Mask Workshop Wednesday 29th June

This week  we were delighted to welcome Sara from the Forte Theatre company who led a workshop on Mask with the regulars of our Wednesday Drama club, comprising some very talented individuals from Years 8 and 9.
 
The 2 hour session began with the students getting familiar with their own physicality and movement through a series of exercises including different states of performance energy ranging from tired to total tension! They then became aware of ‘clocking´ or looking at the audience, a key device to gain the audience´s attention by involving them in the thoughts of the character, ending in mask work itself.
 
The main element to mask work is freeing up the actor from words and a visible face so the physicality
compensates with very clear and defined movements. This was apparent as the students entered the stage and ‘clocked´ the audience before focusing on an object on the floor e.g. a book. The mask, physicality and clocking draw the audience into the actor´s world and lead to many funny moments. For me the highlights were Habib and Harry playing cards with their excellent pausing and Tom, now a resident in a retirement home, pointing at a chair which a fellow resident had purloined without permission before ‘clocking´ the audience to make his point. Mention must also be made of James Swart. James has the amazing ability to totally become his ‘mask´ character and embody it from head to toe. His work throughout the session was amazing.
 
The final improvised scenes included one set in an exam hall where the students reacted to comments from Sara- the invigilator,   who reprimanded the students for various misdemeanors. The character responses, all linked to the masks being worn, were excellent and the ability to share focus and be aware of what was going on around them was also testament to our students ability.
 
Both Mrs I´Hanson and I enjoyed the workshop thoroughly and it was great to see the students gaining from an experience which should enhance all of their drama work. We all thanked Sara at the end who in turn commented about the superb attitude, effort and work produced by our students.
 
Well done everyone!
 
Mr Mitchell