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Berkoff and Brecht Workshop

Berkoff Workshop

Description

Box House Theatre’s Steven Berkoff workshop brings the principles of Total Theatre to life through a dynamic, movement-centered approach. This immersive session empowers students to explore the bold physicality and intense expressiveness of Berkoff’s style, guiding them in mastering body language, spatial awareness, and heightened character portrayal. With a focus on Berkoff’s unique blend of mime, stylisation, and exaggerated physicality, our approach encourages students to push their creative boundaries and make impactful artistic choices.

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Through hands-on, interactive exercises, students will dive deeply into Berkoff’s distinctive practices and performance style, building a solid understanding of both the practical and theoretical elements of Total Theatre. This workshop not only familiarises students with the demands of Berkovian performance but also gives them tools to communicate complex themes and emotions with clarity and force, drawing from Berkoff’s own intense approach to character and storytelling.

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Leveraging our movement expertise, Box House Theatre will help students experiment and refine their skills, using Berkoff’s work as a springboard to inspire future projects. Together, we’ll explore how Berkoff addresses themes and communicates these to the audience through his striking stylistic choices, encouraging students to translate these techniques into their own innovative expressions.

Curriculum

We will dive into the stylistic qualities that define Steven Berkoff’s Total Theatre, equipping students with a versatile set of performance techniques to elevate their current and future work. Students will develop a solid foundation in Berkoff’s fundamentals, from his intense physicality to his expressive use of mime and stylisation. We’ll guide them in applying Berkoff’s approach to both text and character creation, enhancing their ability to bring depth and boldness to any role.

Key Learning Points

  • A basic or developed understanding of the fundamentals of theatre through the eyes of the practitioner.

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  • To successfully identify the techniques used to form a critical opinion.

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  • How these stylistic qualities are translated and interpreted though performance.

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  • A developed theoretical and practical understanding of Total Theatre.

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  • Practice and explore techniques used within performance development.

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