The day will begin with facilitated exercises drawing on the ‘status transaction’ games developed by Keith Johnstone in his 1999 book Impro for Storytellers. The games have three objectives: 1. For actors to transfer power between one another in an unscripted scenario. 2. To convince a spectating audience that the balance of power has been adjusted as intended. 3. To watch other people trying to gain power they don’t have or give away power they do have, and try to recognise the demon in them that can do it. In the afternoon we will be devising performances in response to these exercises and performing them to each other. The workshop will also focus on performance documentation. Documentation is an added element to consider in the power dynamics of a performance scenario: does it matter who ‘won’ the game if the record says they lost? All levels of experience are warmly welcomed, although some degree of comfort with performing front of a small group would be beneficial! The workshop will provide a supportive context for experimentation and will be focused on process over outcomes.
