Training

Breathing Life into Shakespeare's Language

Unleash the power of your voice and speak Shakespeare's texts with Passion, Precision, and Presence!

The Weekend Workshop is aimed at actors of all levels of experience, and is also suitable for directors, writers, and teachers. The weekend will focus on personal connection to the words, sounds, and rhythms of Shakespeare's text - explored physically, psychologically, and intellectually through a variety of exercises. Each day will begin with a thorough physical and vocal warm up (based principally on the work of Kristin Linklater). We will then go on to explore some of the techniques used by QSE in our own training and rehearsal processes. At the end of the workshop, you will be able to approach Shakespeare's text with renewed confidence, capacity, and connection. You will be able to let the language and poetry work for you.

The workshop will be led by Dr Rob Pensalfini - QSE's Artistic Director - and assisted by other Core Ensemble members. Rob is an award-winning teacher, director and actor, a designated Linklater voice teacher, and a member of the renowned Shakespeare and Company's text faculty, as well as Senior Lecturer in linguistics and drama at the University of Queensland.

Limited to 14 participants.

Theatre of the Oppressed

Learn to create theatre with your community, for your community and by your community.

Theatre of the Oppressed was established in the early 1970s by director/political activist and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Augusto Boal, for people engaged in the struggle for liberation - both against external/societal oppressors and inside their own minds. Theatre of the Oppressed is a groundbreaking system of applied theatre for people who want to effect change in their own lives and those of their communities. This weekend introduction to Theatre of the Oppressed is designed for actors, teachers, directors, theatre devisers and community workers. Image Theatre, Forum Theatre and Rainbow of Desire techniques are included, as well as basic Games for Actors and Non-Actors, an overview of the history and the pedagogy of Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), and practical group exercises.

The workshop will be led by Rob Pensalfini. Rob facilitated QSE's groundbreaking 2006 and 2009 projects in the maximum security Borallon Correctional Centre, which culminated in performances by the prisoners for fellow inmates, family, and Corrections staff. He has also led Theatre of the Oppressed workshops for a variety of groups - including the Alternatives to Violence Program and Samford State School's Values Education project.