Directing in the theatre is a successful blending of the following elements: project-management; change-management; time-management; man-management; rigid structuring; understanding that discipline leads to freedom; creative compromise; accepting individual and group responsibility; encouragement; spontaneity; imagination; and most importantly, never failing to hit the deadlines. The curtain must always go up on time!

Services

A Little Light Relief?

Inter-active Seminars – 3 to 4 hours.
1 or 2 Day workshops.

These seminars, masterclasses and workshops can be utilised for; team and company events and celebrations; conferences; business meetings; team-building awaydays or weekends etc.

The idea is to provide ‘a little light relief’ to an intensive working weekend or conference, by acquiring some 'different' professional skills.

These ‘transferable’ skills are all based on my extensive experiences as a professional theatre director, performer and playwright and all have a special focus on the ‘business of comedy’. This learning can help to develop areas of creativity, imagination, teamwork, team-building and bonding, interpersonal skills, creative disciplines, hitting deadlines, emotional expression and openness,……….and most importantly, the learning will ensure that people can have ‘fun’ together.

W.C. Fields on his death-bed famously quoted; “Dying’s easy, comedy’s hard.” Comedy is more akin to music than drama and is thereby subject to the same rigid disciplines – you can’t hit the wrong ‘note’ when speaking. The seminars and workshops will enable you to understand and apply these comedy principles, disciplines and techniques.

An Awayday suggestion?

Maybe have a company awayday and combine all 3 comedy disciplines – the writing, the directing and the performing.

For example;
• Devise and write a short play together, with parts for all interested parties
• choose the director
• choose a stage-management team from those without a ‘performing’ interest
• audition and cast your play
• organise a rehearsal schedule
• rehearse
• at the end of rehearsals conduct a ‘technical’ rehearsal using lights, costumes, sound-effects and props if available
• conduct a ‘dress-rehearsal’
• perform the ‘First-Night’, possibly with an invited audience.

Then take the plaudits!

Please contact me to discuss the content detail and the different working formats of the various topics.

Please also be aware that I have successfully tailored, developed and often combined the topics of these seminars, masterclasses and workshops to fit various business clients’ specific requirements, and will do the same for you if you prefer a different business focus. Tell me what you’d like, and I’ll help you to make it happen.

From ‘Beat-the-gong’ stand-up comedy sessions, to writing ‘entertaining’ training material for your company, performing training material ‘live’, rehearsed ‘play-readings’ and performances, speaking after dinner at the next company annual conference, creating a comedy cabaret act,..…..it’s all possible.