A Day With Bruiser - Bruiser Theatre Company

Transcription

A Day With Bruiser
Resource Pack
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com
1
Contents
1.
Foreword from the Artistic Director
2.
Background to Bruiser
3.
Artistic Process
4.
Touring
5.
Managing a Company
5.1. Funding
5.2. Marketing Bruiser
5.3. Company Structure
6.
Bruiser Arts Academy
7.
Bruiser FAQs
8.
Things You Didn't Ask, But Might Want To Know
9.
Production History
10.
DVD Lending Archive
11.
Bruiser Hire Department
12.
A Day With Bruiser Workshop Plans
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Foreword
Artistic Director, Lisa May
Hi everyone,
I am delighted to welcome you to A Day with Bruiser. This
project has been a long time in the making and is an
area which we at Bruiser are extremely passionate about.
We wanted to address the requests from teachers and
students who are studying the company, and enhance
students understanding and application of Bruiser’s artistic
output, processes and management within the artistic
sector.
The first play Lisa
ever directed
was “Cat and
the Moon” by
W.B. Yeats,
during her
studies at
university
Professional development for young people, inside and
outside of a formal education setting, is extremely
important to us, and as a Northern Irish theatre company,
we have a commitment to nurture homegrown talent.
After extensive consultation we developed a one day
event that tackles these key areas:
1) The Bruiser Style and Ensemble Playing
2) Devising and Physical Theatre
3) Text versus Movement
4) Careers in the Arts
5) Theory into Performance
I hope that these workshops help to build your
confidence in a non-naturalistic style, to encourage you
to take risks, to play, to think outside the box and to work
collaboratively to create visually exciting and physically
striking work.
Enjoy today!
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Background to Bruiser
Bruiser was formed in 1997 by Lisa May
and Joanne Murphy, who met at the
University of Ulster, where they were both
studying
Theatre
Studies.
After
graduating, Lisa and Joanne felt there
was a gap in the market in Northern
Ireland for high quality touring theatre
with a commitment to education.
With a lot of passion and enthusiasm (but
not a clue about running a company),
with the best will in the world, the girls
formed Bruiser, so called because they
knew the type of theatre they wanted to
create; punchy, sharp, knockout shows.
Lisa had always wanted to act
professionally but during her time at
university she had explored directing and
liked it. Her directing style had already
started to form, with influences from
Bertolt Brecht, Dennis Potter and John
Godber, to name but a few.
However, it would be unfair to say the
unique production style which is
identifiably “Bruiser” was fully formed in
1997. It has grown and developed,
influenced by the people Lisa has
worked with; the actors, the playwrights,
the creative teams, and her own
changing tastes and interests throughout
the years. Some techniques have been
honed over many years. Lisa’s obsession
with precision, rhythm, synchronicity and
choral work has certainly become more
rigid over the last seventeen years.
However, Lisa found that there is no
hard and fast rule as to which
technique to use. For instance choral
sound effects may work for The
Caucasian Chalk Circle but not for
Cabaret. Physicalising the text may
work in Othello but not in Cooking
with Elvis. Lisa’s philosophy is to try
everything (time permitting) and
cherry pick what works, always
remaining sensitive to the tone and
nature of the text.
This collaborative approach has
enabled Lisa to continue to learn and
develop her style, allowing her the
freedom to play and create new
physical theatre techniques, keeping
the Bruiser style fresh and current.
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Artistic Process
"When it comes to
innovation, it's hard to beat
a Bruiser production"
Belfast Telegraph
The Artistic Process for a Bruiser actor can be a tricky one, especially if you haven’t
worked in this style before. One actor once described the process as “forgetting
everything I have ever been taught”. Another said “if you’ve worked for Bruiser, you
can do anything” and I understand where they were coming from, especially if
previous acting work had been extensively in naturalistic theatre.
The reason being this; we explore the role of the actor, enforcing him/her as the
central mechanism of performance. Breaking this rather flouncy sentence down,
the actor is everything. They control all aspects of the performance. They act in
scenes (usually in highly choreographed set pieces), they sing, they dance, they
move set, they are the set, they manipulate props, they multi-role, they comment on
the action, they provide mood and atmosphere, they frame and remain on stage
throughout. For an actor who is used to just acting in the conventional sense;
getting a costume on, entering from the wings, speaking the lines and exiting, this
Bruiser lark seems like a lot of hard work. And it is! Not just by the exhausting style but
the director then expects the actors to chip in ideas.
With only three or four weeks to rehearse a play in this pin-point precise style, it is a
mammoth task for an actor. They have to connect as their character to find an
emotional truth, which leads to the blocking and throughline of the play. That is the
most important aspect to keep in mind. Without that, the audience will just witness a
pleasant dance by a bunch of robots, which provides no heart. However, to cope
with the choreographic style the Bruiser actor then loses the character for a couple
of weeks until every move has been learnt. That is every transition (highly important
in a Bruiser play so as to keep the audience engaged and make the play fluid), all
harmonies honed, every choral costume change sharpened, and the blocking itself,
which can be very intricate.
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Artistic Process Continued
Even though the emotional truth is at the heart of the play and has influenced
every aspect, it is usually only the final week of rehearsals, when all aspects come
together and the actor puts the character back “on top”. This can freak an actor
out. However, as we are humans and not machines, the process of
compartmentalising is essential. Some people’s minds work quicker in this style than
others. Some can put the character back on top quicker than others. Some have to
work a little harder to get the moves first. The bottom line is trust. The actors have to
trust the director that she knows what she is doing, and the director has to trust the
actors to embrace the process.
That is why the collaborative element is so important for the Bruiser process. A great
Bruiser actor will revel in the fact that they get to share ideas and are not aggrieved
if their idea gets thrown out of the window . A professional actor will listen when
necessary and contribute appropriately, creating a good team atmosphere. By
collaborating with the director, the cast feel ownership of the production and are
committed and motivated.
Of course, collaboration and play is the ideal working environment for Bruiser’s
physical style, but it is not always possible. The two main obstacles: trust and time.
I have been lucky with my casts and very rarely do I accidentally pick a non-team
player. I put this down to our rigorous audition process which always results in a
recall group workshop. However, during rehearsals, if the actor refuses to embrace
the process, the collaborative element of the process has gone and it reverts back
to the conventional relationship of a director telling the actor what to do. I dislike
working like this as it restricts innovation, but in circumstances like this, it must be
done.
The other challenge; time, is always against us – the days of the Berliner Ensemble
getting a year to rehearse a play has long gone. We have four weeks, the show has
been booked, tickets are on sale, and the show must go on. Therefore, as the
director, I do a lot of preparation. Research is key and this can take place months,
even years in adavance. I always go into rehearsals with a lot of ideas in my head.
Some I like more than others. Some I am definite about and some I know will act as
a launch-pad into something hopefully better. Every night, before the rehearsal the
next day, I block the next few pages in my head, just so that I have something to fall
back on if we hit a block. Sometimes the scene is totally different to what I had in
my head and sometimes it is exactly how I blocked it the night before. The sense of
having the fall back idea takes the pressure off and allows me to play in the
rehearsal room.
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Artistic Process Continued
Finally, the preparation aspect allows me the opportunity to find my “hook”. What I
mean by this is Bruiser has built up a reputation for new adaptions of existing scripts.
Therefore, I look at the script and think “what is my hook?” “What do I want to say
about this script and these characters, and what vehicle can I use to say it?” For
instance, the hook in Lady Windermere’s Fan was to create a base character for
each cast member.
By unifying the cast as servants, they could come together and comment on the
ridiculous characters of the upper classes (they are the audience’s anchor), which
is precisely what the original author was trying to say. This “hook” helps Bruiser to tell
the story in an innovative way whilst remaining faithful to the text. The servants
could also create backgrounds and atmosphere, giving scope for comedy,
dramatic framing of scenes and physical theatre techniques. This concept
provided scope for new writing, a new score, and was a useful mechanism for
transitions. It also helped create a canvas for actors to “add on” to, with indication
costume and props when they multi-roled.
For me, preparing the concept before I go into rehearsals is one of my favourite
tasks. It’s a challenge, like being a detective and finding that one “hook” which
helps you to say what you want to, to an audience.
