Hi ACTOR ACTIONEERS!
Just before we break for the holiday season I’d like to:
- Sum up the year,
- Tell you about our aims and ambitions for 2022 and
- Chuck a few challenges at you to tackle during the vac!
ACTOR ACTION has kept on keeping on! This past year we’ve done MACBETH, DAVID MAMET plays, extracts from TENNESSEE WILLIAMS plays, monologues and scenes from contemporary AMERICAN plays, TROJAN WOMEN, MEDEA etcetc And now we’re taking on a new Masterclass – we’re busy with 9 Actioneers developing Chekhov’s UNCLE VANYA – confronting the playwright’s world, his characters, finding the relevance of Chekhov’s preoccupations and intentions today, and applying his messages to our contemporary society. We’re having fun doing it, and there’s lots more in store!!!!
But that’s not all. We’re doing online work in the schools and preparing for a busy year ahead.
And in all of this prep and planning there is room for you – and you – and yes, you too! Join us and participate actively in our programme.
Alyssa and Megan have been in close contact with the IEB schools, and we’re building up an interested community of teachers and learners.
We’ve had a pretty active patch of school Webinars on The Tempest, with lively chats, exciting visuals of my original production, Q&A sessions with the learners, and performances by Dr John Kani and Peter Terry. But I’m keen to elaborate on this webinar format with more performance and discussion – and I’d be keen to work on scenes with Actor Actioneers that can be integrated into The Tempest Webinar.
And I know that we have suitable actors amongst you to do some of Shakespeare’s choice roles in the play!
And at least two more Webinars – one on WAITING FOR GODOT, with short-snatch-in-depth scenes, hot-seat exercises and analysis of the play, and a performance-and-analysis-focussed programme of the set poems learners have to study. So in preparation one of the Masterclasses may well be taking poetry “From the Page to the Stage” in the most dramatised and dynamised way possible!
Now ACTIONEERS, here’s a challenge for you! Learn a poem a week, and bring it to vibrant life through performance! This can be done privately during your vac, and I am happy to give you half-hour notes and feedback sessions on what you’ve come up with!
Keep ACTIVE and well-oiled, energised and fit in your off-time!
All my love, and “Can’t wait to Communicate!”
JAN HONEYMAN.