Performing Arts - a Beacon Department

Nic Saunders - Director of Drama

At Henley Nic teaches on both the National Diploma course and the A Level course. His specialist areas include Script Writing and Directing. Professionally, Nic has recently directed a play on the London Fringe.

Click here to access the Performing Arts Department web pages

Sharing Success: Opportunities to share good practice among members of the teaching profession.

APPROACHING SHAKESPEARE- BY WORD AND DEED
June 2005

The day was split into two sessions:

1. To Breathe or not to Breathe - before drama schools, acting coaches and academics got involved, the text was the only place to find the clues that lift the page onto the stage. In this workshop, RADA acting teacher Greg de Polnay attempted to return us to that state of innocence and explored through action how all that an actor needs to know has been given to us by Shakespeare himself.

2. An Introduction to Unarmed Stage Combat with Chris Main from BASSC

The sessions introduced the principles and practices of unarmed stage combat. The performance of effective stage combat combines:

1) Safety
2) Illusion
3) Acting

Over the course of the workshop, Chris taught how fight directors work to successfully create the illusion of violence, as well as teaching some of the most frequent moves employed on today's stage: slaps, punches, strangles...

Quotes from attendees at this Beacon Event:

"everyone enjoyed themselves, and the opportunity to share ideas".

"excellent, practical information about approaching Shakespeare and stage combat. Excellent course teachers with expert knowledge. Rare to find such a practical course".

"excellent admin. Really high quality delivery from both tutors".

"a very useful day, which I will share with my students".

Greg de Polnay - Profile

Gregory de Polnay has been an actor, director and voice teacher for the past thirty-five years. He has worked in all aspects of the theatre with several West End credits to his name. He has appeared at the RSC in his own production of You Can't Shut Out The Human Voice with the late Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Sir Ben Kingsley. His career has included over 100 TV appearances and 350 Radio broadcasts.

Chris Main - Profile

Chris Main is the Vice President of, and Certified Teacher with, the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. He has taught certification courses and workshops around the UK, including: Exeter University, Plymouth University, The National Youth Theatre, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Central School of Speech and Drama, Italia Conte Theatre School, Welshpool Educational Development. He has just finished co-writing a new BA in Combat and Performing Skills for East 15 Acting school.