When choosing a script it is the difficulties within them, the obstacles that attract
me. Such as “how on earth do we present a burning shed on stage in Blue
Remembered Hills without actually having a shed?” These problems excite me. It
forces me to think outside the box and create new ways to tell a story. The Bruiser
style encourages the audience to share the journey, to contribute by using their
imaginations. A cane can become a gun, or a sheet a baby. An actor can slip
seamlessly between characters without full costume changes or even leaving the
stage. We, the audience and the actors, are investing in each other and investing
in the story. You know you are in a theatre. You know we are acting. The event isn’t
real. We are telling a story, and we are not pretending that it is real. However, if the
story is told well enough and the cast are totally committed, an audience will
believe the baby, made up of a sheet, might die at the hands of the gun made
from a cane. The emotion is real and the story is vivid. The Bruiser process continues
to explore this vital relationship between the audience, the actors and the space,
using physical theatre techniques.
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Artistic Policy and Mission
Statement
“To produce innovative live performance, combining text and
physical theatre techniques”
Bruiser aims to:

Use minimal set for maximum impact

Further explore the role of the actor, enforcing him/her as the central
mechanism of performance
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Streamline and explore the relationship between the essential dynamics
of theatre – the actor, the space and the audience

Encourage an environment for the exchange of ideas and collaboration
between arts practitioners in production

Commit to touring, workshop development and teaching to encourage
a greater access to theatre

Produce a consistently high quality product
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Touring
Bruiser is one of the few companies in Northern
Ireland who regularly tour across the province
and into the South of Ireland. We have loyal
venues who continually programme our work, as
well as loyal audiences which continues to grow.
"What really blows my hair back is that they tour
their shows in a way no other independent,
locally producing Theatre Company does, from
Belfast to Ballina and from Strabane to Wicklow,
they take theatre to the people in the tradition of
Anew McMaster or Moliere and that to me is the
way it should be."
Dan Gordon, Patron
Our last touring show, The Nose, toured to the
following venues:
The MAC, Belfast
The Playhouse, Derry
Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen
Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda
Riverside Theatre, Coleraine
Mullingar Arts Centre, Co Westmeath
Strule Arts Centre, Omagh
Island Arts Centre, Lisburn
The Market Place, Armagh
Ballina Arts Centre, Co. Mayo
Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar
Old Courthouse, Antrim
The Swallow Theatre, Galloway, Scotland
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Managing a Company
Funding
Bruiser is funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City
Council. All of our core funding (wages, rent, internet, insurance etc) comes
from those two main organisations. For seperate projects, we have received
funding from Lloyds TSB Foundation, the PSNI and Belfast City Council Good
Relations Grant.
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Managing a Company
Marketing Bruiser
Any successful business has something called 'strong branding'. When you pick up a
theatre brochure, flicking through, you're more likely to stop and read about the show
that has an eye catching image and fantastic company branding. You must build a
relationship with your audience through your individual branding and marketing
strategy.
Here are our Top Tips for marketing a company and a show:
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You need a logo that makes an impact.
Bruiser's logo is bold and striking, just like the name
suggests.
All branding needs a strong colour theme that people remember. Think of a big
supermarket chain...you probably just thought of their logo and it's colour, didn't
you?! The main, recognisable colours for Bruiser are white, red and black.
All companies need a website. Your website must be easy to follow, have
concise information and have a good colour scheme. Photographs, videos and
links to social media are a must as this is how you engage an audience
member.
Be creative and fun on social media. Think about it, when you scroll down your
Facebook News Feed, you click on the images and videos that look interesting
and entertaining. We're all artists, use your creativity to your advantage!
Engage your audiences on social media, get them excited about the show by
giving them 'sneak peeks' of rehearsals. Encourage your audiences to talk
about how they enjoyed the show. Social media is free and quite often, the
best way to maintain and grow audiences.
When it comes to art work for a show poster or a flyer, the process must always
start off with reading the script followed by talking with the Director. What is their
vision for the show? Is there a time period? Ask as many questions as possible.
Next, think about your audience. Are they mainly 16-24 or 50+? Each age
bracket respond to visuals differently. We always use graphic designers on our
show publicity but we have a strong input throughout the process.
Trailers and videos showing 'behind the scenes' footage or interviews with the
cast and creative's are an excellent way to keep your audience interested,
making them feel part of the process, not just as a passive audience member.
Short trailers, around 30-40secs are preferable as people often click onto
another video after this time.
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Managing a Company
Marketing Bruiser
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A good music score to accompany the video helps
keep your viewer interested and build excitement.
Please make sure that you are not using a Copy
Right video. You may need to make a small
payment to PRS for the use of a clip of music. If you
do not check and upload your video to You Tube or
website, you may get fined for a breach of
copyright.
At Bruiser, we use our Newsletter to inform people of
the company's artistic programming. We have a
large database that includes schools, audiences and
industry professionals. We use MyEmma which allows
us to create professional looking newsletters. Again,
we use the recognisable colour scheme and
photographs.
When a show is in its last week of rehearsal before
tech week, we hire a photographer to come in a
take photographs of a run through. It's important to
get 'Pre-Production Shots' before the show opens as
venues love to use them to interest potential
audiences. A quality photograph of the show can
make all the difference when promoting the show on
social media, your website and to the press.
During the Dress Run in the theatre, we hire the
photographer again to take 'Production Shots'. These
can be used throughout the run for the press and
other marketing purposes plus they can be kept in
your show archive.
To get publicity around your show, you must write a
Press Release informing the newspapers, radio
stations and television industry of your work. This is
your opportunity for you to sell your show and
company using your Unique Selling Points (USP).
Having good USPs will set you apart from other shows
and companies creating interest from the media.
Out of a Press Release could come a Press Call
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with photographers and journalists
there to take pictures of your cast in
costume and interview the likes of
the Director or Choreographer.
At the end of the production, make
sure you receive Box Office
information from the venue. You can
use this information to learn about
your audience, making marketing in
the future more focused.
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Managing a Company
Company Structure
Every theatre company is different, but the
company structure of Bruiser looks like this:
Board of Directors
Chair
Treasurer
Other Directors
Sub-Committee for Fundraising
Artistic Director
Company Manager
For productions, we hire freelance Creatives,
stage managers and performers. To give you
an example, here's the list of Creatives working
on Cabaret.
Director: Lisa May
Musical Director: Matthew Reeve
Choreographer: Sarah Johnston
Company Manager / Producer: Carly
McConnell
Set Design: Stuart Marshall
Lighting Design: James McFetridge
Costume Design: Christine Boyle
Make Up: Constance McGrath & Ann Marie
Crossey
Wardrobe: Claire Lilly
Our Patrons
Duke Special is a singer
songwriter from Belfast who has
toured sold out shows in
Ireland, UK and Europe. From
headlining Shepherds Bush
Empire, London, to stage
diving at Electric Picnic, Duke
Special has come further than
he ever imagined he might.
Dan Gordon is a Northern Irish
actor, director and playwright.
Dan starred in Marie Jones
play, A Night in November in
the Tricycle, London & most
recently directed Mistletoe and
Crime at the Lyric Theatre.
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' Today's Learner, Tomorrow's Earner '
Bruiser Access Course
Responding to feedback from teachers and students, Bruiser hopes to expand and develop
our community enhancement programme, creating a professional development package for
young people from disadvantaged areas who have an interest in the arts. Bruiser will introduce
a one week access course, which will act as a stepping stone to the more intensive summer
schools. Participants will have to opportunity to work with leading professionals on all art forms
and produce a short showcase at the end of the week.
Bruiser Level 1& 2 Summer Schools 2015 in associate with The MAC
Professional Developement for Young People in the Arts
This course is open to 14 to 21 year olds who believe that they have the enthusiasm and drive
to hack it as a professional actor. Now in its ninth year, Bruiser will team up with The MAC to
offer this unique and highly successful project, providing a tast of the pressure and demands
on a professional actor.
Bruiser will host two intensive ten-day theatre schools, during the summer holidays. Young
actors will get the opportunity to work with professional theatre directors, Lisa May (Artistic
Director of Bruiser Theatre Company), Matthew Reeve (composer and musical
director), Patrick J. O’Reilly (theatre performer and writer) and Sarah Johnston
(choreographer) towards a theatre performance in the MAC Studio Theatre, using Bruiser’s
unique physical style.
Participants will experience the visually exciting, rhythmic, choral and choreographic elements
for which Bruiser is renowned, by participating in a series of theatre workshops, which will be
both informative and fun. Participants will learn how to think outside the box and bring text to
life with adventurous and dynamic ensemble playing. The Summer Schools will result in two
professional, public performances.
