“There are three masks: the one we think we are, the one we really are, and the one we have in common” – Jacques Lecoq

The LAMDA actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Ruth Wilson, David Oyelowo and Chris O’Dowd and Lecoq theatre makers Simon McBurney, Julie Taymor and Ariane Mnouchkin create original impactful performances. In the challenging world of performance, they are constantly in demand and leave a lasting impression on the stage and screen. Their theatre education played a large role in giving them the space to develop and grow.

This course uses features from the teachings of Jacques Lecoq and LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) to explore physicality, voice, interpretation and improvisation.

Acting is all about working together. The emphasis of the course is to give students, as individuals, the opportunity to develop their own creativity while working closely with their fellow actors. Every week the class will focus on a different area: 

‘Story-telling and devising theatre’ exploring the importance of the actor’s imagination.
‘The Encounter’ using improvisation to inhabit roles.
‘Efficacy of Movement’ body and vocal work.
‘Playing’ – investigating daring and the playful child in us through clown-based exercises.
Our ‘masks’ what we show and what we don’t.
‘Text interpretation’ with monologues and scene-work.

Theatre pieces and monologues devised by the actors and directed by Emma Dingwall. It gives the students the opportunity to create and perform their own roles and scenes and audiences always love the originality of the work.