NEW LEADERS

A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS

THREE THEATRE WORKSHOPS

BEING A LEADER ALWAYS HAS TO DO WITH PRESENCE AND BAHAVIOUR. GUIDED IMPROVISATION IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND AS DIFFERENT CHARACTERS HELP TO MAKE US MORE AWARE OF OURSELVES AND OUR INTERACTION WITH OTHERS.

 

THE FOLLOWING EXERCISES RELATE FREELY TO THE FILM.

 

EVERY WORKSHOP LEAVES A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVISATION AND WILL LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT EVERY TIME YOU DO IT.


OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU PRACTICE THE EXERCISES IN THESE MANUALS FREELY AND WITH LOTS OF IMPROVISATION.

 

VERY EASY TO FOLLOW! FEEL FREE TO IMPROVISE AND ADD NEW STUFF!

 

TASTE & FEELING
PURPOSE: IN THESE WORKSHOPS WE WORK WITH MASKS. WORKING WITH MASKS IS A WAY OF MAKING YOUR EXPRESSIONS MORE DISTINCT. SKILLS USEFUL FOR ANY ACTOR.

 

ERIK SHOWS A MASK OF HARLEQUIN.

- DURING 16TH CENTURY IN ITALY A NEW FORM OF THEATRE STARTED, COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE. THE ACTORS IN COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE ARE PROFESSIONALS. COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE IS A VISUAL AND PHYSICAL FORM OF THEATRE WITH IMPROVISATION AND MASKS. THE ACTORS EXPRESS MORE WITH THE BODY THAN WITH WORDS. MANY HAS BEEN INSPIRED BY COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE, LIKE GOETHE. MOLIÈRE. PICASSO, THE MARX BROTHERS AND CHARLIE CHAPLIN. AND NOW THE TEATER SURRA.

 

THERE ARE SOME FIXED CHARACTERS IN COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE. LIKE HARLEQUIN.


- HARLEQUIN IS INSPIRED BY A CAT OR A MONKEY. HE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY. AND HE IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FOOD.
ERIK IS IN CHARACTER. PLAYS WITH THE AUDIENCE. LOOKS FOR FOOD BEHIND THEIR EARS, IN THE HAIR. FINDS SOMETHING INTERESTING. PUTS IT IN HIS MOUTH.


ERIK FINISHES THE PERFORMANCE AS THE HARLEQUIN. HE LANDS, BREATHES AND TAKES OFF THE MASK. GIVES IT TO ROLF WHO PUTS IT BACK ON THE TABLE AND PUTS ON THE MASK OF IL CAPITANO. MEANWHILE, ERIK TELLS THE PARTICIPANTS ABOUT IL CAPITANO.


- IL CAPITANO IS A MILITARY WHO BRAGS AND SHOWS OFF ABOUT HIS GREAT DEEDS. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HE IS A REAL COWARD. EVERYTHING IS JUST FANTASIES AND BRAGGING. HIS BODY LANGUAGE IS INSPIRED BY THE CROCODILE.


ROLF SHOWS THE PARTICIPANTS, WHILE BRAGGING ABOUT ALL GREAT DEEDS OF HIS. ALL THE FIGHTS AND MEDALS HE HAS WON.


ERIK SNEAKS UP BEHIND IL CAPITANO AND SCARES IL CAPITANO.

 

IL CAPITANO GETS VERY, VERY SCARED. HE CRAWLS UP ON THE FLOOR.


ROLF FINISHES THE PERFORMANCE. GETS HIMSELF TOGETHER. BREATHES. HE TAKES OFF HIS MASK AND HAND IT TO ERIK. ERIK PUTS THE MASK BACK AND PUTS THE MASK OF PANTALONE ON HIS FACE. MEANWHILE ROLF DESCRIBES PANTALONE.


- PANTALONE IS A RICH, OLD MAN. WITH A VERY BIG MANHOOD.
ERIK HAS A ROLLED-UP TOWEL IN HIS PANTS (AS A PROP).


