Actors Daily Practice Space

Training

About the Training

The primary focus of the training is on the body and how it serves an actor as a vehicle to investigating a text; as a pathway to action or character; and as an expressive tool in articulating the essence of a moment.

Both in contemporary text based theatre and non narrative trans-disciplinary forms the actor must recognize the specificity of his whole body in the space, and what this visual sign is saying to an audience. Participants will learn to identify and put into practice sophisticated and proficient physical articulation as well as practising body and voice integration with a text.

’We are looking for an external physicality dictated to by an internal source’

Foundations of Training

The foundation of the training is based on the philosophies and practice of past and present masters in the actor’s craft, namely Jerzy Grotowski, Etienne Decroux, Eugenio Barba, and Jacques Lecoq. It has also been founded on Australian practitioners such as Leisa Shelton and Jenny Kemp.

About the Teacher

Brenda Monaghan has trained at The Grotowski Institute in Brzezinka, Poland (2009) with Dawid Zakowski (Poland), Raul Iaiza (Argentina) & Roberta Secchi (Italy); Post graduate degree in ‘Methodologies for Actor Training’ at the Victorian College of the Arts (2008), one person chosen annually and where she was awarded ‘The Orloff Family scholarship’ for outstanding achievement in Post Graduate studies; in Paris at Ecole Philippe Gaulier and with Lilo Baur from Complicite (2003); with Krisztya Bodonyi in Eastern European theatre techniques (2000); Ashley Wain (Neutral Mask); June Jago (Shakespeare); completed a Bachelor in Acting at the Victorian College of the Arts (1996); founded Scatterbox Theatre Company, directing and producing five productions(2004-2007) including original works that toured with BCC; commissioned work by Southbank Corporation; seasons at Red Stitch Theatre (St Kilda, Melbourne) and at Metro Arts (Brisbane). She co devised and facilitated a theatre event and workshops for ‘Proper Job Theatre Company’ U.K. touring throughout Northern England (2009). She also worked as an actor professionally for ten years in film, television and the stage. Brenda has taught at ‘Monash University’ and ‘The National Theatre School’ in Melbourne (2009); Character Mask workshops at ‘Theatreworks’ St Kilda (2002) and in Brisbane (2005); has been teaching ‘Research & Development Labs’ to professional actors since May 2009 at ‘Dancehouse’ Carlton and ‘Napier St Theatre’ South Melbourne; and founded ‘The Actors Daily Practice Space’ (2010). She is currently teaching and directing at QUT University as well as at Griffith University in the Applied Theatre Program (2010). Brenda is currently undertaking creative development of her new trans-disciplinary theatre work ‘Slow’.