Theatre as a construction site

This 10 days workshop is based on two parallel but overlapping directions: writing on stage on one hand, following a musical score of actions, gestures and words on the other.

The first direction of the workshop is based on our durational performance "Galaxy", a 4 hours performance that is 100% improvised in real time by actors. It is a game of which the result depends totally on the personality of the actors, on their ability to edit material on stage and on their perception of rhythm and musicality. It is above all a useful exercise to practice writing on stage and real-time editing – which we believe are two of the most essential qualities an actor needs to acquire.
More information on GALAXY

The second direction of the workshop is based on our next piece, "6 am. How to Disappear Completey", which will be created next autumn. It is a very different piece from "Galaxy", in terms of style, atmosphere, acting and storytelling. The aim, here, is to discover together with the participants of the workshop another dimension of the theatre act, related to the presence of different levels of reality.

"6 am" tells the story of a group of people gathering outside a city, in a space that reminds a construction site, to perform a bizarre ritual.
The Ode to the Ancient Ocean by Comte de Lautréamont and the poetry of Friedrich Hölderlin will be used as texts of reference. Other references will be used - mostly in terms of atmosphere and “color” of the performance - and are worth  reading/watching; "Solaris" by Stanislav Lem, "The Roadside Picnic" by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, "The invention of Morel" by Adolfo Bioy Casares, and the films of Andreï Tarkovski "Solaris" and "Stalker".
Our focus here is to use the poetic word, understand its musicality as well as writing together, as an ensemble, a new and concrete story.

Blitz Theatre Group

Blitz Theatre Group was formed in October 2004, in Athens, by Aggeliki Papoulia, Christos Passalis and Giorgos Valais.

The group's basic principles are the following: theatre is a field where people meet each other and exchange ideas in the most essential way, not a field for virtuosity and ready made truths.

There is a need for answers to what society asks from art today and where theatrical structures stand at the dawn of the 21st century. All members are equal throughout conception, writing, direction and dramaturgy, everything is to be questioned, nothing should be taken for granted, neither in theatre nor in life. The group's work has been presented in Théâtre de la Ville, at the Schaubühne, Comédie de Reims, in Thalia Theater and in other major theatres and theatre festivals around Europe.

theblitz.gr

About our working method

We do not have one method only, but we have a strategy that constantly changes through the years, depending on the story we need to say, the performance we need to write and direct. However, there is a certain element that is always present in the creative process: the actor is at the centre of it. We consider the actor as a fully developed artist, able to play, but also able to write while on stage and propose elements for the music, sound design or even scenography of the performance.

Most of the texts used in our shows are produced by the ensemble during rehearsals. Our work is often on the verge between theatre, dance and performance. Thus, what matters to us is to work with interesting personalities rather than technically efficient actors. Technique is important but we are more interested in their courage, imagination, interests and references outside the field of theatre.

In every piece, we try to create a musical score for each actor and for the ensemble as a whole. We depend a lot on musicality, rhythm of the tasks and words performed on stage, rather than on emotions. Acting for us is a real-time chain of actions/reactions, a musical piece of gestures and words. Emotions come as a result.

Illustration

The Cifas asks contemporary artists to illustrate its communication. Sarah Cheveau illustrated the workshop led by Blitz.

"I live in Brussels where I draw, teach and writes stories for children. I like movement, energy, animal, vivacity, harshness. I like to watch, play with colours, materials, lines and I like going to the theatre and see dance."

http://cargocollective.com/sarahcheveau