- PANTALONE TRIES TO ATTRACT YOUNG WOMEN WITH HIS MONEY AND MANHOOD.
ERIK SHOWS THE PARTICIPANTS BY PULLING MONEY OUT OF HIS PANTS AND FLIRT WITH THE PARTICIPANTS WITH PATHETIC PICKUP LINES.


- HIS BODY LANGUAGE IS INSPIRED BY A TURKEY.
ERIK FINISHES THE PERFORMANCE. HE LANDS, BREATHES, TAKES OFF HIS MASK AND HAND IT TO ROLF. ROLF PUTS IT BACK ON THE TABLE AND PUT ON THE MASK OF IL DOTTORE. MEANWHILE ERIK TELLS THE PARTICIPANTS ABOUT IL DOTTORE.


- IL DOTTORE IS AN OLD DOCTOR WHO BELIEVES HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.

HE TALKS AND TALKS AND TALKS IN A VERY FIDDLY WAY, AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE HIM STOP.  


ROLF SHOWS THE PARTICIPANTS IL DOTTORE. HE PLUNGES INTO ENDLESS DESCRIPTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT COMES TO HIS MIND; ARCHITECTURE, KINGS AND WHAT NOT… MOST OFTEN HE IS MORE OR LESS WRONG.


- IL DOTTORE IS INSPIRED BY A BIG, FAT, HEAVY PIG.
ERIK INTERRUPTS IL DOTTORE. AND ROLF FINISHES HIS PERFORMANCE, BREATHES, TAKES OFF THE MASK AND GIVES IT TO ERIK.

 

- THERE IS ONE CHARACTER LEFT, COLOMBINA. SHE IS INSPIRED BY A DOVE. SHE MOVES IN A COQUETTE WAY, TELLS THE TRUTH AND SEES THROUGH EVERYONE.
ULRIKA ENTERS AND MOVES LIKE COLOMBINA.

 

ONE THING AT THE TIME

PURPOSE: TO TRAIN EXACTNESS IN MOVEMENTS AND EXPRESSIONS. TO LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING ENERGY AND NOT WASTE THE EXPRESSIONS.


A GOOD ACTOR MAKES THE MASK ALIVE.


IT IS A PLAY WITH LIGHT AND MOVEMENTS.


EXACT MOVEMENTS AND THE SHADOWS OF THE LIGHT PUT LIFE TO THE MASK.


THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN YOU WORK WITH MASKS IS TO DO “ONE THING AT THE TIME”.
AND
TO BE VERY CLEAR WITH THE MOVEMENTS OF THE BODY AND THE LOOK AND TO SURPRISE YOURSELF.


WE START WITHOUT MASK. LET’S GO:

 

  • EVERYONE FORMS A CIRCLE AND ONE PERSON STEPS FORWARD
  • OK, PLEASE STEP FORWARD. ROLF, IS GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO TRAIN WITH MASKS.
  • ROLF, CAN YOU TURN AROUND?
  • PLEASE, TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN AND OUT. SHOULDERS DOWN. REST IN YOUR FEET.
  • NOW, SLOWLY START TURNING YOUR HEAD, THEN YOUR BODY FOLLOWS.
  • LOOK AT A POINT ON THE WALL. MARK IT.
  • AND BACK.
  • LOOK AT THE BOTTLE OVER THERE, FOR EXAMPLE. MARK IT.
  • AND BACK.
  • BACK TO THE POINT ON THE WALL. MARK IT.
  • AND BACK. POINT AT A CUP, FOR EXAMPLE.
  • TELL US WHAT YOU SEE. ROLF: - A CUP!
  • TAKE DOWN YOUR ARM.
  • SLOWLY TURN.
  • RELAX. BREATH.

 

GOOD, A BIG APPLAUD


AND NOW THE NEXT PERSON CAN TRY.

 

 

TASTE & FEELING I

PURPOSE: TO EXPRESS A FEELING CAN BE VERY ABSTRACT. THIS IS A GUIDE FOR THE ACTORS TO GET A HANDS-ON TOOL FOR A FULLER EXPRESSION. A GIVEN TASTE GIVES YOU A FACIAL EXPRESSION AND A FEELING FOR THE EMOTION.
 

