Physical comedy/theater

[benjamincanfly]

I want to spend some time focusing on object work, stage fighting, general miming, etc. I'm looking for classes and workshops in the city. So far I've found these:

http://nycphysicaltheatre.com/workshops.aspx

Actions speak louder than words! Intro to Physical Theatre offers actors, writers, and directors the opportunity to develop original material that communicates primarily through physical and visual means. This class is ideal for artists looking to move beyond conventional approaches to creating and performing.​

http://www.newyorkdowntownclown.com/workshops.htm

This class aims to increase sense of timing, use of physical space, improve improvisational skills, enforce connection and communication with a partner, sharpen physical action and reactions, and develop comedic sense.​

http://www.tooba.com/Training/Part_Time/3.Spring 2008/

(...) a day-long workshop in physical theatre for people wanting an introduction to acting techniques which use the body as the primary means of expression. Tooba's training combines the emotional authenticity and detail of Grotowski-based acting work with the physical subtlety and beauty of Etienne Decroux's Corporeal Mime.​

There's also the American Mime Theatre (http://www.americanmime.org), which offers what sounds like an intensive course, but the site doesn't offer a huge volume of info.

Corporeal Arts Incorporated (http://www.corporealarts.org/workshops.asp) offers several workshops.

There are probably dozens more resources out there. Does anyone have advice? Anyone studied clowning, physical theater, object work, etc?

 

[capitolgoga]

Surprisingly enough, I had an amazing physical performance skills class at my college in DC (GWU). We studied clowning, bouffon, mime, commedia dell'arte, slapstick, and stage combat.

During that time I would go home for college breaks to the NYC area, and one of the best things I enjoyed were some shows from Eric Davis. At the time he was a clown by the name of Mr Mustard - and his shows were the closest things to really funny clown shows that I've seen. Now he goes by Red Bastard, and he's teaching classes.

You should check them out, they are listed on his site - http://www.redbastard.com/

He's really the only performer I've seen emulate the old school french stuff that I learned about in class. That said, I haven't sought out clown shows ...

There's good books on this stuff too, but I do not remember them.

Good luck! This stuff is really really fun to learn.