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Bruiser Graduate Academy
Continuing Bruiser's commitment to nurture home-grown talent, Bruiser in association with the
fantastic MAC, will embark on the fifth year of its Graduate Academy Scheme. There are 15
places available for students who are considering the continuation of study at University or
Drama School, those already studying, or those who have graduated in the Performing Arts.
Academy students will work closely with Artistic Director, Lisa May of Bruiser Theatre Company,
to explore the highly stylised, ensemble nature of her work.
"The graduate academy showed me that it was possible to get work and was crucial in terms of
experience, contacts and a wealth of knowledge about working actor’s life"
Practical advice on self-employment, audition techniques, working with agents, creating a
winning CV, free headshots and the opportunity of working with other prominent theatre
directors / casting agents is also very attractive to young adults trying to break into the business.
The 2014 Graduate Academy students worked with Sarah Johnston (choreographer), Craig
Faulkner (Estill vocal training and Musical Director), Lisa May (Bruiser Theatre Company), Patrick
J O’Reilly (Le Coq trained), Paula McFetridge (Kabosh), Don McCamphill (Tinderbox), Janice
Kernoghan (Replay) and Emma Jordan (Prime Cut). It was fantastic to include tutors from other
local professional companies, expanding contacts and networking opportunities for both
companies and students, and bringing a wealth of experience to the project. Bruiser hopes to
expand this strand of the academy in 2015.
"The Bruiser Summer School instilled me
with the confidence to go further
with my acting and I'm studying Theatre
Performance at Falmouth University.
I owe them a lot. I am still using the skills
I learned there." Teri Bailie
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Bruiser Graduate Academy
This 10 day Academy will result in a performance showcase at the Studio Theatre at the MAC.
This will be for an invited audience of Artistic Directors, casting agents and acting agencies,
with the hope that the students will find an agent, or gain employment from this event.
Entrance to this prestigious Academy is through audition only.
Visit:
www.bruisertheatrecomany.com/education
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Bruiser FAQs
Question 1
Do you have a designated press officer? If so, what jobs does this person undertake /
what methods of publicity do you use?
Answer
We don't have a designated press officer, but the Company Manager deals with all press
and venue marketing teams. The CM writes and sends Press Releases unless it is a CoProduction, in that case, the marketing team of the venue deal with all Press and Marketing.
The CM manages all media outlets of the company, so the website, social media and You
Tube channels. The Artistic Director and CM liaise with the chosen graphic designers on art
work for each production.
Question 2
Your directorial style has been likened to Brecht. What did Brecht want to achieve?
Answer
Brecht was seeking a new kind of theatre that reflected the times in which he was living; that
replaced the old-fashioned theatre with a modern new theatre; that used theatre as a tool
to examine the society in which he was living; that asked questions of the actors and the
audience; that instructed the audience; that entertained whilst also being a tool for social
and political change.
Although Brecht’s theories changed over the years, he was a political playwright who
wanted people to understand the political and social condition of the world around them.
He was concerned with the audience’s involvement in what they were watching. Early works
like The Mother was a ‘lehrstück ’or learning play and was written with the idea of educating
as well as entertaining his audience. The idea of a ‘theatre for the scientific age ’was to
investigate life, truth and evidence through theatre, in the same way that a scientist would
experiment and examine. To wonder ‘why?’ He once said:
‘The world around you is changeable, it is not fixed. You can do something about it – there is
no such thing as fate.’
Brecht wanted people to examine the world around them, to see things in a new light, to ask
questions about themselves and others, about the inevitability of their lives, to take
responsibility for their actions and to be aware that there is always another way. Choice
offers alternative outcomes.
Brecht explores the role of actor and the role of audience within the theatrical space. He
wanted them both to question the actions of the characters on stage and ask, ‘was that
necessary’ and use this tool of investigation to ask the same questions of their own lives.
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Question 2 Continued...
Let’s look at other forms of theatre:
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Does it matter that Punch and Judy are just puppets?
Does it matter that shadow work is just people behind a screen making shapes?
Does it matter to Shakespeare’s audience that a man played a woman?
In fact, Shakespeare’s chorus in Henry V asked the audience outright:
“piece out our imperfections with your thoughts”
One of the reasons why Bruiser uses representational props is to make the audience use their
imaginations and think, rather than presenting them with a fake prison cell or a wooden
counter. Is this more satisfying to an audience? Perhaps it is like reading a book and being
disappointed by the film. The film producer will never be able to recreate the images you
had in your head. In the same way, Brecht realised that replicating a stable or a house is
pointless as it would never be as good as the image in your head as it is not real, and you
know it isn’t real because you are watching a theatrical performance.
All Bruiser productions use representational props and set, yet still engage the audience
emotionally. Audiences still laugh, cry, applaud and follow a story that affects them. It is not
just the Stanislavskian “naturalistic” approach that engages audiences; Brecht’s style did too.
Brecht wanted to alienate his audience and distance them from the action. It is worth
dwelling for a moment on the phenomenon of foot-tapping to “Brecht” songs. Imagine the
politically charged atmosphere of the 1920s Berlin audiences, where cabaret and music hall
acts were familiar. Even now when we hear Weill’s music such as “Mac the Knife”, it is catchy,
powerful and memorable. Therefore can the audience of the time remain unmoved by the
rhythms of the seductive Weill and his many marches and songs of incitement?
In fact, the songs demand engagement or enragement from their audiences. They were not
distanced, and were certainly not cool and rational. They were raucous and passionately
committed either for or against all that Brecht represented. Even when Brecht separated
music and text (e.g. introduced the song, provided a different space to sing the song, out of
the acting space, lighting change), music still provided an escape for the audience and they
joined in. And even when Brecht decided to use untrained voices (as Bruiser have in the
past), and many of his actors could not sing or had undistinguishable accents, this still
engaged the audiences, even if it was met with boos.
Brecht hoped in his plays to show the utter rottenness of bourgeois, capitalist society. His
belief was that the audience would see that a new society must replace the old and that
only Marxist society could deliver justice (and that this social change was inevitable, but that
his task was to help usher it in). Brecht, for all his insistence on reason, was here quite irrational
in his theory. His plays could lead audiences to many other kinds of conclusion. And, to
Brecht's great dismay, they did.
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Have you any top tips for auditioning for the Bruiser Summer Schools and Graduate
Academy?
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DON'T PANIC! The auditions are there to give you a chance to show the auditioning
panel what you can do. Whilst auditions are inherently stressful for many people, the
panel do not want you to panic, they want you to do well. If you relax and enjoy it, so
will the panel.
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As well as the talents you present during the audition, a big consideration is your
potential. How well you respond during the audition will also be noted. We are looking
for enthusiastic, team-players!
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Choose a character that you are comfortable with, and is suited to your own age.
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Do some preparation! Research your character. Make sure you have read the whole
play, not just the monologue, to ensure you know your character inside out. Do not
pick a monologue from the internet unless you can read the whole play. Without
doing this, you cannot put your character into context.
Learn the monologue off by heart. Do not rely on reading it just before you go in (or
worse, reading it "cold" at the audition). You will NOT be convincing. Ideally you
should learn the words - it's always much more impressive to a panel because it shows
that:
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o
o
you have the ability to learn them, which is reassuring and
that you have the dedication, which is encouraging.
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If you need to, then by all means keep the words "to hand" as an aide-memoire, but if
you end up simply reading them out, you will not do yourself justice.
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Make sure you can be heard. Practice out loud. Ask your teacher at school to help
you.
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Be Professional - Show the casting director how reliable you are by showing up at
least fifteen minutes before the audition.
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Dress Appropriately – Wear clothes that you can move in, such as a tracksuit and
trainers. It shows that you are ready for work!
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If you are preparing a song for Bruiser, you only need to prepare 16 bars. This is
sufficient and gives the panel a good indication of your vocal range.
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If you are showing off any other skills such as dancing to a CD, make sure it lasts no
longer than two minutes and you have brought with you the necessary equipment,
e.g. Cd player. Also ensure you have warmed up before you enter the audition room.
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If you are playing a musical instrument make sure the piece of music lasts no longer
than two minutes. If the instrument is too big to bring with you, check with Bruiser in
advance to see if they can provide the instrument e.g. a piano may be available for
use in the venue.
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Bruiser offers you a chance to show off any additional skills, so do try and grasp this
opportunity and show the panel what you can do. Whether it’s singing, dancing,
juggling, playing a musical instrument, use your time to sell yourself!
Question 3
How do you choose your artistic programme?
