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Rational Madness

Theatre Lab

The TheatreLab is a monthly one-day workshop, a series of forums and readings, based in Brighton, UK. Its aim is to bring together a group of actors in order to achieve a deep and meaningful intensity in developing ideas, materials and skills.

It’s a place to do real work, challenge mediocrity, and realise ideas.

The aim is to test limits, to break new ground, to stretch and to encourage. The goal is to tap into the spirit of theatre, not just its physical and psychological levels.

Previous Labs have explored: finding subtlety, theatre of contact, portrayal of death, interaction and depth of communication on stage, the collusion of mediocrity, and indifference on stage. We recently explored distraction and focus.

The workshop process requires a level of professionalism, focus, motivation and commitment that is sadly rare in much of British theatre. I am not interested in actors who are simply interested in getting paid. I intend the workshop to generate tangible outcomes for some - ideas and material for new work (which may well earn them money!) The workshops are developmental for professional actors. It is not a training course for newcomers. It is a place where even the most experienced actor can break new ground and explore personal limits A place to develop real skills and do real work.

LAB Resources

THEATRELAB FEB 2005 NOTES

THEATRELAB JAN 2005 NOTES

THEATRELAB DEC 2004 NOTES

THEATRELAB OCT 2004 NOTES

THEATRELAB SEP 2004 NOTES

THEATRELAB AUG 2004 NOTES

Boal and Theatre of the Oppressed

Soul-touch in Drama

Distraction in performance

Process Transposition - a bizarre idea we are exploring in performance

The Hundredth Monkey - a new idea one of our labbers is cooking on a slow heat

MEISNER TECHNIQUE - LAB FOCUS HERE

LAB
CALENDAR



Watch this space for dates for 2007!

LABReadings are in-a-circle readings of theatre work with stage-focused discussion and experience sharing - a place to practice, enjoy and learn tangible skills and develop ideas

LABForums are debate and discussion circles with a practioner sharing experience on a theatre-focused theme - always different and quirky!

THEATRELABS are all day skill and experience sharing sessions, sometimes in open space format, sometimes with guest practioner input


DATE AND VENUE TBA, 11am-5pm Brighton TBA
Please note - we have postponed this event in order to secure a decent venue for the workshop process!

TheatreLab - Devising - a one day exploration of the process of devising theatre work. We are delighted to have enticed our guest facilitator Tanushkah Marah from acclaimed physical theatre company Company Collisions to lead the workshop. Company Collisions is currently Nothing Left to Lose and some of you may have caught it on tour already. Theatrelab page here.

Cost £10. Book early. Places strictly limited.

Join the Lab Community here


Past Lab Readings

Wednesday 12th October @ 11 Jew Street at 7pm. Reading of the work of Harold Pinter and discussion of staging Pinter in fresh ways. Booking essential as places limited to 8. £3 includes refreshments

Past Labreading

LABREADING at CATS3000, 11 Jew Street, Brighton, UK.
On Monday
11th September 2006 at 7pm. Booking essential as places are limited to 8. £3 includes refreshments. We read the developed script of Rational Madness’s own The Swastika Party by Paul Levy which will tour in 2006.

Past LabReading

Tuesday 31st October @ 11 Jew Street. Meet at The Earth and Stars Pub, Church Street at 9pm then on to 11 Jew Street at 11pm for Halloween Ghost Play Reading and a discussion of Haunting Theatre - Midnight Halloween Theatre! £3 including ghostly refreshments!

Past LabReading

Monday 11th December @ 11 Jew Street @ 7pm. The Work of David Mamet. We’ll read and discuss some of the work of this acclaimed writer for film and theatre. £3 including refreshments


Theatre Labs (all day)

DATE TBCr VENUE IN BRIGHTON TBA - 11am-5pm - DEVISING workshop - we’ll be inviting a small group of actors to work with us and learn the process of devising, with a well established devising-based theatre director (TBA) £10 - places strictly limited!


Join the Lab Community here

SPONSORSHIP NEWS
Theatre Lab has secured some sponsorship enabling us to subsidies the rental on our workshop space! Good News. We also have some minor funding for developing a theatre project.

LAB Links

Linked theatre
companies


Company Collisions - Brighton based, innovative theatre and movement company


Theatre and Drama
Resources

Missing Link - index of
performers
A guide to theatre
resources on the Web
US-based guide to theatre resources online
Physical Theatre Resources Online
Pebbles Productions - A
theatrelab member’s site

More Links on our community

JOIN THE THEATRELAB MAILING LIST AND ONLINE COMMUNITY

If you would like to be kept informed of THEATRELAB news and events, click here to send an email to
THEATRELAB and include the words “MAILING LIST” in the subject header.

Your email address will not be passed on to a third party.

NEW!

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY HERE - DISCUSSION


Some LAB articles


Articles on New Naturalism

New Naturalism - a description of an emerging discpline

The Search for Sustainable Theatre - a positional
paper
on New Naturalism

A discussion thread about “Convincing” acting

A Controversial typology of actors

Connectedness in theatre

Responsive Acting


Workshops ideas

Some ideas for mind warm-ups

Flow and Stumble in drama and life

Improvisational Anchors

Process Transposition - a concept for theatre?

A Glimpse of Theatre in Business Training

A Warm-up Exercise for Voice and Character Work


Perspectives

In the Shadow of the Edinburgh Tattoo - an article about Darwinism in Theatre

“Sometimes we play our roles too well. We sink into the costume and confuse it for flesh. We feel the make-up too keenly and believe it to be skin. We step clownishly upon the stage of Earth and scowl, frustrated at this clumsy Mummers Play we called Life - wishing, on the one hand, for a better part, or a clearer, more inspiring script and, on the other hand, for the agility and skill to improvise the unfolding story.”

Rational Madness
The Theatre Arm of CATS3000

Go to Rational Madness