Awareness of the idiot
intensive clown workshops -
26-28 April 2024- Vienna - On waiting list
30 May-2 June - Vienna
with Richard Kimberley
In short
Awareness of the idiot is a Clown theatre workshop, that circles around connection, vulnerability and play on the stage. It is for those who want to grow as performers and those who want to explore themselves and their fantastic beautiful idiots.
About the work
The idiot! One thing to clear up here. I use this word in the warmest and most beauteous 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 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. It is a Clown Theatre workshop. 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 and enjoying your imperfections. Feeling when you are open & vulnerable or when you hide.
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.
As a clown it is our duty to bring this raw humanity and pleasure to the world.
Our goal. Gaining more awareness to ‘know thyself’, through a process of becoming more in tuned with our audience and what is happening to us, thus feeling our idiots, excepting and making friends with it and showing it off. As a professional performer this is basis, to be loved by the audience. From here there is really nothing that you cant do!
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. It's healing. It's something we need more of. The light pride of the idiot. The beautiful gift to take ones imperfections lightly with play.
We explore through eyes, through games, silence, play, improvisations, through the stage and movement. Through watching ourselves and each other. Through Somatic analysis. Through risking to be seen in all our idiot glory!
We train to trust impulse, to breathe, 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?
It's 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 my work is the unique and truthful connection between the audience and the clown. I believe your clown is where your vulnerability and playfulness meets, and to become comfortable with the unknown. 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
Who is it for?
The workshop is for performers looking to become more free on stage, to be more connected, to have fun to react to what is, it is for people looking to know themselves better. Really its for anybody and everybody who is interested. We can learn from and with everybody.
Get ready to laugh so much your face will hurt.
In a beautiful, challenging and fun workshop
click here for more - About the Trainer
Technical info
The work shop is
26-28 April 2024 OR 31 May - 2 June
Friday 18:00-21:00 (19:30-21:30 31 May)
Saturday and Sunday 10:00-17:30
With suitable breaks for tea and lunch.
It will be held in English
@ Tanz Hotel
There is 12 places available on the workshop.
Please bring plain / dark clothes comfortable to move in.
Prepare to work bare foot or with specific indoor shoes/socks.
You will have to arrange your own accommodation.
And lunch many options are close by.
Application & Payment
The workshop fee is 140-250 Euros
Prices have a sliding scale for you to decide how much you would like to give. Less if you have less and more if you have a lot and would like to support those who don’t have much. If you're not sure how much to contribute, below is a text about sliding scale prices.
Click here to Apply
It a first come first serve basis so apply fast.
On Sliding Scales
For a sliding scale to work it relies on the principles of truthfulness, respect for complexity, and accountability. We do not ask for income verification. We trust you to be honest. Community thrives when accountability is a central value, because that is where trust grows and depth work can be done.
Facilitators deserve to get paid and participants deserve classes which recognise the multiple realities of economic access and privilege that exist.
The top price (200Euros) reflects the true worth of the workshop, so that my needs as facilitator are sustainably covered. If you are able to pay for "wants" and spend little time worried about securing necessities in your life, you have economic privilege and power in our community. This price is for you.
A middle price (160Euros) is for those who are able to meet their basic needs but have little-to-no expendable income. Paying for this class may qualify as a sacrifice but it would not create hardship.
A bottom price (120 Euros) is for those who struggle to meet basic needs and paying for this class would still be a significant hardship.
You are of course always welcome to pay more, this way you make it possible for us to make our work accessible for less privileged participants, who also want to learn.
If you are interested and want to learn more about sliding scale principles we recommend the Texts by Alxis J. Cunningfolk.
We are learning and encouraging an open conversation about money, with everything that appears around it (e.g. shame, self-worth etc.)
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
"It's a three day playful experience, where you can see a bit of you own shit and smile at it. Chances are that the rest of the world will smile with you!"
Berta - Italy
"One of those things/great experiences you’ll remember for ever.."
Alex - Germany
"Richard is.. well, excellent. next to the well chosen exercises and games its him who makes the workshop so great. His humour, curiosity to explore, openess. and at the same time you take it serious and open up space for us"
Anne Sophie Barret - Germany
"He knew peoples limits and cared for what they needed. He picked up on peoples energy and treated everyone with equal importance. He brought out the child within me and he made me see the world as a playground again"
Fiona - Ireland
“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
"Finding our inner idiots with the help of master Richard's superpower meant cracking us wide open > letting truth settle > laughter and tears entering the stage > till love started to shine. Absolutely beautiful."
Nils - Germany
"It's really more than you think, more learning, more thinking and more caring, its developing skills to communicate more honestly."
Will - England
"It really is about the connection that you can make to people and to your audience. But you get very vulnerable if you really let go of all your walls you build up over the years. This workshop gives you a safe space to explore this vulnerability and the idiot you were hiding all this years, who is so adorable and you should be proud off. In your work as also in your privat life."
Jojo - Germany
“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
"An exploration of the very true, honest and vulnerable part of us that we try to hide so bad. An exploration by playing games and beautifully fail to do so in a cheerful and very tender atmosphere. A joyfull gift of creativity and playfullness and a moving reminder of something very real that lies there under all that masks of ours"
Matthias - Germany
"Very well structured and clear workshop that started out with creating a sensitive and amiable and attentive group - which in itself is not evident (to do) - followed by an innumerability of fun games, that brought us closer and closer to ourselves and the nice and funny idiots we are; a very pleasurable time and experience - to repeat: absolutely, to recommend: for sure"
Markus Moiser - Germany
"It was days spent exploring the present moment, where while busy laughing, being confused amidst surprising yourself and marveling at others you grow a little more into yourself."
Lisa - Germany
“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
"A positive, playful, and supportive exploration work, that helped me lower a bit my defences and accept to joke about my mistakes... Which is quite a victory!
Bianca - France
“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
"You are so attended and asks the tasks so individually. With all the games the group became a cosy group where I felt comfortable and accepted. I take home the feeling of : I just can be as I am :-)Nowhere finding truth is so funny!"
Petra Tobies - 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"