Answer
I try and find a healthy balance. A mixture of comedic and tragic , a balance of
contemporary and classical, a blend of commercial and less well known scripts or new
adaptations, and a programme which appeals to many strands of our target audiences. The
programme has a commitment to education, but also to the general public. I need to keep
in mind that some plays such as Cabaret are not suitable for touring due to the immense size
of the cast and crew, and some plays are more suited to touring e.g. the Nose set can easily
be erected in small, medium and large touring venues. The plays I choose are always linked
by one thing; the potential of using the Bruiser style and developing new techniques which
will support the themes and feel of the show. That is why our programme is so disparate. We
are not tied down by simply doing one type of show, e.g. our niche is not American drama,
local issue based drama or just classical texts. Our Artistic Policy and Mission Statement allows
us to explore all genres and styles, and I choose plays that I think can be brought to life with
exciting ensemble playing.
Question 4
When you are casting actors does their training have any relevance for you?
Answer
Yes, training certainly is of interest to me. Bearing in mind the type of work Bruiser does, actors
need to be good all-rounders, e.g. have a large range for multi-roling, some dancing and
singing ability, etc. Further training will have given them a grounding in these skills, and the
ability to work closely with their peers in a devising / collaborative manner. It is anticipated
that training will have provided an outlet for experimental drama – and so if cast, the actors
may have some experience in physical theatre.
20
Question 5
What type of training would have relevance for you?
Answer
It varies from show to show, however these skills are always ones I look out for:





Physical theatre, rhythm and dance skills.
Singing.
Accents.
Ability to play a musical instrument.
Techniques such as Commedia, Lecoq / Mime, Stage Combat, Chorus, devising, etc
21
Things you Didn't Ask but Might
Want to Know
Carly, you've been in post as Bruiser's Company Manager for a year now.
Why did you decide to go into Arts Management?
Arts Management is something that I progressively fell into. When I was 16/17,
I had the dream of being a West End star (I think many of us do as
teenagers!) but when I started A Level Drama, I was opened up to other
forms and styles of theatre. I decided to go to the University of Kent rather
than Drama School and study Theatre and Drama academically. It was
during my studies at Kent, that I started to work in Stage Management,
Lighting Design and Production Management and I really enjoyed it. A
module called Cultural Policy really grabbed my attention at Uni. It was a
practical and analytical look at the Arts Sector infrastructure and arts
management and I got hooked! For my Masters, I specialised in
Contemporary Performance Practice were we formed our own theatre
companies and performed and produced work with contemporary
influences. Each of us had a role to play and mine was
Production/Company Management. When I graduated, I was offered a role
of Technical Administrator for the School of Arts at Kent, which I gratefully
accepted. I started passing on skills to first year students and assisting
technicians and tutors with the practical running of modules, shows and
exams.
During university, I Co-Founded a puppetry company called Little
Cauliflower. Within LC, I was Artistic Director but also split the Company
Management role with the other AD. After four years working with my own
company, I wanted to learn and discover more. Not every company works
in the same way, that's the beauty of Arts Management in a way. The
Company Manager role for Bruiser popped up in my emails and I instantly
applied. I never thought in a million years that I would actually get the job
and return to Northern Ireland and work in the arts sector in Belfast after
seven years in England.
22
Richard, you have been involved with Bruiser for a number of years and were cast
in Bruiser's production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle. What skills do you need to be
a Bruiser actor and what tips would you give to budding actors out there?
Having been involved with Bruiser over the past 5 years, I have trained within their
unique theatrical style and this has allowed me to develop a range of skills over a
variety of disciplines. For me, one of the biggest skills I have learnt through training
and working with Bruiser is how to successfully work as part of an ensemble. The
style calls for actors to not only perform, but also to move set, play instruments, and
make sound effects; this ability to adapt quickly as part a team is very important
when performing with Bruiser. The skill of awareness is therefore a major part of this
ability, and being continually conscious of the other members of the group is a vital
skill, as Bruiser performers must have the capacity to react quickly to mistakes or
changes that may occur.
For those who are thinking of acting as a profession in the future, I think my main
piece of advice would be to learn and absorb as much as possible while you’re
young. There were numerous things that I started to learn during my time at school,
such as musical instruments, dance lessons, circus skills and languages; the vast
majority of these I gave up quickly mainly due to lack of interest. However, since
working professionally, the opportunity to use these talents within performances
has occurred frequently. I believe that the more talents and skills you can acquire
while you’re young, the further this will expand your employability in the future. And
you never know when a casting director may be looking for a trumpet-playing,
French speaking juggler!
23
Vicky, you were involved in the Bruiser Graduate Academy last year. Can you tell
us how you found working in the Bruiser style and was it what you expected?
When I first started the Bruiser Training Academy, I was impressed by the level of
physical theatre that they embedded in their acting techniques. It was incredibly
challenging to keep up with the physical demands and also the intense level of
focus that was required from the performers. This assisted me in gaining a more
professional approach to my behaviour and habits in the rehearsal room. It was a
life-changing experience as it has revealed a completely new branch of the
performing arts that I would like to pursue a career in. Previously, I had studied
naturalistic acting techniques that suited film, TV and plays from the realism
movement. However, with the graduate academy, we used Faustus, The Generous
Bank and Jet Set from the musical Catch me if You can. These were stylized using
Jacques Lecoq techniques and various other physical theatre practices. Adapting
these texts in this style encouraged me to think more innovatively about acting in
general and has encouraged me to gain more training in these areas.
The final showcase at the end of the programme was an excellent opportunity to
perform for an audience that included; agents, artistic directors, creative directors
and family and friends. This provided a chance to improve skills in networking and
boosted my confidence in performing. I would highly recommend Bruiser Graduate
Academy to anyone who is interested in any aspect of the Performing Arts Industry.
It is an excellent chance to meet likeminded people, develop long lasting
friendships and have an outstanding level of support from the directors, musical
directors and choreographers.
24
Production History
"The trio of O’Reilly, Rose and director
Lisa May have worked wonders in
bringing to life this sophisticated piece of
European-inspired theatre" ***** Irish
Times
"There is much to admire in this
musically adept, visually
stunning production..."
Irish Theatre Magazine
"Terrific performances, an on-stage
orchestra and a show that sends you
home with a smile on your face. Spell hit.
H.I.T." Belfast Telegraph
"Director Lisa May, offers up an
accomplished, slick, high-quality
production..." Belfast Telegraph
"This frantic ensemble delivers an all-singing, alldancing production. And when they aren’t singing
and dancing, the cast are busy acting, playing
instruments and changing scenery. All without
breaking even a bead of sweat."
Culture Northern Ireland
"Director Lisa May encourages her cast to
camp it up like crazy, skipping between
scenes, humming and trilling and throwing
caution to the winds." The Stage
"This absorbing revival soundly delivers a
new Othello for our times, raising the play’s profile
to long-overdue recognition..." Irish Theatre
Magazine
"A frenetic, fast-paced comedy that combines cultural
critique with good craic."
"This production is exhilarating and exciting from
beginning to end. Bruiser have proved once again that
their combined talents are a force to be reckoned
with."
25
""Director Lisa May acknowledges a Fawlty Towers influence...She
has created a piece that has a fluidity of physical movement and
thought; human avarice and folly are debunked in riveting fashion. She
has disciplined and empowered her cast in a playful, anarchic farce."
Irish Theatre Magazine
"The company’s distinctive style, with the whole cast constantly
on stage, delivering a combination of mime, music, song,
concentrated expressionism and intense physicality, is clearly
suited to the demands of Littlewood’s savagely acerbic
entertainment."
The Stage
"This is a typical Bruiser production – spot on
physical theatre, interspersed with song, well-timed
slapstick...It’s clever, fast and frenetic." Culture
Northern Ireland
"Sticking to Bruiser’s ethos of ‘minimum set for maximum
impact’, the actors are given only a handful of props to
create a myriad of scenes, characters and locations. The
result is a wonder of ensemble acting and comic timing."
"Director Lisa May delicately handles the shifting tones
of the play, weaving together strands of wistful humour
and dark tragedy with skill and flair." Culture Northern
Ireland
"The cast work at a breathtaking pace with typical Bruiser
athletics, continually drawing the audience into their world...sit
tight, fasten your seatbelts and wait for the magic and the
mayhem." Culture Northern Ireland
"Theatrical style and flourish spill over as energy fizzes
around the stage." Cork Evening Echo
26
"The visual and psychological impact of Gregor Samsa's
overnight transformation into a grotesque dung beetle is
chillingly powerful..." Irish Times
"Director Lisa May has created a watertight production, filled
with beautifully performed songs, and choreography so tight
it almost squeaks....A cracker of a show, worthy of a poem
from young Mole himself." The Belfast Telegraph
"There are too many highlights to mention...
