Ardmore Annexe, Stillorgan Road, Belfield, Dublin 4.
The workshop is free and open to people of all ages, at any stage of their studies, academic or professional careers, with or without any previous experience in or knowledge of theatre and its practices.
You are all very welcome to join us! If you’re interested in participating, please let us know by filling in the application form at the following link by 31 January 2023: (opens in a new window)https://forms.gle/PTMFaRvaxNwtJP4b6.
*Please note*: Engagement is key to the success of this workshop. The sessions are progressive and not meant to be taken separately, so when applying please make sure that you are available and happy to commit to all the planned dates.
To facilitate group work, places are limited. We will try to accommodate all the requests we will receive. However, should this not be possible, we will create a reserve list. If there is sufficient interest, a second workshop will be considered.
For any questions please feel free to contact us!
The Organisers
- Serena Laiena (serena.laiena@ucd.ie), IRC Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
- Katerina Pavlidi (katerina.pavlidi@ucd.ie), IRC Postdoctoral Fellow, School of English, Drama, Film
- Valeria Taddei (valeria.taddei@ucd.ie), IRC Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
This workshop is funded by the UCD College of Arts and Humanities [https://www.ucd.ie/artshumanities/] and the Thresholds of Knowledge research group [https://www.ucd.ie/artshumanities/research/strategy/thresholdsofknowledge/].
It is also supported by the IRC-funded project ‘Imaginative Literature and Social Trust, 1990-2025’ [(opens in a new window)https://trustlit.org/], the School of English, Drama, Film, and the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics.