I took part in a 4 day intensive devising process with 14 other ensemble members, based around contemporary Shakespeare practise in modern theatre, called Shake It Out.

Shake It Out was a 4 day long intensive project, including masterclasses and devising workshops, questioning the position and relevance of Shakespeare outside of today’s curriculum. Many of Frantic Assembly's devising processes were used, as Laura (one of the facilitators) had recently finished training with them. This included using lifts, such as Callipo, where the ensemble push in on someone's legs which raises them upwards towards the ceiling. We also explored the idea of:

'The text as the conductor.'

We used this phrase to explore contemporary Shakespeare staging, especially relevant because of the Almeida's current production of 'King Charles III.' Mike Bartlett’s controversial new play explores the people beneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain’s most famous family, but wrote the play in Shakespearean verse to attempt and bridge contemporary and classic playwrighting.The devising process then culminated in a 20 minute performance at the Almeida Theatre

We also devised around the question: What can new plays learn from Shakespeare? Which led us to explore additional questions such as:

What could Shakespeare learn from new talent? What do we interpret when we encounter Shakespeare?

The project provided me with an intensive insight into the techniques of communication apparent in Shakespearean texts, and how this can be utilised to further our understanding of audience perceptions. Using five morning masterclass, where I created a vast create toolkits of new collaborative skills, I applied and combined these skills by generating and devising content that was pieced together by the facilitators in order to create a 20 minute performance. During the course of the devising process, we picked apart the Bard, and what exactly Shakespeare means to us, both individually and as an ensemble representation of today’s young creatives.