...Gangster opera that's worth every last penny"
The Newsletter
"...slick assured entertainment, punctuated by exemplary
performances..." The Irish Times
"[The characters] take on a multitude of roles in a virtuoso
display of verbal intricacy and theatrical inventiveness." The
News Letter
"...under the imaginative direction of Lisa May and in the
hands of an excellent cast, [they] gave us a night of black-box
theatre that will live long in the heart, and in the memory."
Sunday Life - The Golden Nuggets of 2003
"A better, more clearly spoken, introduction to the Bard as
study than this critic ever had the good fortune to delight in.
Go see." The News Letter
27
DVD Collection Archive
In order to access our DVD Library,
you must have a Google+
Account. With an account, we can
then add your email to the private
video and you can easily access
the video via You Tube.
Our current collection includes:
As this DVD Archive is purely for
educational purposes, we are not
allowed to sell the DVD. We are
asking for a small donation to the
company. The suggested amount
is £5.
Metamorphosis
If you would like access to our
videos, please contact
[email protected]
Cabaret
The Nose
Canterbury Tales
The School for Scandal
Lady Windemere's Fan
Confusions
Cooking With Elvis
The Case of the Frightened Lady
Candied
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
Aged 13 3/4
28
Bruiser Hire Department
Bruiser have an extensive collection
of costume, props, set pieces, masks
and puppets for hire.
To see the collection, please visit
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com/hire
From there, you can download a
'Hire Booking Form', fill it in and email
it to Company Manager, Carly
McConnell at:
[email protected]
29
A Day With Bruiser
Workshop Plans
Text Versus Movement
Stephen Beggs
1. Warm-up – brief physical & vocal exercises.
2. Portrait Photos
In groups of about 8. When leader shouts go, all run to performance area over 8
beats (counted by the leader) and freeze on 8th beat. Over the 8 beats the leader
will suggest a mood, emotion or object to freeze in, e.g. joy, death, happiness,
aeroplane, etc. On the 8th beat the group must make sure they are representing
that mood, emotion or object and that they are physically connected to each
other. Make sure on the 8th beat, all heads face the audience.
Variation 1 of portrait photos: Gradually morph between the 8 beats from the last
emotion (e.g. happiness) to the new one (e.g. sadness). Always remain connected
to the group when morphing and finding new position, as if moving as one unit.
Variation 2 of portrait photos: Try and sense the beats as a group, without the
leader counting aloud.
Variation 3 of portrait photos: Try and sense the new emotion with the rest of the
group (without talking) during the morph, instead of by the leader’s command.
3. Literalising Proverbs/Sayings
Examples:
YOU COULD CUT THE ATMOSPHERE WITH A KNIFE
SHE LOOKED AS PRETTY AS A PICTURE
HE DROVE LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL
WILD HORSES COULDN’T DRAG HER AWAY
SHE WAS DRESSED UP TO THE NINES
SHE LOOKED LIKE A DOGS DINNER
HE WENT IN GUNS ABLAZING
SHE HAD BEEN TO HELL AND BACK
HE WAS AS STRONG AS AN OX
HE WAS AS TOUGH AS OLD BOOTS
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
In groups of 3-6, act out and physicalise proverbs or sayings, using choral
words, choreography and sound. Depending on the age of the group,
participants can devise a short scenario, putting the saying into context and
perhaps finishing with the line. They are encouraged to express themselves
physically, create images and moods with their bodies, and think visually
using symmetry, rhythm, sound effects and levels.

Groups can then choose 4 strong images within their short performance.
Between these freezes, they must find a transition that helps them move in
and out of the freezes and suits the mood of the piece. They can use words,
song, rhythm to choreograph their human set changes, paying close
attention to the visual look of the piece.
4. Genre Quiz
In groups of 10. Each group is given 4 sheets of blank paper; each has the name
of a different Genre written at the top. These Genres are; ‘Comedy of Manners’,
‘Symbolic Theatre’, ‘Elizabethan Tragedy’ and ‘Brechtian / Epic Theatre’. Each
group is also given 16 Genre characteristics printed on slips of paper. Working
against the clock, each group has to assign 4 characteristics to each Genre.
When 2 minutes elapses, each group presents their decisions to the others. After a
discussion, the leader confirms which characteristics belong with each Genre.
5. Genre Script Game
In groups of 7-8. Building on the previous exercise, each group is assigned one of
the Genres from the Quiz. They are then given a simple script:
Villain:
You Must Pay The Rent!
Heroine:
But I Can’t Pay The Rent!
Villain:
Then I Will Throw You Out Into The Snow!
Hero:
[Enters] I’ll Pay The Rent!
Heroine:
My Hero!
Each group must take this basic scenario and adapt it to create a short physical
performance to suit their assigned Genre. They may adapt the dialogue and use
choral words, choreography and sound.
31
6. Text Exercise
In the same groups of 7-8 as the previous exercise. Each group is given a short
extract from one of the following texts:
‘Blood Wedding’ by Federico Garcia Lorca
‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare
‘The Threepenny Opera’ by Bertolt Brecht
‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’ by Oscar Wilde
Using the various skills and techniques from all the previous exercises and what they
have learned about the Genres from which these plays emerged, each group
must prepare a short physical performance of their assigned extract.
Follow-up Exercises
Archetypes and Attitudes
Explore playing different attitudes and making them physically big.
Walking in the space – beat, freeze, beat, take up an attitude, walk again, blend
attitudes, explore scale, go into neutral in between states.
Start with everyday attitudes; jealous, just had a good idea, lost, angry, depressed
etc. Build towards attitudes that might be relevant for the list of archetypes below
e.g. starving.
Archetypes from ‘The Threepenny Opera’:
Snob
Beggar
Chief Constable
Gang Leader
Gang Member
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Businessman
Jilted lover
Hero
Romantic Heroine
Whore
In pairs, choose an archetype and an attitude and sculpt your partner. Look at the
images as a whole; look at different attitudes across the play, and at some
individually in more detail.
Choosing one of your favourites, develop a physicality, a walk and a catchphrase.
Pull a few out to observe – ask a pair of ‘opposite’ attitudes to enter and meet.
Look for the impact as truth-of-attitude and extreme-of-style meet.
Counterpoint in character and encounter
Explore the idea of counterpoint – change one element of the image; the tone,
attitude, the physicality, or the expression. Choose an attitude that is the direct
opposite of the archetype e.g. what happens if the gang leader is scared?
Develop these ideas of archetypes, encounters and counterpoint further with
extracts from the play.
Here is some Bruiser worked with:
Beggar (Filch):
Only a few shillings stand between me and utter ruin
Constable (Brown):
How is it possible that such a notorious criminal should
be running around loose in London?
Whore:
all the time.
From the cradle to the grave; underwear first, last and
Jilted lover (Lucy):
No I won’t shut my trap, I can’t bear it. It’s more than
flesh and blood can stand.
33
Heroine (Polly):
But love is the finest thing in the world.
Gang Member (Matthew): We have contacts in the highest places.
Gang Leader (Mac):
with me.
You’ll rise all right if you think you can compete
Romantic Hero (Mac):
shall return.
For I must go away, and no one knows when I
Devising and Physicality
Richard Priestley
To bring: Canes (x35), The Caucasian Chalk Circle Grusha Extracts, Masking Tape,
Photo Stimuli, Balls
1. PHYSICAL WARM UP (10mins)
- Stretchy Vocally Warmy-up
2. CLOWNING & MASKS (10mins)
- Circle, looking down. On beats look up and if you make eye contact your out.
- Different emotions (Happy, Sad, Confused, Angry). Count to 10 getting more
intense (5 being normal, everyday emotion). And both to neutral (0) after each
number.
- Mime Exercises to Develop Precision in Characterisation: "Walking an Emotion"
Ask/demonstrate walking around as an emotion (Happy, Sad, Anger, Jealousy).
Walk around the space in neutral. Choose an emotion, count from 1 to 10 getting
bigger. Shout an emotion, snap to emotion (10) & then back to neutral.
3. COMPLICITE CANES (20mins)
"Focus"
1. Stand in circle holding top of cane with finger.
2. Sense as a group to let go & grab the cane to their right. Try not to let anyone
lead movement, but feel it as a group. Don't be afraid of silence.
