Workshops

This is a 2-hour workshop that allows students to experience and engage with techniques used in stage schools and professional productions, before applying them to a piece of text.

The workshop begins with a group physical warm-up employing exercises that are used in stage schools and with many theatre companies, such as the RSC. Following this is a series of vocal exercises designed to help build the vocal muscles and also to focus the group as an ensemble. It introduces the students not only to something immediately practical, but also to the professional mentalities behind them in the industry, such as focus, group work and beginning to perform instinctively.
In the second hour of the workshop, students will use these techniques and apply them to working with a scene from a contemporary play; breaking text down and focusing on building a character. The group are introduced to some techniques employed by Stanislavski, Meisner and Uta Hagen, including discussion on Stanislavski’s character techniques, repetition, acting with instinct and Uta Hagen’s take on emotional recall.

Finally, the group perform their scenes employing the techniques they’ve learned and discuss how these techniques can be applied to their own work and craft overall.

This workshop is particularly useful for KS5 students in preparing them for their exam performances and any stage school auditions.

To enquire please email: contactsmokeandshadow@gmail.com

Highlights

• Warm ups that are employed by the National Theatre, RSC, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and more
• Allowing students to engage with a text in the way a professional would
• Engagement, as well as discussion, with specific practitioner techniques
• Mixing practical technique with text work to create a final grounded performance.

This is a 90 minute workshop that gives students the opportunity to break down a piece of Shakespeare with ease and the skills to find and relate to characters within the text. Shakespeare can be very daunting, by the end of this workshop, we aim to make it the easiest thing in the world.

The first part of the workshop will be focused on the group discussing their own experiences with Shakespeare thus far before looking at a particular play and a scene. This is usually the play the group are studying for their course, but can be any of Shakespeare’s plays, or multiple plays at once in smaller groups. From there the group will learn about and employ techniques to break down Early Modern English and translate it into something not only easy to understand, but also then easy to relate to as an actor.
The second part of the workshop sees the students take their work with text and translation and employ practitioner techniques to embody a character in the scene with grounded, truthful performance, before finally performing a scene as a whole group with the original language. Specifically, this workshop looks in detail at Stanislavski’s work with text and objectives before moving into the emotional recall work of both Stanislavski and Uta Hagen.

By the end of the workshop, students should not only feel confident in their own ability to tackle and translate difficult text and verse, but equal confidence for any course performance of classical theatre that’s required. It’s of equal benefit to both KS4 or 5, while also being beneficial to any students interested in training/working in classical theatre.

To enquire please email: contactsmokeandshadow@gmail.com

Highlights

• Gain the skills to break down and translate Shakespearean language
• Using modern acting methods, learn how to build a relatable character despite the use of verse
• Gain confidence in performing Shakespeare and Classical Theatre
• A balanced workshop between text-based and practical work
• Lead by an experienced Shakespeare actor

This is a 90 minute workshop that explores the key writing styles unique to theatre or screen-based works and how to devise those pieces into something practical.
In the first part of the workshop, students will be introduced to, and openly discuss, some of the considerations when writing a script: including formatting to more artistic techniques, such as dialogue or how to write action. This can be done from scratch or using scripts the students have already started work on as part of their course.
The second part focuses on students taking their scripts and discussing potential devising/directing ideas. Allowing students to consider not only the written, but also the practical aspects of creating work for theatre or film. Ending with a short table read performance of each groups script.
By the end of the workshop students should not only have the skills to write a script or screenplay, but also how to take the text and turn it into a production.

This workshop is of particular benefit to students who are required to devise a piece of theatre or make a short film as part of their course either at KS4 or 5, and for those considering a career in writing or directing.

Please let us know the medium (Stage or Screen) in advance.

To enquire please email: contactsmokeandshadow@gmail.com

Highlights

• Open and in-depth discussion of medium specific considerations when writing a script
• Introduction to conceptual planning roles such as dramaturgy, directing and producing
• The experience of taking something original and performing your own work in a professional table-read setting
• Giving students the ability to learn about industry standard skills that they can use throughout their school and further career.

This is a 1 hour talk for any students looking to pursue a career in the Arts. Not only is this talk for Drama, Media, Film classes or any adjacent subjects, but for any students interested in the Arts and the various avenues one can take to make it a career. The talk is lead by our founder, Jake Benson.
The main part of the talk is 45-minutes long, discussing openly with students Jake’s own experience in pursuing an Acting career. From questions that arise from training, to agencies, the industry as a whole. and also his own experiences with the stigma that comes with pursuing an Arts career. The talk seeks to inspire and also reassure students that the world of the Arts is demanding, yet wonderfully rewarding and in some ways, truly unique and nothing to shy away from.
From small theatres to huge movie studios, it’s a talk both anecdotal and funny, as well as informative. Our aim in all of these workshops, and especially this talk, is to treat students like the young adults they are and meet them with a mutual respect, rather than have anything feel dull or patronizing.

The final 15-20 minutes is a chance for the students to ask questions about anything Arts related and Jake will answer everything he can.
This is a talk for young adults of whom Jake was when he was at school. It’s for people passionate about the Arts, by a person actively working in the industry at the moment, with first-hand and unique advice.

To enquire please email: contactsmokeandshadow@gmail.com

Highlights

• A talk aimed at building the confidence for those seeking a career in the Arts
• Openly discussing and breaking down the stigmas and stereotypes that can surround Arts careers
• A fun and engaging talk with a room full of young adults rather than students.
• Highlighting various avenues with which to pursue an acting, writing, directing or producing career and active advice on further education and work.
• The opportunity for a Q&A with a working professional, not a careers advisor