Studying at The Commedia School is a two-year journey of discovery.
In the first year, students rediscover the world around them, the world usually unnoticed because of our habitual patterns of behavior. A new awareness is developed by recreating, through movement, those aspects which make up our environment. The foundation is established for developing creativity and expanding the imagination.
The second year of study focuses on group styles of theatre which expand students’ understanding and playing ability. The students develop a range of acting skills demanded by the different styles.
Introduction to the metaphysical mask brings the student back to the condition of basic existence, where everything is a surprise, where everything happens all of a sudden. In this condition, students learn to surprise themselves, to discover things, and to respond spontaneously to these discoveries and surprises. This work ensures that every performance is alive.
This study of life then proceeds to the mysteries of masks: expressive masks, larvae masks, oriental masks and dumpster masks. The students develop the expanded level of play and precision required of masks. They study the design and construction of masks and make their own under the instruction of master mask-makers.
Mask training puts students in touch with different levels of their own energy and helps them develop the control of their energy necessary for playing. It adds another dimension to the student’s awareness and precision of movement and gesture. Masks demand only essential movements. This training gives the aspiring performer awareness of their own movements, rendering useless those movements unnecessary for the mask. This awareness is very important for any performer.
Storytelling and The Clown complete the first year’s studies. Storytelling gives the student direct, total contact with the public. While studying the art of storytelling, students create unique personal performance material by learning to draw on their own experience and fantasy while continuing to develop a profound rapport with the audience. Students finish the first year by creating their own comic stock character, their clown, and studying the clown’s solitude and naiveté. They discover their unique way of making people laugh. Performances are given in both styles in the school’s studios, other venues around Copenhagen, and in international festivals.
Learn to create a character through the mask, playing and movement. Masks will teach you to become aware of body language and essential gestures. You will create your own personal mask and make it come alive.
Learn to use your unique charm to spellbind the audience with your story. You will use your creativity to tell a story by physically building images using movement, pantomime, acrobatics and voice – individually and in teams.
Learn to become the child like and naive clown and to use your own vulnerability to make it interesting on stage. You will get several opportunities to perform your clown act for audiences.
The basis of all the study at The Commedia School is movement. This movement study is constantly transforming as new discoveries in bio-mechanics are made available particularly through The Axis Syllabus. This dynamic training system gives students knowledge of the body so they can have a long dynamic injury free career. Also the Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement training system adds to the foundation of the curriculum. This training is essential to develop the intuitive awareness of the body and correct habitual distortions, to release the voice, and set the performer in the best possible physical and mental condition to play.
The second year of study focuses on group styles of theatre which expand students’ understanding and playing ability. The students develop a range of acting skills demanded by these extreme styles: Melodrama, Commedia Dell’Arté, Buffoon and Cabaret. Again students write and create material in these styles, which they perform for the public. The student performances are often invited to international festivals abroad. This experience reassures the students that people laugh the same in all languages. Also in the second year, they study acting classical texts, the heightened texts of Shakespeare and tragedy.
Throughout both years, classes continue in mime, movement and voice, acrobatics, and the basic exercises of the school, those necessary to make every moment on stage fresh and alive, the basic art of comedy.
Learn to perform the unique movement skills which characterize Melodrama. You will explore the dramatic territory that lies between farce and tragedy – touching both extremes.
Learn to perform the historically important Italian comedy style Commedia Dell’Arte. It is best described as circus with a plot. You will learn the level of play demanded and push your abilities to the level of fantastic discovery.
Learn the importance of the chorus and the tragic space. Tragedy dates back to the ancient greeks and focuses on human suffering. You will explore this special style of tragic space in movement, voice and text.
The theatrical study of Buffoon is a study of human folly touching both the tragic and comic extremes. You will learn to create performance level material in direct contact with the public – Buffoon style.
The study of Cabaret involves each student creating performing material personal in nature. You will write, compose, stage songs and push the limits of your creativity in areas like stand up comedy, magic and burlesque.
The basis of all the study at The Commedia School is movement. This movement study is constantly transforming as new discoveries in bio-mechanics are made available particularly through The Axis Syllabus. This dynamic training system gives students knowledge of the body so they can have a long dynamic injury free career. Also the Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement training system adds to the foundation of the curriculum. This training is essential to develop the intuitive awareness of the body and correct habitual distortions, to release the voice, and set the performer in the best possible physical and mental condition to play.
“Something is looose” – performance is about the corona outbreak. A cosmic, comical and physical performance about experiments going wrong, vainglory, an escaped of a
3 day workshop with Ole Brekke in Copenhagen 26-28. June 2020 Do you want to develop your spontaneity, creativity, and improve your physical awareness on
A video of the story telling adaptation of Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol’s 1836 hilarious satire on the corruption in the Russian Empire – perfectly actual for today in every country.
Elif Temucin and Erkan Uyaniksoy, two recent graduates of The Commedia School from Istanbul preformed their well reviewed version of this story to The Commedia School Studio.
The show is supported by NORDPLUS and The Gogol Project which is a ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) network of activities in many countries.
Danish / English
