Tim Orr workshop tour 2014
Tim Orr likes quotes. In all his workshops he never starts without at least one citation from an actor, director or improviser. After a game of Ball, of course.
Of all the quotes Tim mentioned, my personal favorite is one by fellow 3forall player Rafe. “Improv is playing someone who is somewhere” It is simple and true. Exactly how I like improv.
I recently organised Tims workshop tour through The Netherlands, just like I did the year before. I followed Petra, Anja en Anke, who took up the organization in the years before 2013.
The difference this time was that Tim came back after only one year instead of two. Also more public workshops were organized than last year. This way Amsterdam was introduced to a whole new range of workshop themes.
They centered on Tims approach of positive characters who like the people they are with. Being in most of the workshops myself I discovered what truly yes saying and normalizing negativity will do for scenes, characters and my joy in improv. It opens so many doors: you should really try it.
Lucky as I was to be in almost all workshops, I also took part in both of Tims weekend intensives. First he taught a group of very experienced improvisers his own format The Naked Stage, a fully improvised 3 act play. One location, fixed characters, no edits or time jumps. All the players have is the stage, one suggestion and each other.
After a weekend full of inspiration, struggle and amazing try-outs, 5 players decided to continue the work in yet another weekend with a show. (Come and see us play on June 1st!)
The second weekend intensive revolved around Playing the Lead. Especially outstanding were the scenes with big emotions, violence and lust. I have seen scenes and played in situations that were awesome, edgy and intimate all at the same time.
An example of that can be seen in the video below, where I am… Well, playing someone who is somewhere.
Big thanks to All Improv for making this workshop tour happen. Also thanks to Sonja, Anja, Anke, Michael, Gerrit-Jan, Roemer, Polanentheater, all the participants and a BIG thank you to Tim himself.