Complicite Research
- What kind of exercises/workshops do they use in the devising process?
"The early section of the workshop involved ball and chasing games, many of which are familiar to drama teachers but nonetheless valuable. I’m sure I’m not the only workshop leader who sometimes wonders what people think when they stick their heads round the door to be faced with 30 students and teachers, running around laughing and throwing a ball to each other. Well, it’s about making that group of 30 individuals into a single group of people who can trust each other during rehearsals and a show; about developing a level of trust which means the performance can develop in the moment of playing and is always fresh. Eric explained how, during the run, he might vary the speed of activities that he was leading just to see if he could ‘catch-out’ other performers. You can only do this successfully if you’re pretty sure that you can’t! ; in other words, that the trust and concentration is there, built up over time spent sharing activity as a group."
"Which brings me neatly to my final observation: Eric emphasised throughout the workshop the importance of ‘play’ in devising. By this he means a sense of invention, openness to the ideas of others and reacting to the moment. Paradoxically, it’s a very easy concept to grasp but actually very hard to do. Perhaps we have a problem with the word ‘play.’ It has connotations of childishness, it’s not ‘purposeful’ or ‘grown-up’ but it’s key to the devising process in that, without it, there is a leaden quality to the rehearsals, no new connections are made between ideas and ways of presenting them. He drew attention to the way young children play :- ‘parts’ are shared out with broad brushstrokes, ‘You’re the Policeman…I’m the robber…’, it’s fast-paced; ‘locations’ can be sketched out by ‘being’ parts of where you are, sound is added without discussion…perfect conditions for devising! Human nature when you’re 6; potentially embarrassing when you’re 16..!"
"Three hours isn’t enough time to do either the work of Complicite or the devising process justice but the students gained a valuable, first-hand insight into one of the most exciting and rewarding ways of creating performances."
http://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/news-learning-department/va-nvapcomplicite-devising-session
- Is there a diversity of cultural/personal perspectives within the company? Is there an "ideal" performer that they would recruit?
Not specific
Goes for anything they can
open to all people, races, gender, etc
- What kind of exercises/workshops do they use in the devising process?
"The early section of the workshop involved ball and chasing games, many of which are familiar to drama teachers but nonetheless valuable. I’m sure I’m not the only workshop leader who sometimes wonders what people think when they stick their heads round the door to be faced with 30 students and teachers, running around laughing and throwing a ball to each other. Well, it’s about making that group of 30 individuals into a single group of people who can trust each other during rehearsals and a show; about developing a level of trust which means the performance can develop in the moment of playing and is always fresh. Eric explained how, during the run, he might vary the speed of activities that he was leading just to see if he could ‘catch-out’ other performers. You can only do this successfully if you’re pretty sure that you can’t! ; in other words, that the trust and concentration is there, built up over time spent sharing activity as a group."
"Which brings me neatly to my final observation: Eric emphasised throughout the workshop the importance of ‘play’ in devising. By this he means a sense of invention, openness to the ideas of others and reacting to the moment. Paradoxically, it’s a very easy concept to grasp but actually very hard to do. Perhaps we have a problem with the word ‘play.’ It has connotations of childishness, it’s not ‘purposeful’ or ‘grown-up’ but it’s key to the devising process in that, without it, there is a leaden quality to the rehearsals, no new connections are made between ideas and ways of presenting them. He drew attention to the way young children play :- ‘parts’ are shared out with broad brushstrokes, ‘You’re the Policeman…I’m the robber…’, it’s fast-paced; ‘locations’ can be sketched out by ‘being’ parts of where you are, sound is added without discussion…perfect conditions for devising! Human nature when you’re 6; potentially embarrassing when you’re 16..!"
"Three hours isn’t enough time to do either the work of Complicite or the devising process justice but the students gained a valuable, first-hand insight into one of the most exciting and rewarding ways of creating performances."
http://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/news-learning-department/va-nvapcomplicite-devising-session
- Is there a diversity of cultural/personal perspectives within the company? Is there an "ideal" performer that they would recruit?
Not specific
Goes for anything they can
open to all people, races, gender, etc