From Shakespeare to Storytelling and back…
Performance workshop with Paola Balbi and Michael Harvey
Tues 28 - Thurs 30 June 2016
10.00am – 5.30pm daily
St Donats Castle, Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, CF61 1WF
A three-day intensive course taking the bard’s sources and plays and retelling them for storytelling.
Course participants will explore Shakespeare’s texts, the stories that inspired him and how to develop a
dynamic storytelling performance style.
Shakespeare is probably the best known name in the history of world theatre however his plays are often
viewed as daunting and difficult to approach. This course will look at how performers can confidently inhabit Shakespeare’s blank verse as well as returning to the stories that inspired him and his contemporaries
- a vast inheritance of Classical Greek and Roman stories, the native folklore of the British Isles as well as
popular European medieval and renaissance texts and religious narrative and symbolism.
The course will explore issues such as where do the stories come from, who first told them and what is the
relationship between Shakespeare and his contemporary storytellers. It will provide a unique opportunity
to travel in the world of classical myths, medieval storytellers and their imagery and the chance to bring
them to life on stage.
The course will be available at open and advanced level (see below for more details).
Physical work is an important part of the course so please bring clothes that you will be comfortable moving in.
Open course
The open level course is aimed at all abilities. It is particularly suitable for teachers and students of English literature
and drama, and anyone with an interest in performing the stories of Shakespeare. It will explore:
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structure of a story
what is a story?
visualization and memorisation of the story through images
contact with the audience
basic gestures and body language for storytelling
point of view on the story
classic, mediaeval and Shakespeare imagery
any other idea
Advanced course
The advanced level course is aimed at those with previous storytelling experience. Participants wishing to enroll in
this course must submit a storytelling CV with their booking form. It will explore:
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physical and vocal preparation
the background to Shakespeare’s sources
inhabiting the Shakespearean world
working with different rhythm, elements and energies
use of spatial relationship
use of the four elements in performance
use of the five senses
body language and evocative gestures for heightened storytelling and performance
use of the stage space
solo, pair and small group performance
About the tutors
Michael Harvey and Paola Balbi are leaders in the European storytelling movement and are spearheading
experimentation of Shakespeare into storytelling. This workshop has grown out of Paola and Michael’s experience of creating the show Angerona, a retelling of Shakespeare’s long poem The Rape of Lucrece that
com-bines Shakespeare’s own text with storytelling sourced by Ovid, Livy and other classical authors,
which will feature at this year’s festival.
Paola Balbi is the co-director of the storytelling production company Raccontamiunastoria which produces
and tours storytelling performances and runs festivals and training in Italy and internationally. Paola is a
classically trained Shakespearean actor and teaches both storytelling and Shakespearean performance at
the Link University in Rome. She is also the Artistic Director of the International Storytelling Festival in
Rome.
Michael Harvey is a familiar face on the UK storytelling scene. He is the recipient of a number of awards
and commissions, toured widely with the show Hunting the Giant’s Daughter and worked with the Labo
experimental storytelling group based in Paris. He has a core repertoire of Welsh and Celtic material and is
increasing demand internationally for performances and workshops.
Price: £200 including teas, coffees and lunch each day. Bed, breakfast & dinner from £25 a night.
Booking deadline: 1 June 2016. Places are limited so early booking is strongly advised.
For more information or questions please contact [email protected]