TASTES = FEELINGS
SWEET = HAPPINESS
SOUR = ANGER
BITTER = FEAR
SALT = SORROW

 

- NOW WE ARE GOING TO SHOW THE DIFFERENT TASTES.
WE START TO SHOW THE TASTE OF ”SWEET”.
ERIK SHOWS ”SWEET”. HE OPENS UP THE FACE AND SHOW US A BIG SMILE.


- THINK OF SOMETHING SWEET, LIKE CANDY, STRAWBERRIES. ENJOY THE FLAVOUR.


- AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING. AND THEN YOU ADD THE FEELING OF ”HAPPINESS”.


- LAUGH!


- NEXT FLAVOUR IS ”SOUR”. ROLF WILL SHOW YOU ”SOUR”. NOW YOU WILL DO THE SAME. WRINKLE YOUR FACE. THINK OF LEMONS. ADD THE FEELING OF ”ANGER”.


- MORE ANGER! STAMP YOUR FEET. VERY GOOD!


- NOW ERIK WILL SHOW YOU THE FLAVOUR ”BITTER”. PULL YOUR FACE BACK. AND DOWN. THINK OF SOMETHING BITTER, LIKE OLD COFFEE OR TEA.


- YOUR TURN.

 

- AND ADD THE FEELING OF ”FEAR”. GOOD! PULL BACK YOUR ENTIRE BODY.


- AND NOW THE LAST TASTE AND FEELING. THE TASTE IS ”SALT”. PUSH YOUR UNDER LIP FORWARD. SPIT THE SALT. GET RID OF THE SALT. AND ADD THE FEELING OF ”SORROW”.


- LOOK AT ROLF AND DO THE SAME THING.


- IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD!

 

 

TASTE & FEELING II
PURPOSE: IN TASTE & FEELING 1, YOU LEARNED DIFFERENT FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. THESE EFFECT THE BODY EXPRESSION.
IN TASTE & FEELING 2, YOU WILL GET TOOLS TO FIND YOUR BODY EXPRESSION.


THE TASTE GIVES YOU A FACIAL EXPRESSION. THE ANIMAL HELPS YOU TO FIND YOUR BODY.

 

IN THIS WORKSHOP YOU WILL:

 

  1. GET A TASTE
  2. GET A FEELING
  3. GET AN ANIMAL

 

TASTE | FEELING | ANIMAL

NUMBER:

  1. SWEET | HAPPINESS | HYENA
  2. SOUR | ANGER | BULL
  3. BITTER | FEAR | RABBIT
  4. SALT | SORROW | DOG


FIRST YOU DO YOUR MOVES IN A VERY MECHANICAL WAY.


THEN WHEN THE MOVEMENTS HAS REACHED YOUR BODY, THE WILL GROW MORE AND MORE ORGANIC. LOOK AT ERIC!
WARM UP! IT IS IMPORTANT TO WARM UP YOUR BODY, YOUR VOICE AND THE ROOM BEFORE YOU START WORKING OR MEETING THE AUDIENCE.


(EVERY ACTOR HAS HIS/HER OWN WARM UP-PROGRAMME IN ORDER TO FIND HER/HIS BODY AND EXPRESSIONS)
IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH MASKS


BY USING SHADOWS AND LIGHT YOU CAN INVESTIGATE THE FOUR FEELINGS OF THE MASK, HAPPINESS, ANGER, FEAR AND SORROW,

THE IMPROVISATION ”I’M HUNGRY!” WHERE TASTE AND FEELING 1 & 2 COME TOGETHER

 

- NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE IMPROVISATION.


- CAN FOUR PEOPLE STEP DOWN HERE, PLEASE.


- THIS IS A TABLE WITH THE MASKS WE SHOWED YOU.


- TAKE ONE OF THE CUPS ON THE TABLE.


- PICK A MASK AND MOVE LIKE THE ANIMAL THAT THE MASK IS INSPIRED FROM.


- WE WILL GIVE YOU A FEELING.


- WALK TOWARDS ULRIKA, SHOWING THAT FEELING AND WALK LIKE THE ANIMAL THE MASK HAS BEEN INSPIRED FROM. WHEN YOU REACH ULRIKA, SHE SAYS:


- STOP!