34
"Space between performers"
1. Put in pairs & to take one bamboo cane between them, hold the cane
between their forefingers, exerting a little bit of pressure to keep the cane secure.
2. The pairs to move about the space trying not to let the cane drop. Encourage
the use of eye contact (but no talking) to communicate.
3. As the participants begin to be more sensitive to each other encourage them to
make their movements more daring. Can you sit down, roll along the ground,
change the speed or rhythm whilst still keeping the cane link?
4. Gradually get a whole group of pairs working in the same space. Encourage the
students to be sensitive to all the other pairs and to avoid clashes.
5. Put students into groups of 7 & try to get the, to create spaces, shapes and
rhythms together as a group: to be daring, to weave in and out, under and over
other people, to play together and be imaginative.
"Developing devising skills Transposition - putting the elements together"
(Act 2 - The Flight into the Northern Mountains from 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle'. In
this scene Grusha is travelling quickly through many different environments and
buildings. She is also constantly climbing uphill into the mountains, and journeys
through many different emotional states.)
1. Divide your students into groups of 7 & give each group a piece of text with a
clear journey between spaces.
2. In the groups read through the section of text & outline the journey: where
Grusha is and what is happening.
3. Get your students to use their bamboos, bodies and voices to show the journey
in the form of a moving sketch. If they want they can use tiny fragments of the text
to illustrate the images they create.
4. Give the groups a few minutes to produce a piece of about 30 second/1
minute. Discuss what you all saw after you have watched a piece. Is there enough
variation in the story? Do you know where you are? Do you know what the
emotional quality of each scene is? Work on the pieces and change elements to
make them more effective.
35
4. IMPROV TECHNIQUES (15mins)
- Chair is not a Chair (mention Object Manipulation as a stimulus just like canes)
- Umbrella Game
"The Offer"
Divide into pairs. One person begins by making an “offer” (an idea) & the partner
replies with a sentence that begins "Yes, and…". Try not to block your partner’s
ideas. Build on each suggestion. When confidence develops, you can add in
actions. Use the space as much as possible.
A: It's raining
B: Yes, and I've got a large umbrella
A: Let’s shelter under it
B: Yes, and the wind is blowing us into the air
A: We are flying over the sea
B: Yes, and we have landed on an island…
- Photo Stimuli & Movement
This is the next step to take with this series of explorations. Finding the dynamics of
movement of a photograph or painting is more complicated, partly because it is a
static representation of something moving, and partly because there are many
elements and materials contained within one picture. This really requires
imagination on the part of the students and can lead towards developing quite
complex movement sequences.
1. Ask your students to find the dynamics of movement in photographs and
paintings.
2. With students in groups of five or six choose a painting or photograph and ask
them to prepare a series of movements which they think expresses the dynamic of
movement of that image. The aim is not to show what the photograph looks like
but to express other things about it, including the atmosphere, weight, light,
shadow, space and colour.
3. Get the students to present their version of the painting or photograph to the
other groups and then talk about what the spectators received.
4. Finally show the spectators the original painting or photograph and talk about
what was captured in the improvisation and what was lost.
These exercises are central to devising because they explore the creation of a
physical text. They transpose a frozen image or object into a series of movements
36
which exist in time. They can be a useful way to start talking about dramatic
construction in microcosm. In these tiny pieces of movement theatre you can see
progression, contrast, variations of rhythm, surprises, transformations of space and
even characters emerging.
- (Another example to just mention) 3 frozen images at different heights, find a
journey between them, memorise it. Create a narrative of a character out of
movement and show others.
5. COMPLICITE TENSION (15mins)
- "The 7 Levels of Tension"
1. Begin by exploring both ends of the scale so that your students know where they
are travelling from and where they will end up.
2. Get your students to work in pairs and one at a time to take all of the tension out
of their body (they should end up lying on the floor). Their partner is there to check
that there really isn't any tension left. This is tension level 1.
3. Then get the same pairs to try the opposite. Get them to make every single
muscle and sinew of their body tense. This is hard work so don't let them hold the
tension for more than a few seconds at a time. This is tension level 7.
4. Now explore the scale from 1-7 and observe what changes occur from stage to
stage. Work by getting students to move around the space gradually injecting
more tension into their bodies. Most people will arrive at a level of tension that feels
incredibly natural to them. Encourage your students to respond and interact with
each other and the space to help their exploration of the different tensions. What
happens when level 1 meets level 7?
5. Try to find real life examples that illustrate each of the different levels of tension.
For example, level 6 could be illustrated by looking at football fans reacting to a
controversial decision made by a referee.
This is a list of names given to each level of tension, along with a suggestion of a
corresponding performance style that could exist in that tension.
1. Catatonic
2. Relaxed/Californian (soap opera)
3. Neutral/ economic (contemporary dance)
4. Alert (farce, late for bus, lost something)
5. Suspense (melodrama)
6. Passionate (opera, over the top)
7. Tragic (end of King Lear when Lear is holding Cordelia in his arms, too much
tension can't move)
37
- Box Game
"Small space to re-create a big world"
Mark out this size space on the floor with tape (150cm x 250cm). This is the
performance space & the only rule is that the students have to stay entirely in that
space (not even one foot on the floor).
1. Suggest vast themes which embrace huge landscapes, and changes of
landscape. These could include a James Bond Style chase sequence or the
volcanic explosion at Mount Vesuvius.
2. In groups of five or six get your students to explore their theme on this very small
stage. Get them to explore how to create a sense of space in a very small playing
area.
6. COOL DOWN & QUESTIONS
- Samurai Position, opening space. Reaching up, out & down.
- Relax body & roll down
- Breathing exercises
Follow Up Suggestions
1. ENSEMBLE: Moving as an Ensemble
- "Team Knot Game"
1. In groups of five or more, move to the four corners of the room. Get the
participants in each group to knot themselves up in a ridiculous position. For
example, they must all hold one individual's ankles and at the same time link arms
with a neighbour. Then, without breaking their position and contact, they must
move to the opposite corner of the room.
2. Cross the room without losing physical contact with the group, but this time only
one person is allowed to move at a time.
3. Cross the room with two people not being allowed to touch the ground and with
the rest of the group not using their arms to carry these individuals.
2. IMPROVISATION TECHNIQUES: Object Manipulation
- "Chair is not a Chair"
1. A follow on from the Complicite Cane exercise, a chair is placed in the centre of
the circle. Two participant is picked to enter the circle and are told "the chair is not
a chair, what is it?"
2. They must begin to improvise a scene where the chair becomes something else,
e.g. an umbrella, a sledge, a kangaroo. And they must react to each others ideas
quickly.
38
3. The action is frozen by another participant who wants to enter the scene by them
shouting "FREEZE", and they replace one of the performers by tapping them on the
shoulder. The action is un-frozen by the new participant creating a new meaning of
the chair.
This game is a good way to rapidly create ideas from nothing, and getting students
to start to use objects in different ways. This game can also be played with a broom
or a sheet.
3. IMPROVISATION TECHNIQUES: Creating Simple Narrative
- "Narrative Levels"
1. In small groups, 3 frozen images are created and memorised. All members of the
group should adopt a different pose at varying levels, and these should be different
for each image.
2. After the 3 images are created, the group must find a journey between them. A
creative way to move from one to the other before establishing the image, and this
is again memorised.
3. The final stage is adding a narrative to the images, and creating a purpose for
the movement and image. Adding sound effects and words to help build a story
that connect the images and movements together.
This exercise helps to start creating a story and character out of simple movement.
And using the physicality of the body's movement as a stimulus to create a
character and be a good way to devise ideas.
3. IMPROVISATION TECHNIQUES: Exploring Space
- "Creating real spaces"
1. Begin this work by giving the students themes which inhabit very small spaces (this
can be real or imaginary): 'you are stuck in the lift', 'you are explorers trapped in a
cave' or 'you are prisoners locked in a tiny cell'.
2. Ask them to create very short scenes which explore physical proximity and how
people respond to being in limited spaces.
- "Small space to re-create a big world"
1. Mark out this size space on the floor with tape (1.5m x 2.5m). This is the
performance space & the only rule is that the students have to stay entirely in that
space (not even one foot outside of the box).
39
2. Suggest vast themes which embrace huge landscapes, and changes of
landscape. These could include a James Bond Style chase sequence, the volcanic
explosion at Mount Vesuvius, or Astronauts exploring a new planet.
