Denbighshire Community Arts Service has received funding from the Well-being Activity Grant to run a series of physical theatre workshops in the north and south of the county.
Participants in Prestatyn and Ruthin have been meeting one evening each week to work with a physical theatre practitioner, developing a performance piece to be shared early in the spring.
Physical theatre describes any mode of performance that pursues storytelling through primarily physical means. The focus is on the physical work of the actors, expressed through the use of their bodies and it is a highly visual form of theatre.
Working with Jane Sutcliffe from Metaphysique, the two groups have so far taken part in several interactive workshops based on collaboration, improvisation and play, the starting point being the individual’s own range of movement, play and emotion. The two groups are producing excellent work and have both decided to work on a story using the theme of Cinderella as a starting point.
Jane, who has been leading the workshops, says: “When I asked the Ruthin group ‘how did Cinderella feel?’, Steven, one of the participants, said ‘she needs a carer’. We then continued to explore ‘caring’ through movement and gesture, choreographing three short pieces”. She added that both groups are responding well to the workshops and that participating seemed to be having a positive impact on everyone taking part”.
Tom, one of the participants from the Prestatyn group said: “I’m enjoying taking part and I’m glad that I’ve found somewhere that I can come to express my versatile talent. If this is successful, I’d like to do more in the future.”
The workshops will now continue after Christmas, resuming on 5 January.
