Michael Chekhov Technique: Image and Imagination
Back by popular demand, this workshop led by Sinead Rushe will focus on some of the key principles in the technique of renowned actor and director, Mikhail Chekhov (1891-1955). As well as exploring his radical psycho-physical tools of preparation, we will investigate one of his important characterisation tools: imaginary body. Through full-bodied movement, free improvisation and work on text and visualisation, we will explore how developing the imagination can revolutionise the actor’s power to transform.
Workshop format: Practical workshop and discussion on ZOOM. Saturday 27 June 2020: 11am-1pm and 2.15-4pm.
Who is this workshop suitable for: This workshop is open to actors, teachers and directors, as well as non professionals wishing to gain an embodied understanding of Mikhail Chekhov’s ideas.
Equipment required of participants: Please wear loose clothing that you can move in. Bring a short piece of text from a play that you would like to work from; you do not need to learn it by heart.
Recommended reading or viewing: None.
Sinéad Rushe is a theatre director, actor and teacher. She studied at Trinity College, Dublin and École Normale Supérieure, Paris before training as an actor at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, where she is a Senior Lecturer in Acting and Movement on the BA Acting CDT programme. She specialises in the Mikhail Chekhov Technique and Meyerhold's Biomechanics.
Directing credits include Night Just Before the Forests (Macau Arts Festival), Concert (The Pit, Barbican, Centre National de la Danse, Paris, and 2017 Dublin Dance Festival; Gradam Comharcheoil TG4 2018 Award-Winner), Out of Time (The Pit, Barbican, London, Baryshnikov Arts Centre, New York & international tour; nominated for Olivier and Dance Critics' Circle Award), Gogol's Diary of a Madman with Living Pictures (Sherman Cymru, Cardiff, & international tour) and Something or Nothing with Guy Dartnell (The Place Theatre & tour), commissioned by Sadler's Wells.
She has directed four shows with her own company, out of Inc: Loaded (The Old Rep, Birmingham, Jacksons Lane, London), Night-Light (Oval House, London, Bristol Old Vic & tour), Life in the Folds (BAC, London & tour), and An Evening with Sinéad Rushe (BAC, London), all supported by Arts Council England.
She is the author of Michael Chekhov's Acting Technique: A Practitioner's Guide, (Bloomsbury, Methuen 2019), and is the co-translator into French of four plays by Howard Barker (published by Editions Théâtrales, Paris). For more on Sinéad visit www.sineadrushe.co.uk.
A Zoom link will be sent out 24h before the start time of the event.