The Theatre de l’Ange Fou has recently acquired a property in the United States, the old Wyoming Valley Church situated in the country side near, Spring Green, Wisconsin, and are transforming this 1902 country church into a theatrical performance space and future summer residency for the company.
The church is just down the road from Taliesin, the home and school of the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), and near the summer residence of The American Players Theatre. The progressive University of Wisconsin in Madison is a short distance away, and the Wyoming Valley is the home of many artists, writers and musicians. Steven Wasson began his mime and physical theatre studies in the 1970’s at The Valley Studio, just a mile from the church property, before departing to study with Etienne Decroux in Paris.
In the summer of 2012, the Theatre de l’Ange Fou will be holding the opening celebration of their future summer residency with the "White Church THEATRE Project". Steven Wasson and Corinne Soum will be presenting their summer intensive Corporeal Mime training programme, lectures, films and live performances introducing the work of the Theatre de l’Ange Fou and Etienne Decroux. In the future, the White Church THEATRE Project will welcome and host artists, performers, lecturers and musicians, both international and local, to present their work.
“ The Thinking Body”
A leap into transformation and dream...
July 9 - July 28, 2012 (Monday - Friday).
Classes from 10am - 2pm. Open studio 2pm - 4pm
Summer School Fees: $600 or £380
The White Church THEATRE Project Intensive Summer School 2012 is designed for the professional and pre-professional actors, dancers, mimes and performers wishing to give a physical reality to their own ideas. Corporeal Mime created by Etienne Decroux, is an innovative method and a precise technique focusing on the body and physical action in theatre.
This Summer School will offer the possibility to study in depth Corporeal Mime through a number of different approaches: Technique to Improvisation, Repertoire to Composition and Theory to History.
Technique: “The Architecture of the Thinking Body”
The study of the Corporeal Mime Technique will include the gestural grammar, body articulation, counterweights, walks and displacements in space, Figures of Style, Mobile Statuary, Dynamorythm and the Musicality of Movement.
Repertoire: “A Modern Mythology”
Participants will study pieces from the Repertoire of Etienne Decroux such as The Factory, Le Toucher, The Carpenter, the Washerwoman... The apprenticeship of this repertoire is not only a challenging and valuable tool in the mastering of a physical theatre expression, but can become a constant source of inspiration for creation. In the history of mime, the pieces of Etienne Decroux stand unique as a sort of modern mythology of movement theatre from which performers and teachers may draw a theatrical dynamism and method for the creation of personal work.
Improvisation and Composition: “The Reverse Metaphor”
Workshop participants will put together a performance exploring the possibility of using Corporeal Mime as a tool for creation. The creative process in Corporeal Mime is called La Metaphor a l’Envers (the Reverse Metaphor): trusting the action to progressively devise a play.
This process allows space for intuition and improvisation with different themes being explored, and the memories, real and imagined, of each participant finding a physical, theatrical life.
Theory and History: “Spontaneous Language, Elaborate Craft”
Lectures, archival viewing, discussions on Etienne Decroux and on the world of the Theatre de l’Ange Fou will be part of the program.
OPENING PARTY: Saturday, July 7, from 4pm onward...
Open Corporeal Mime Classes. If you would like to experience the multi- faceted world of Physical Theatre and Corporeal Mime, and you don’t have the possibility or the time to follow the intensive Summer School, please join our open classes on Saturdays from 11am ‘til 1pm.
Recommended donation: $10.
Public lecture/demonstration and films:
(Recommended Donation: $10)
July 12 & 13, 7pm:
“Etienne Decroux, the Father of Modern Mime”.
July 19 & 20, 7pm:
“The World of the Theatre de l’Ange Fou: Creation and Tradition, the journey of a company”.
Friday July 27, 7pm. :
Presentation of the Creative Work of the Intensive Summer School
CLOSING PARTY: July 28 from 4pm ‘til whenever...
Please print and fiil in the application form and send it to us with your deposit.
Where is the White Church THEATRE Project taking place?
Wyoming Valley Church,
6451 Lower Wyoming Road
Spring Green, Wisconsin
53588 USA
(5 miles south of Spring Green off Highway 23).
Accomodation:
Please contact the Spring Green and Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce for Motel, Bed and Breakfast, and camping facilities.
www.springgreen.com & www.dodgeville.com
Alternatively we can put you in contact with people wishing to rent rooms during the Summer School period.
Closest Airport:
The closest major airports are in Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago.
The main studio and school are still based in London, as before:
Theatre de l'Ange Fou & International School of Corporeal Mime,
Unit 207 Belgravia Workshops, 157-163 Marlborough Rd,
London N19 4NF
To reach us at this address please use the contact page.