- YOU TURN TO THE AUDIENCE, FULL OF YOUR FEELINGS, AND SAY:


-I’M HUNGRY!

 

ULRIKA SAYS:

 

- DO YOU WANT SOME FOOD?

 

- YOU (THE PARTICIPANT) GET FOOD IN A CUP.


- YOU SAY:


- THANK YOU!


- YOU WALK TOWARDS ERIK.


ERIK SHOUTS:


- STOP!

 

ERIK ASKS:
- WHAT FOOD DID YOU GET? WAS IT GOOD?

 

- YOU TURN TO THE AUDIENCE AND TELLS THEM IF IT WAS GOOD OR NOT. PLEASE TELL THE AUDIENCE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TASTE. AND DON’T FORGET THE FEELING YOU HAVE GOT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE WORKSHOP AND THE MOVES OF THE ANIMAL YOUR MASK IS INSPIRED OF.

 

ERIK SHOUTS:
- COME!
HE SHOUTS WITH THE SAME FEELING AS THE PARTICIPANT HAS GOT.
YOU WALK TOWARDS ERIK.

 

WHEN THE YOU COME TO ERIK, YOU GET SOME MORE FOOD IN THE CUP. YOU CONTINUE TO WALK AND PLACE YOURSELF LAST IN THE

 

LINE AT THE TABLE WITH THE MASKS.

 

EVERY PARTICIPANT GETS TO TRY ALL FEELINGS AND TASTES.

 

  1. “HELLO” USING “THE FOUR BASIC FEELINGS” 10 MINUTES (JOY, ANGER, FEAR & SORROW) THE WORKSHOP
  2. IMITATING ANIMALS 10 MINUTES A. HORSE B. CAT C. MOUSE D. RABBIT E. ELEPHANT
  3. EVERY PARTICIPANT CHOOSES AN ANIMAL AND SHOWS HOW IT MOVES AND SOUNDS.
  4. MAKE FOUR GROUPS: A. IN A BAG THERE ARE NOTES WITH THE NAME OF FOUR DIFFERENT ANIMALS, ONE ANIMAL/NOTE. B. EVERY PARTICIPANT PICKS A NOTE AND READ IT. DO NOT SHOW THE NOTE TO ANYONE. C. WHEN YOU GOT YOUR NOTE DO “YOUR” ANIMAL. D. EVERY PARTICIPANT LOOKS FOR OTHER PARTICIPANTS DOING THE SAME ANIMAL.
  5. IMPROVISATION:

A. CHOOSE A GROUP OF ANIMALS.

B. EVERYONE SLEEPS. ON A CHAIR, ON THE FLOOR, IN A TREE OR SOMETHING ELSE.

C. EVERYONE WAKES UP.

D. THEY ARE HUNGRY. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR FOOD.

E. THE LEADERS PLACE SOME FOOD ON THE FLOOR. THE ANIMALS DISCOVER IT.

F. THE ANIMALS FIGHT ABOUT THE FOOD. FIGHT LIKE THE ANIMAL YOU ARE (CAT, DOG ETC.)

G. THE LEADER STOP THE IMPROVISATION.

H. GIVE EVERY SINGLE PARTICIPANTS, ONE AT THE TIME, GOOD REVIEWS. NOT TO EVERYONE AT THE SAME TIME.


CHOOSE A NEW GROUP OF ANIMALS. EVERY IMPROVISATION SHALL LAST APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES.

 

THE ABC OF LEADERSHIP MANUAL
A GUIDE TO THREE WORKSHOPS USING MASKS AND THE BODY FOR IMPROVISED ACTING
New Leaders Manual.pdf
PDF-Dokument [1.1 MB]

 

COURTESY OF MARITA JONOLS AND PETER KARPPINEN AT MEDIS 5

 

GO TO WEBSITE MEDIS 5 | SENSUS

 

 

IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MATERIAL, PLEASE CONTACT:

 

Marita Jonols

marita.jonols@sensus.se

 

Peter Karppinen

peter.karppinen@sensus.se

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