3. In groups of five or six get your students to explore their theme in this very small
space. Get them to explore how to create a sense of space in a very small playing
area.
These exercises allow participants to think about how to use their physicality to
create a sense of changing space.
Bruiser's Physical and Ensemble Style
Lisa May
Splat
Leader stands in middle of circle. She splats a person by saying “Splat” loudly and
using a strong action. The person being splatted squats immediately while their
neighbour on each side leans in towards them with same action and repeats
“Splat” loudly. The neighbour must use the arm nearest to the person who has been
splatted. Others in the circle must stay utterly still. Once given a trial run, students
are knocked out if there is an error, e.g. too slow, wrong arm, slight movement when
not their go. This is a concentration game which focuses on anchoring, alertness,
speed and physical control. Variations include a double splat, and a voice splat,
where leader changes the pitch and tone of the way she says “Splat”, and
neighbours must copy. The Splat action can also change and neighbours must
copy.
Name Game / Yes Game
Group stand in a circle, and a person begins by pointing at someone across the
circle. This person states their name clearly, and this is an indication that the pointer
can move to their place. Meanwhile, once they have stated their own name, they
too point at someone, wait to hear them state their name, and then move to their
place in the circle. A variation to the game is to say “yes” instead of your name. The
emphasis is on making the gesture (pointing), verbal (yes) and movement (across
the circle) distinct and separate. Get a good, strong rhythm going, and make sure
the gesture, verbal and movement are not blurred. A great game to highlight
teamwork, rhythm and the necessity for a Bruiser actor to compartmentalise
gesture, voice and movement.
40
Freeze Tag
Traditional ‘tag’ but when a person is tagged, the rest of the group must freeze on
the point of contact. The new person who is ‘on’ is then in control of breaking the
freeze and resuming the game. They can control the pace, style and movement
when coming out of the freeze, and the rest of the group must copy, e.g. slow
motion, dance, skip, vocals, etc. The traditional competitive tag element is not
important. The focus is on ensemble playing – stopping dead on that point of
contact and starting movement at exactly the same time as a unit.
Variation 1 of Freeze Tag: When a person is tagged, everyone freezes, except the
person who is ‘on’, who is the only one to use sound and movement to tag
someone else. This time they tag them by giving focus to another member of the
group by making eye contact and a final gesture. The person who has taken the
focus must immediately spring into action with a new repetitive sound and gesture.
The group must never let the action stop.
Variation 2 of Freeze Tag: Repeat of above, but you don’t have to make eye
contact. Instead the focus can be sent across the room, or even behind the person.
This forces the group to use all their senses by focusing to send and receive.
Variation 3 of Freeze Tag: As above, but instead of giving the focus a member of
the group can take it by starting a movement and sound at any time, and the
person must freeze as soon as it is taken.
Variation 4 of Freeze Tag: Combine all the above variations.
Busy Bee
This is an exercise which develops the concept of physicalising not only different
objects, but also emotions and ideas. A letter of the alphabet is called out, and the
participants must transform themselves immediately into something beginning with
that letter. Pupils are forced to start thinking outside of the box, as no points are
awarded if they duplicate their choice, e.g. if the letter is D, most people’s first
reaction is dog. Try and push their creativity, striving for wacky, obscure shapes and
words. Variations on Busy Bee include getting into pairs, fours, eights, etc, making
one bee, and one noun, e.g. if the leader shouts O, she wants to see one orange,
not eight oranges, to encourage devising and teamwork. A further idea is giving the
groups more structured ideas e.g. a form of transport, something you’d take on
holiday, a kitchen appliance, etc. You can build movement and sound effects into
this exercise too.
41
1 – 5 – action and sound effects into improvisation
Ask the group to get into pairs. Then ask them to count to 5 repeatedly on loop, as
this will alternate who starts the sequence every time. Then ask them to swap
number 3 with a big action and sound effect. Insert this into the loop. Number 3
must always be this chosen action and sound effect. Once comfortable, ask them
to change number 4 with a different action and sound effect. Keep staggering the
changes until each number has a large action and sound effect and keep looping
this sequence until the routine is smooth. This helps students’ concentration and
starts them using big actions and sound effects, plus focusing on smooth
choreography. Perform to each other.
Then divide the group into 6. Ask them to repeat the routines to the other members
of their group and choose 5 actions and sound effects which are the most striking
and visual. Groups must then use these 5 actions and sound effects in a short
devised piece (no more than 2 minutes). The students can use dialogue if they so
wish or it can be abstract. They can choose whatever genre they want. A great
exercise to start the devising process within the Bruiser style.
Pass the clap/count
In a circle, pass the clap one way round the circle and once this has been
accomplished, pass a count from 1 –5 round the other way. Be alert to the two
processes at once.
Variation: The clap is passed clockwise around the circle, but when it is passed to
the neighbour, they must clap at the same time. This can also be done using
stamps, or both. Try and find a good solid rhythm. New rhythms can be added as
can new movements and sounds. The rhythm can be themed and is a useful
rehearsal technique for unified, choreographed pieces.
Break out of the circle and split into groups of about 6. Ask the group to think of a
group of people, e.g. policemen, dinner ladies, cowboys, doctors, etc. Ask them to
think of 8 different movements and sound effects to epitomise this group. They can
be as abstract as they wish, but each person must learn each move as the
emphasis is on precision and identical ensemble choreography. Each movement
must be exact and the sound effects keeps everyone identical and in rhythm. Each
movement must vary in length (not just one beat). Groups can use words, random
sound effects, snippets of music as their sound track. Large actions are easier to
copy and more effective visually. Students are asked to consider levels, pace,
texture and multi-roling, e.g. a bouncer can throw someone out of a club, the
42
students can then spin into the customer begging to be let in, then jump into
bouncer character again. Highlight the strong finishing position which may
influence the next move. Get them thinking visually, and take out any gaps so the
piece is fluid. This is to prioritise the fluidity of transitions.
Bouncers
Script work – starting with the previous exercise, ask them to use bouncers as their
group of people. Find hooks in the text which brings out strong unified movement.
Where would sound effects fit in? What helps support the text rather than breaking
the impact of it?
Follow Up Ideas
Stop / Go, Clap / Jump, Angry with the world / Being in love;
Walking in the space, set up the simple obedience to the rules; stop, go, clap and
jump. Introduce angry with the world and being in love – get each person to create
their own sound and action for these titles – these must be repeated when the
signal is given. Gradually reverse the meaning of the instructions stage by stage i.e.
go means stop, stop means go, angry means love etc. What does it take to
accomplish this task – Brecht’s performance style requires you to remain conscious
and not do anything by habit.
Zip Zap Boing
This is a popular game which demands concentration, energy, bold gestures and
loud voices. Group stand in a circle. They must imagine a hot ball of energy is being
passed around the circle and they must use the appropriate actions and sounds to
move the ball.
Zip:
Zap:
Boing:
Ho-Down:
Diddleydee:
Huh:
I run:
Goes to the left or right neighbour
Sends it across the circle
Deflects a zap
The only time the ball can change direction
Skips a person
Skips 2 people
Everyone runs and swaps places. The ball continues with the person
who said it.
43
Group Shapes (similar to Busy Bee)
1. Group move around room (can be combined with “stop/go, jump/clap,
love/anger) and the leader gives the command to get into groups of a
certain number.
2. Upon the leader’s command the groups must then devise a way of having
only those body parts touching the ground, e.g. a group may be allowed
three feet, two backs, an arm and a leg touching the floor but no more.
3. Without talking, the group must then get into the shape that the leader calls
out, e.g. plane, washing machine, house, body, beach, etc.
4. The group must freeze and the leader can “hotseat” members (ask them
questions about what or who they are).
5. The leader can ask the group to add movement and sound to their
creations.
MIME AND SOUND EFFECTS
Leaf Mime
Mime a leaf falling in the wind. Be exact about your movements. Allow the wind to
carry the leaf and take you off the spot and around the room. Morph slowly from
the leaf mime to a new mime commanded by the leader, e.g. flying a kite, walking
a dog, using a torch, umbrella against the wind, helium balloon, tug of war.
Mime and Sound Effects
Use all senses to convey an object, e.g. smell, texture, shape, sound, pressure,
weight, etc. Show mime to a partner. If partner can’t guess it, show again and
refine. Shorten the mime by picking key aspects to best suggest the object e.g.
sound effects, frame outline before you use it, etc. This turns into a more
representative, stronger mime, using bold physical gesture, rather than longwinded, fiddly mimes.
