The Workshops

Two day Shakespeare Workshops
by Colin David Reese

Shakespearean verse presents many problems for actors both in comprehension and performance. By the application of a few simple techniques, the actor can make the verse work for him/her.

The techniques that will be acquired in these workshops include:

Textual and verse analysis with a relation to performance;
Corporal control and expression;
Breathing;
Articulation;

Over 2 days the participants will study and practice these techniques, applying them to scenes and monologues, individually and in small groups.

The participants will be directed and guided through the process, learning how to use the verse to develop characterisation. The verse gives many indications of how to create character and the workshops will show how to use it. By referring to The First Folio for a return to the original texts and avoiding the literary and intellectual baggage that has accumulated over the centuries, the workshops combine the theatrical techniques of Jacques Lecoq with a practical approach to interpretation.

A copy of a facsimile of the First Folio will be available for perusal, to indicate how various editors have in many instances changed the format of the verse, thereby hiding from modern readers the original intentions.

Colin David Reese has been an actor and director for over 40 years, working in the UK, Canada and France. Over the course of his career he has worked with such names as Sir John Gielgud, Alan Bennet, Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Sophie Marceau, Lauren Bacall, Harold Pinter ….

His first training was at The Webber Douglas Academy, followed by two years with Jacques Lecoq in Paris. He has attended many workshops on Shakespeare including “Is Shakespeare Still our Contemporary?” with Jan Kott and “Original Shakespeare” with Patrick Tucker.



The Workshops:


For the workshop, each participant is requested to half prepare a verse monologue, NOT to learn it by heart. Soft shoes and track suits for the men and practice skirts for the women. Please bring a “Complete Works” and a note book and pencil.

Session 1

Physical warm up (Lecoq techniques) aimed at each participant finding his or her weak and strong points in terms of tension; how tension is blocking corporal expression and how to release the morphology from inherent psychological detrimental memories.

Breathing exercises designed to develop the participant’s ability to augment their capacity and extension.

First contact with the text – each participant reads their semi prepared monologue

Session 2

Movement analysis.
Working with the “pointe fixe” and equilibrium and disequilibrium.
How physicality affects characterisation. How to analyse movement, both one’s own and that of other people.
Linking movement to breathing. How breathing affects movement and vice versa.

Verse analysis.
Explanation of Iambic pentameter and how Shakespeare exploits it and deforms its structure, giving indications to the actor concerning interpretation and characterisation.
Examples are taken from different plays, showing how the use of mid-line endings, end-stops, short lines (less than 5 feet), assonance, alliteration and repetition are all used by the author to guide the actor, helping with character creation.


Overnight work

Each participant will be asked to look at their chosen monologue with regards to the verse analysis.

Session 3

Warm up. Guided, whilst giving each participant a chance to practice their own exercises.

Voice warm up and placement exercises.
Diction and articulation exercises.

Presentation of monologues showing results from overnight work. Criticism and direction from Mr. Reese inviting comments from the other participants.

Session 4

Continuation of presentation of monologues.

Taking a short section from each monologue – committing it to memory, adding movement and breathing pattern to take it to a performance level.

Sight reading Shakespeare. Using the verse techniques each participant will sight read an unfamiliar monologue or scene selected by Mr. Reese.