Physical Theatre

Overview

Physical Theatre is an eight week course exploring the transformative techniques employed by the physical actor in performance. Students are introduced to physical principles and movement improvisation to discover the expressive possibilities of their bodies.

Working from a selection of scenes, where the body in space is to the fore, by writers including Steven Berkoff, Marie Jones, Martin McDonagh; the participants will be introduced to the physical skill set necessary for playing physically demanding multiple characters of all ages, shapes and sizes, animals, supernatural beings and beyond.

A short course for anyone wanting to expand their range and evolve their creative process.

The body says things that words cannot. Martha Graham

Bryan Burroughs, delivering this course, is an actor, director, movement director and writer. Noteworthy performances include Barabbas Theatre Company's Johnny Patterson: The Singing Irish Clown (Irish Times Theatre Award Best Supporting Actor 2009) and regularly performs his one man show Beowulf: The Blockbuster produced by Edinburgh Fringe 2014 winning the STAGE Award for Acting Excellence. He also performs in an adaptation of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol with Aaron Monaghan which has toured nationally, at The Ark and most recently The Pavilion for Christmas 2022. He has just finished a revival of The Long Christmas Dinner by Thornton Wilder at The Peacock and in 2023 Bryan will tour nationally with RUNT: The Boy Who Talked To Dogs by Amy Conroy for Draiocht/Slingsby which premiered in Adelaide South Australia in Spring of 2021 and toured Australia in 2022. Bryan is a graduate from the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College Dublin and has taught Movement/Physical Theatre at Trinity College Dublin, NYU / Tisch School of the Arts and at the Accademia dell ’ Arte in Arezzo, Italy.

Session one of this course will be led by full-time programme Lir tutor Andy Crook. Andy Crook trained at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris and has a degree in Drama from the University of Hull. He has worked as a teacher of physical theatre and acting for various schools and universities including Trinity College where he was Associate Co-ordinator and then Co-ordinator of the BA in Acting programme, UCC, Birmingham School of Acting, Rose Bruford College and the Accademia dell’Arte, Arrezzo.

Session three of this course will be led by Fundamentals of Acting Lir tutor Ruth Lehane. Ruth Lehane is an award winning actress, writer and theatre maker. She trained at Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris and the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, Dublin. Having worked for two years with Jacques Lecoq where she discovered the European approach to clown, she later studied Clown Through Mask, a Native American approach, developed by Richard Pochinko with Sue Morrison in Toronto. She is the founder of Fourth Leaf Theatre Co. Ruth’s company makes theatre that provokes, challenges and delights an audience.

Note: Our short courses are non refundable and there is no cooling off period.

Read about The Lir Academy Tutors here.