Retreat - Awareness of the idiot
3 day (3 night) intensive clown workshop
In Zebra Kagel - Outside Berlin
with Richard Kimberley
1st October - 4 October 2020
About the work
The idiot! One thing to clear up here. I use this word in the warmest and most joyful sense. I’m aware this word has a negative connotation in our society. This is why we have trained all our lives to hide what could be called our idiot.
But its through what this 'Beautiful idiot' which I have found through my trainings, playings and research, a truth of humanity that lies within. Our failure, our uniqueness, our brilliance. What makes us, us. A fascinating idiot who is just like everyone else, not having a clue what’s going on and is just trying to make some sense of it all!
This training is an awareness for your fantastic idiot. We use Clown Theatre and the stage to provoke it. We put our selves in a position for many people to enjoy us. It is/should be the basis of all stage craft. As an audience we see it, an amazing collective knowledge of seeing you. Seeing where you hide. Feeling when you are open & vulnerable.
We have spent years building protective layers to survive in the world to protect this vulnerability. It’s a fragile place to explore, and that’s what it is. An exploration. We will experience there is something true and liberating when for a split second this ‘idiot’ is shown.
Our goal. Gaining more awareness to ‘know thyself’, through a process of becoming more in tuned with our audience, thus feeling our idiots, excepting and making friends with it and showing it off.
When it hits the mark, when people are totally there, as themselves, for us, present, open & connected, displaying their idiot with pride. We laugh and we cry at the same time. We see an expression of pure humanity, connection, togetherness. Its healing. Its something we need more of. The light pride of the idiot. The beautiful gift to make fun of oneself!
We explore through eyes, through games, silence, play, improvisations, through the stage and movement. Through watching ourselves and each other. Through discussing and sharing in facilitated sharing's. Through risking to be seen in all our idiot glory!
We train to trust impulse, to breath, to be together, to be.
Within a strong and safe environment Richard will guide and provoke the group,. We will explore and share together. And hopefully at the end understand just a tiny little bit more about something. Either as someone who wants to be more connected in front of an audience. Or just a human in front of the audience… of life! (Insert echo here)
So what is Clown?
Its hard to define, there are so many ways to live and look at the clown world. But two things that is true to all the theories and at the core of this workshop is the unique and truthful connection between the audience and the clown. Between yourself and what is actually happening. I believe your clown is where your vulnerability and playfulness meets. How do we share this with the world? What can we learn from it?
“A comic is funny because of what he does, a Clown is funny because he is happy with the ‘shit’ he does.”
Philippe Gaulier
“You clown is what your friends laugh at… behind your back!”
Cal McCrystal
Get ready to laugh so much your face will hurt.
In a beautiful and fun workshop
click here for more - About the Trainer
Technical info
Please look to arrive around 17:00 - 18:00 on Thursday 1st October and we will finish around 18:00 on Sunday 4th.
It will be intense and fun work held in English. This is a special version of the workshop as we will have more time together. We will eat together and have the evenings to explore further. Reflecting on the day.
There are 14 places available on the workshop.
Please bring dark clothes comfortable to move in.
Prepare to work bare foot or with specific indoor shoes/socks.
Living there
This special workshop is @ the amazing Zebra Kagel Erich-Weinert-Str. 3615537 Grünheide-Kagel
Check it out here. https://zebrakagel.de/index.php/en/
Accommodation and tasty food will be provided for the whole stay. Special requests can be made.
Application & Payment
The fee for workshop and retreat costs are 285 Euros.
Please email Richard here
Where you will receive information on how to apply.
It a first come first serve basis so apply fast.
This retreat is supported and organised in colaberation with
Zebra Kagel www.zebrakagel.de
&
Lernlabor facebook.com/Lernlaborberlin
Testimonies – from participants
“This workshop was challenging and fun. I was shown into the world of clown with lots of humour and care. I got priciples out of it that I get to practice in daily life situations now. I loved the mix of games, challenging us to explore ourselves from different angels. It was a rich three days together”
Naomi Warndorff - Holland
“I took a lot from the workshop to my personal life. Clear and honest communication, trust, playfulness and presence. It was a great pleasure to be guided by Richard in a safe, playful and confortable atmosphere How to connect with the audience and with people in general in an open way, looking in the eyes. I feel inspired to keep on working on my clown and to live and check in other contexts how will I apply this knowledge.”
Priscilla Oliveira Gonçalves, Brasil
“I definitely recommend it: it is a way to work deeply on yourself in a funny environment, safe and supportive!”
Sara Celeghin, Italy
“I love Richard’s sense of humour and somewhat light way of teaching: I had a lot of fun during the work, but it wasn’t some goofing around. I liked how we got things done and still laughed and had fun.”
Luka Piletič, Slovenia
“Loved the steadiness during all the time, the calm and clear instructions. Loved the wide range of skills he (Richard, the trainer) shared. Loved the humbleness.”
Antonio Cargnello, Italy
“If your lucky enough to get the change… do it!”
Felix Fischer, Germany
"If you want to face and embrace your own vulnerability and failure, do this clown workshop! It´s a way out of comfort zone, through panic zone into magic zone!" Paul, Germany
"It was three hilariously funny, though intimidating days. I had to cry from laughing, but also had very intimate experiences that taught me more about myself." Alex Neet, Germany
"I cannot remember the last time I laughed till I cried so many times in a row -- and many times about myself. I learned a lot about being my beloved (!) idiot, ideas clowning and performing in general, but I also took away a lot for my own daily life (made me think about perfection and the beauty of failure). the days after the workshops were very light and still funny - i could feel that a certain spontaneity had been triggered." Alina, Germany
"Your Clown is where your playfulness and vulnerability meet"