Get the Gist
Large group is split into two. Group B leave the room whilst group A make up a very
simple short story with the leader. One member of group A is nominated to retell the
story to their group. Group A then nominates a second person to mime the story to
a person from group B. Group B are let back into the room one at a time.
44
After watching the mime, the person must copy it and show to the new person
entering from group B. The mime will inevitably get sloppier and differ each time.
Emphasis is placed on large clear gestures. The last person who sees the mime must
tell the rest of the group what he thinks the story is about.
Sound Ball
An imaginary ball is thrown with sound to another person in the circle. They must
catch it and copy the sound. They can then throw it to someone else and make a
new sound. The person who catches it repeats their sound. Pay special attention to
catching the ball. Make sure you make it clear who you are throwing it to, how
heavy it is, how big it is, etc.
Machines
First ask the group what makes a machine work, e.g. cogs, battery, motor, springs,
etc. A volunteer then starts a machine, making a rhythmic, repetitive sound and
motion. They are the heart of the machine. The rest of the group are then
encouraged to join the machine, by adding a different sound and repetitive
movement, paying special attention to the visual lines, e.g. levels, connections.
Once all members of the group are part of the machine, the leader tells them they
are at 5 (the lowest being 0, the highest being 10), he then turns them up gradually,
and then down to 0.
Variations on Machines
1. In smaller groups devise a machine that represents an emotion or theme,
e.g. happy, sad, angry, gossip. The sounds can be abstract or words.
2. Create a machine that performs a function. Perhaps it is something the
group would really like e.g. a perfect boyfriend machine, a homework
machine, a money machine – but it must produce an end product. Again a
mixture of words, sounds and rhythmic actions can be used.
3. Create a machine which represents an occasion, such as a Christmas
dinner. Ask the group to think of strong images and sounds/words e.g.
carving the turkey, snapping of crackers, smelling of Brussels sprouts, putting
on paper hats. Think of a final ending, e.g. the eating and drinking gets faster
and faster until everyone bursts, or perhaps slower and slower until everyone
falls asleep.
45
Multi-Chair
1. A circle of empty chairs, widely spaced. Each chair represents a character,
e.g. pantomime hero, witch, drunk, librarian, gangster, teenager, etc. A
person is chosen to stand behind each chair, and on the count of 3, move
towards it and when they touch it, they freeze as this character. They are
encouraged to use the chair to help their image, e.g. the witch could use it
as a cauldron, the hero could stand on it, the gangster could use it as a gun,
the librarian could use it as a rocking chair, and the teenager could slump on
it, or kick it. Once they have held this freeze, the leader shouts change, and
they move clockwise to the next chair in neutral. When they reach the chair,
they then quickly change into the freeze for the next character. This
continues until they reach their starting chair/character.
2. The exercise is repeated, but this time the person must inhabit the character
and play a scene in character until the leader shouts change.
3. This exercise is repeated, but the person must find one summarising saying /
sound and one bold action that they repeat until the leader says change.
4. This exercise is repeated but the leader no longer gives the order to change,
and each person must sense when to move on to the next chair.
5. This exercise is repeated but new methods of transition must be sought.
Instead of the chair being the catalyst for the new character, can the group
find other more interesting ways to change, e.g. do they stay in character
during transitions, do they make clockwork noises / choral actions during
transitions, do they find a song or sound effect that represents the transitions.
What works best and why?
46
Investigating Performing Arts Organisations
Carly McConnell
Forming A Company
In groups of 6, students will kick the workshop off by forming their own hypothetical
theatre company. Here, they will decide on the following:
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What style of theatre they want to create
A name for their company
What are their individual job roles within the company
Who are their audience
What their branding is going to be - includes Logo and how they engage with their
audience
Decide on three words to describe the company
Decide on their Unique Selling Points
They are to write a 30 second Elevator Lift Pitch to sell their company and/or a
theatre production they are currently (hypothetically) are producing
By drawing on paper, they are to answer: If your company was a person, what
would they look like?
The group will answer these questions practically by using string, clothes pegs, crafts
and coloured paper. Each group will then display their clothes line of ideas and
deliver a short presentation on their newly formed theatre company.
What is the role of a Company Manager?
On flipchart paper, in their groups, the students will now think of the tasks and
responsibilities I personally have as the Company Manager of Bruiser Theatre
Company. We will open the floor and one person from each group will read them
out. Together, we will all discuss what responsibilities do lie with me, if any suggested
by the students lie with the Artistic Director etc.
Following on from this, each group will be given a 'Theme'. These themes represent
five responsibilities I have as Company Manager:
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Marketing
Administration
Finance
Producing
Health and Safety
47
Within their groups, they must decide what tasks each theme involves, writing them
down on flipchart paper. We will then open the floor, were one representative from
each team tells the rest of them room what tasks they thought lay within the
Company Manager role.
How to Write a Good CV
Each group will be given an example of a 'bad' Actor's CV. After reading it, they
will then be given separate sections of a 'good' Actor's CV wherein they must stick
these over the top of the sections on the 'bad' CV, replacing it, in the correct place.
This will focus in on how to format a CV, what sort of Head Shot to use and the
content.
Top Tips for a Good CV that will be covered are:
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Choose a clear, non-pixelated head shot. The head shot must look like you.
Does it look natural or over posed? Does it stand out and grab a casting
director's attention?
A CV must not be longer than two pages
Formatting is incredibly important. It must be simple, clean and follow a basic
structure outline.
Be honest about what work you have done. If the only recent work you have
done is amateur, that's fine. A Casting director would rather see honesty. We
all have to start somewhere!
Don't include child acting credits unless you were Oliver at the Grand Opera
House.
Don't include Non-Speaking roles unless it was a lead or a contemporary
form of theatre
If you have been a lead, make sure the casting director knows by placing
(Lead) after the character name.
What special skills do you have? If you speak fluently in Italian, that is a skill.
However, try not to lie or exaggerate on the 'Skills' section. If you have been
horse riding once with a friend when you were 10, then 'horseback riding' is
not a strong skill of yours!
Have sensible contact details. If you want to be taken seriously, it's time to
lose the '[email protected]'.
Make sure you proof your CV for any spelling or grammar mistakes or even
wrong dates.
48
Audition Techniques
In their groups, the students have to come up with Audition Techniques Top Tip
Tweets using the hashtag #auditiontips
The kind of tips we are wanting covered are:
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When applying for an audition/sending through your CV, always be polite
and charming. It makes a good impression
Wear suitable clothing. Wear something clean and comfortable. Be
presentable looking but you don't have to dress up in heels or wear
something that you'll be tugging on throughout your audition.
Before you enter the audition room, try to calm down and focus.
Do a well rehearsed monologue, not something you threw together two days
ago.
If you have been asked to sing, also chose a well rehearsed solo that you are
comfortable with
When delivering your monologue, follow this great bit of advice: ”Don't look
at her! Don't EVER look directly at the auditioners. It makes them
uncomfortable and that's the last thing you want. An uncomfortable casting
director stops thinking about you and your monologue and becomes fully
absorbed in the fact that you're staring at her! Place your mark over the
auditioners' heads, and face forward so everyone in the room can see you."
Make bold choices with your monologue but not bizarre ones like unusual
movements or piercing screams.
Chose your monologue wisely by doing your research on the piece your
auditioning for. Look at the characters, the director and also at the
company's back catalogue of work. Read the whole play. If you have been
given a monologue by the director for the audition, make sure you haven't
just read the few pages before and after your monologue. You need to fully
understand your character and their context within the whole play.
Bring a printed off Headshot and CV to the audition with you.
Follow Up Ideas
Job Interview Roleplay
For those students interested in Arts Management, job interview skills are essential.
Interviews usually have the standard 'job interview format'. To make sure you're
prepared, follow these brilliant tips:
www.jobs.theguardian.com/article/lethal-interview-questions/
49
www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag
Ideas Tap is a fantastic website for young people working in the arts. Their Magazine is
full of articles and advice on everything from writing CVs to becoming a theatre
director to how to find the right agent.
Here are the best articles for advice:
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Becoming an Actor
Becoming a Theatre Producer
Becoming a Theatre Director
Becoming a Theatre Designer
Becoming a Playwright
Managing your Creative Career
Audition Advice from NYT Alumni
How to Find the Right Agent
How to Establish a Theatre Company
How to get Acting Experience
50

A Day With Bruiser - Bruiser Theatre Company

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