Workshops connected to only fools (no horses)
Contemporary Clowning Projects runs workshops related to this show and clowning in general through its research and resource project The Why Not Institute.

The Why Not Institute is a unique training and professional development resource for contemporary clowns. Based at The People Show Studios in east London, it has been operating for six years, offering a range of workshops and master classes, including De Castro’s own ‘How To Be A Stupid’ and workshops with teachers, head teachers, advertising executives, hospital patients, actors and many others. The Institute has set up a completely novel and unique space for clown personas to exist outside of performance, called ‘The Land of the Why Not’ or ‘the Clowns’ Playground’.


Challenging Authority
1-day workshop for teenagers (14+)
Shakespeare’s fools challenge authority – kings and queens, lords and ladies, people in charge – fools are subversive. They turn the accepted order on its head. They speak the truth. Led by the company, this workshop will enable teenagers (GCSE and A Level) to explore how and why fools challenge authority figures. Making links with both the darkness and the humour in only fools, no horses, this workshop will help participants learn more about clowns and fools and how, throughout history and still today, they have such an essential role to play in theatre and the world. The workshop is about what truth-telling, play, courage and simplicity have to say to young people today.


Play!
1-day/ half-day open workshop
Play is at the heart of clowning. Using games and simple exercises, this workshop will liberate the imagination and brings participants a new burst of energy, focus and awareness. The workshop demonstrates the importance of play for clowning and how clowns use the spirit of play. This is an open workshop, suitable for all ages and abilities, which can be adapted to different periods of time (2 to 6 hours) and different numbers of participants (10 to 40).

 

CCP/Why Not Institute Courses

‘How To Be A Stupid’ Clowning Master Class
‘How To Be A Stupid’ is Angela de Castro’s master class in the development of clown personas and the state of clowning. Including a variety of contemporary and traditional clown techniques, the workshop enables existing performers and others enter the process of discovery that precedes the development of specific clowning techniques.

“I expected it to be very difficult. The truth was that the clown state was difficult for everyone, actors included. The emotions they convey are yours and they’re about you, no one else. Revealing them implies the removal of all the protective layers that have grown over your child state since you found the world wasn’t all benign and fun. You have to be brave to do that. The clown state is also incredibly fragile: you come out of it very easily. And the harder you try to create it, the more elusive it is. De Castro explained that she had discovered a few years ago that teaching was as much part of her mission as being a clown. We never once doubted how serious she was about this. She was very modest about her own abilities. She only showed a technique to help us understand, never as an opportunity to show off. But boy is she talented! Her demonstrations were dazzling. So simple and so clever. I don’t think I have the ability to turn the clown state into a performance per se. Who knows… meanwhile I can see that the single most important factor behind my sweetest moments so far is flashes of courage. Let’s have more!”
Advertising executive and participant on How To Be A Stupid, June 2002


Angela de Castro has taught her master class extensively, including for the:
  • Royal National Theatre Studio, London, Edinburgh & Belfast, UK
  • Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England
  • Central School of Speech and Drama, London, England
  • The Actors Centre, London, England
  • Hackney Empire Theatre, London, England
  • Fool Time Circus School, Bristol, England
  • ArtsEd, Acting School, London, England
  • Hochschule ‘Ernst Busch’ in Berlin and drama schools in Essen and Amsterdam
  • Circus Oz, Rock’n Roll Circus, Women’s Circus and Bizircus Circus, Australia
  • Australia International Workshop Festival, Melbourne
  • Chaos & Synergy – Circus and Physical Theatre Conference, Australia
  • London International Mime Festival, London, England
  • The Temenos Project, Dublin, Ireland
  • Anjos do Picadeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
  • Performance Arts Labs, England
  • Hogschool, University of Amsterdam
  • Royal Holloway New College, University of London
  • Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh
  • Queen Mary & Westfield College, London
  • NLP coaches and advertising agencies such as hhm and Agency Republic

Play Sessions
 In the beginning was play…
and play is everything
To keep the creative spirit of play alive, a structured play session will invigorate, inspire and focus everyone, in all workplaces, and performance and community contexts. Play is at the heart of clowning but play sessions are not specifically clown workshops and so are welcoming for everyone who wants to release the joy of play within, to reconnect with their creative inner self, their physical energy and simple fun! For those wanting to explore clowning or their performance techniques, play sessions are a wonderful compliment to the challenging search for deeper clowning. Based on collective non-competative games, these structured and surprisingly thought-provoking sessions exercise body, soul and intellect.

The Clown’s Competence
Developed with PAL (Performing Arts Labs, London) and the Hogeschool department for teacher training (University of Amsterdam), this idea is to develop a module for teacher training during which trainee teachers would be trained in clowning philosophy and skills, and their relevance to the classroom learning environment. Pilot work has been undertaken by Angela de Castro at the Hogeschool in Amsterdam.

Tailored Training
CCP and de Castro can tailor training in clowning and play for both performance and personal development for individuals, groups, schools and workplaces of all sorts. Contact us for further information and discussion.