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The Toolbox
What is The Toolbox?
We believe the best way to prepare yourself for working in the theatre is to deepen your experience and understanding of different techniques and approaches to theatre making. So, we've designed a physical and practical workshop to help theatremakers broaden their creative horizons and fill up their creative Toolboxes with the help of expert practitioners.
The Toolbox is series of 5 workshops for theatremakers and creatives to learn five disciplines from five different experts in their field. Each day different practitioners will teach and talk through different forms of and approaches to theatremaking, such as Clown, Movement, Six-viewpoints method, Approaching Text, Puppetry and beyond.
These workshops will be focused on learning how, when and why you might incorporate different methods into your creative practice.
Who is The Toolbox for?
The Toolbox is aimed at all theatremakers, whether you're an actor, director, writer, technician or stagehand. We encourage people of all abilities to join us and learn more about their craft.
Even the most seasoned actor will find something valuable on this course. Get a taster of how an eclectic pool of different directors work and experience the specifities of their crafts firsthand.
How much is it? Where and When?
The Toolbox is £100 for all 5 workshops or £25 per workshop.
If you would like to attend all the workshops, but cannot afford to pay all at once, please send us an email and we can set up a payment plan that suits you. (thedirectorsplayground@gmail.com)
All workshops will be held in Hoxton, every Thursday evening in May
List of Services
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Puppetry with Scarlet WilderinkList Item 1
An introduction to puppetry focusing primarily on the Bunraku style. We’ll work through all the fundamental principles of puppetry, some solo and group puppet improvisation, and create sequences using human puppets that we will make together in the room.
Scarlet was one of the Olivier award winning puppeteers in the original West End cast of Life of Pi. She went on to set up the production at the American Repertory Theater in Boston and the Gerald Schoenfeld on Broadway. She is now the Global Associate Puppetry & Movement Director for Life of Pi which is currently touring internationally.
Other theatre includes: The Comedy of Errors & A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tour); The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Southwark Playhouse); The Wicker Husband (The Watermill Theatre); Treasure Island (Stephen Joseph Theatre); Pinocchio (National Theatre); Die Zauberflöte (Glyndebourne Opera House); Running Wild (UK Tour); Watership Down (The Watermill Theatre); War Horse (New London Theatre); Earthquakes in London (Broadway Theatre Catford) and Cabaret (MAC Theatre, Belfast).
3rd October, 7-10pm
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Laban with Bradley TaylorList Item 2
This workshop will explore the terms created by Rudolf Laban to understand why we move. We will look at the elements of WEIGHT, SPACE, TIME and FLOW to create the eight Laban movements through a series of exercises and build up an understanding of the psychology behind these movements are before using them to explore more detailed and complex character work.
Bradley Taylor trained at the Drama Centre London and has been teaching actors how to unlock their potential through movement psychology since 2006. As an actor himself he has been working in theatre, tv and film for over 15 years and as been involved in a variety of high profile projects including, Some Trace of Her at the National, Wasted by Kae Tempest, Eastenders (BBC), as well as starring in the feature film Silent Night, now on Netflix.
10th October, 7-10pm
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Michael Checkov with Sinéad RusheList Item 3
This workshop introduces some of the foundational principles in the Michael
Chekhov technique and will introduce some key tools to unlock a scene
imaginatively. A play text and specific scene will be sent closer to the time. Please
wear loose comfortable clothing and be prepared to do some physical work.
Sinéad Rushe is a theatre director, acting coach and leading specialist in the Michael
Chekhov acting technique. She is Lead Acting Tutor at RADA, London. She teaches
masterclasses worldwide, is Director of Creative Actor Training and is on the Faculty
Council of Michael Chekhov Association USA (MICHA). Recent directing credits
include: Who’s There?, Wyatt Theatre Davis, a reworking of Hamlet, as Granada
Artist in Residence 2024; Othello, Riverside Studios London (What’s OnStage
nominee for Best Off West End Productions & Offie Nominee 2024 for Best
Performance Ensemble) and Concert, The Pit, Barbican, Baryshnikov Arts Centre,
New York & international tour (Gradam Comharcheoil TG4 2018 Award-Winner/New
York Bessie Award Nominee).
www.sineadrushe.co.uk
17th October, 7-10pm
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Intimacy Direction with Yarit Dor
Join us to explore some tips and tools for rehearsing intimacy scenes.
Yarit is a certified intimacy director which originated the role on London’s West End in 2019. Since she has supported a range of productions from high-end theatre, musical theatre and dance to fringe and Off West End. She combines that with her work as a fight director and movement director to try and create a multi-disciplinary approach to the movement language of a show. On set she works as an intimacy coordinator with credits including Universal Pictures, HBO, Amazon, Netflix, BBC, ITV, Channel 4. www.yarit-dor.com
24th October, 7-10pm
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Voice with Sam MaloneList Item 4
Sam Malone is a vibrant and dynamic voice coach from Canada. He is interested in the relationship between the voice and one’s performance, both professionally and on stage. He holds an MFA (Distinction) in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. Sam is also a qualified educator, holding a Masters in Education (with a specialism in Adult Learning) and a Bachelor of Commerce in International Business.
He currently is the main voice tutor for Musical Theatre programme at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and also has lectured at Guildhall School of Acting, Manchester Metropolitan University, RADA, and more, teaching spoken voice and accents.
Sam also has a significant interest in working with the LGBTQ+ community, including non-profits. And he is passionate about spoken voice, and empowering individuals to help them find their true acting potential.
31st October, 7-10pm
