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15-16 February 2020Chisenhale Dance Space London

What is Commedia dell'Arte?

Commedia dell’Arte is a theatrical genre that was born in the 16th century in Italy and quickly spread throughout Europe, performing on streets, in courts and theatres. 

The masks (half-mask leaving mouth and lower part of the face uncovered) create universal characters representing specific human characteristics, such as the old and miserable Pantalone, the smart servant Harlequin/Arlecchino, the silly servant Zanni, the mischievous servant Colombina, the pompous Doctor , the bold Captain, the young Lovers. On the stage, we see fixed types: immediately recognizable figures, embodying basic feelings, human vices and characteristics, living and transforming disputes and power dynamics between "the Servant" and "the Master". Through these characters, timeless situations get born and explored, fueled by love, hatred, power, money, betrayal, deception, revelations. 
A universe of characters and situations, that are alive in our world today more than ever, gets stirred and revealed through the work with the masks.

The main characteristic of Commedia dell'Arte is its universality: a very clear physical code together with the non-language gibberish "grammelot" : Commedia dell'Arte is as easily accessible as universal.

The workshop

The 2-days workshop is an excellent opportunity to explore the potential of the body, to get an introduction and experience the work with the traditional Masks of Commedia dell'Arte through embodied and imaginative activities.

The work is based on the discovery of the world of Commedia dell'Arte, the study of the masks and the characters, the relationship between characters, between Servant and Master, experiencing the universality of this theatrical language.

The participants will have a possibility to experience a self-discovery work. We will explore what the specific Mask/character brings to us individually, to our body, to our emotions. Starting from the traditional fixed types we will create our own characters on stage. The strength of Commedia dell'Arte lies in utilizing and enriching the individual specificities and experiences of each person/actor. The strength of Commedia dell'Arte lies precisely in utilizing and enriching  the specific experiences of each person / actor.

Wearing a Mask we can allow ourselves, our bodies, our voices to explore, we are free to do what we feel, to explore, to transform power dynamics and relationships.

The work

Starting with a specific physical training, the participants of the workshop will delve into the study of the Mask, through a practical and experiential work. The study of the individual characters (fixed types) will enrich the participants' imagery, allowing them to create their own character. Eventually the Mask will become an integral part of the actor's body and each participant will come to deal with the eternal paradox of the use of the Mask: "Becoming credible with the most fake object".

We will play with improvisation. The encounters of characters will allow us to discover the nature of the "canovaccio" - plot, a clockwork mechanism that is created on stage. 
We will enter the wonderful universe that is the code of Commedia dell'Arte and participants will be able to create and experience a complete work on themselves, a "total work of actor", valuing their specific characteristics, giving creative expression to their own experiences and including any artistic element, such as mime, acrobatics, juggling, dance, singing or use of musical instruments.

The program

- Historical contextualisation of Commedia dell'Arte and its legacy in contemporary performance
- Physical training (specific for Commedia dell'Arte)
- Approach to the Mask
- Study of Scenic Space
- Attitudes of the fixed-types: the characters
- The Servant-Master relationship on stage
- Improvisation with Masks

The workshop is open to anyone and no previous performance experience is required.

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Participation Fee

If you register before 31 January 2020, then the participation fee in the 2-days workshop is 80£ (Early Bird).  

After the 31 January the fee is 90£.  

For Concessions, please write to us: contact@anamuh.org .

Once you will have registered on this webpage, you will receive an e-mail containing all the details to proceed with your payment. Your place in the workshop will be confirmed and reserved only once we will have received your participation fees.

Cancellation Policy: for a full refund, your cancellation has to be received to contact@anamuh.org before 7 February 2020. There will be no refunds for cancellations received after the 7 February 2020.

Location/Venue

The Commedia dell'Arte workshop will take place in Chisenhale Dance Space
64-84 Chisenhale Road, London, E3 5QZ 
.

The Chisenhale Dance Space is located near Victoria Park. Nearest Tube: Mile End (Zone 2) on Central, Hammersmith & City and District lines. Buses: 8, 277, 339, D6. All stop at the Roman Rd/Grove Rd junction.

Schedule

The working schedule is as follows:

Saturday 15 February 2020:  13.15 - 20.00
Sunday 16 February 2020:  13.15 - 17.00

Please wear comfortable clothing suitable for physical activities.

Contacts & Additional information

For additional information visit our website: www.anamuh.org .

For any doubts or question, don't hesitate to contact us:

Francesco Argenio Benaroio
francesco@anamuh.org
+39.349.6416894 (+WhatsApp) 

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Facilitator

Giacomo Segulia

Giacomo Segulia graduated from the Civic Academy of Dramatic Art "Nico Pepe" in Udine, Italy. He deepened his studies in Commedia dell'Arte attending in 2013 the International Commedia dell'Arte Stage, directed by Carlo Boso. Among his professional experiences: in 2014 Machiavelli's "Mandragola" at the Avignon Off Festival 2014 directed by G. Bonanni and C. de Maglio. In 2017 he attended the high specialization course L'Attore per l'Arte in Venice. In 2016 he founded with other colleagues the company I Comici del Savio, with which he continues the research on the Commedia dell'Arte. In 2015 he worked in "Blood Wedding", by Garcia Lorca directed in Padua by Marco Sgrosso. In 2016 he debuted in the original Commedia dell'Arte play "La Brescia liberata" (I Comici del Savio Company). In the summer of 2016 he acted in two new productions: "Egon and Jim" of R. Crivelli (Stable Theatre of Trieste La Contrada) and the Commedia dell'Arte play "Venezia Venezia" (Cantieri invisibili - Verona, directed by M. Spiazzi, dramaturgy by R. Pippa). In November 2016 he debuted in the performance "The Song and the Sling", on the figure of David Maria Turoldo, directed by Massimo Somaglino (production Css Stabile Theatre of Innovation of the Fvg). Since 2015 he has been involved in the Itinerant Theatrical Pedagogy project, a specialization course for professional actors, by Giuliano Bonanni on the Stanislavski Method. He follows up by attending a masterclass by A. Vasiliev on Chekhov's "The Seagull". In 2017 he attended in Venice the high specializion Art Degree "The Actor for Arts", created by the Veneta Theatre Academy, Cini Foundation and Ca' Foscari University. In 2015 he debuts with the original "canovaccio" of Commedia dell'Arte: "Il Natural Segreto" (I Comici del Savio Company). As an actor Giacomo worked alongside important directors such as Giorgio Pressburger, Carlo Boso, Marco Sgrosso, Claudio de Maglio, Giuliano Bonanni, Matteo Spiazzi, Massimo Somaglino and Davide Gasparro. Since 2017 he has facilitated various successful Commedia dell’Arte workshops around Europe organized by ANAMUH in collaboration with the National Italian Institute of Culture.

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Organized by

ANAMUH - Arts for Dialoguecontact@anamuh.org

ANAMUH is a not-for-profit social initiative aimed at establishing and sustaining a space for communitarian dialogue through the use of Theatre and Arts.

We are a group of enthusiast socially-committed artists and theatre practitioners: we believe that Theatre and Arts can make a sustainable positive change within people, in communities, in society.
We believe in Social Theatre and the enormous potential for positive social transformation that it offers, to foster inter-communitarian dialogue, to challenge stereotypes/discrimination, to build bridges among individuals and cultures.
We periodically organize and facilitate various training courses and workshops on various arts and disciplines, open to anyone willing to explore, transform, find inspiration and connection.
ANAMUH envisions a world where diverse communities know, respect and include each other, and where they grow together creating new ideas, tastes and forms of art on the basis of their own identities and cultures.
www.anamuh.org