top of page

MetaPLATFORM 2023:

CLOWN WORKSHOP (136h)

MetaPLATFORM is an educational concept where the participants have the possibility not only to learn the basics but also to dive deeper into the subject. After the summer intensive start, we will continue to work together in the fall and develop summer’s improv material towards a clown number for our final Clown Matinee.

The director of the workshop and the midwife for the clowns is Soile Mäkelä (MA).

 

See the FB-photo albums from the previous

MetaPLATFORM 2022:  Clown Portraits
Clown Matinee 2022/ behind the scenes: Photos

AIMED FOR

MetaPLATFORM is aimed for professionals and students of performing arts who wish to get some boost for their physical expressivity. For some participants the workshop might be the first touch for the theatre clownery, for some it might be refreshment of the skills and awakening the creativity.

DESCRIPTION

MetaPLATFORM 2023 will dive into the core of theatre clownery, where the clown is born of the personal ridicule of the actor and where the stories are dealing with all the colours of life, also the dark ones. This long clown project will take the participant to the source of tragicomic humanity, where all the homo sapiensis, year after year, find themselves stupefied in front of the universal miracles of life. 

 

The process of searching one’s personal clown is not only an individual trip, but always a very intensive group process. The clown does not exist without an audience. In MetaPLATFORM, the group is a test audience and great support for each other during the whole process. 

 

From the point of view of developing as a clown (and human being), it’s interesting how our own idea of what is ridiculous in us is often very different from how others see us. The clown process is great fun, above all, but it also needs courage! Courage to face your imperfections, accept them, play with them and one day... perhaps love them a bit.

 

The purpose of the education is not to do therapy sessions with the red nose, but to develop our personal material and transform it to the universal level with acting techniques and meet the audience.

 

TEACHER

Soile Mäkelä is a theatre teacher, performer and director, who has worked with masks since 1996. She works as a freelancer in various institutes or theatres in Finland, i.e. Teatteri Metamorfoosi, Helsinki Summer University and Turku Arts Academy. In addition she does artistic projects, teaches and leads the education and mask making departments in Teatteri Metamorfoosi which she co-founded in 2005.

 

Soile graduated from University of the Arts Helsinki, Theatre Academy from department of theatre pedagogy in 2008. She studied physical theatre in France and Italy based on pedagogy of Jacques Lecoq 1999-2002.  Before that she graduated from Metropolia, Helsinki University of Applied Sciences/ Performing arts as a drama instructor 1999. In addition she has participated numerous mask and clown workshops around Europe ‘cause she likes to put herself in “trouble” and keep on learning all the time. The most significant teachers and inspirations during her clown trip have been Norman Taylor, Giovanni Fusetti, Mario Gonzalez Pierre Byland and Philippe Gaulier.

 

See the homepage of Soile

 

STRUCTURE

MetaPLATFORM starts with a two weeks intensive workshop during the summer. In the beginning we get to know the group and create a safe place to work together so our comical quality of being dares to be visible. We learn some basic physical theatre skills, research movement qualities of each other, practice to observate and give feedback in a constructive spirit. At the end of the first week everyone will give birth to their personal clown, with the guidance of an experienced midwife and a group of doulas. 

 

In the second week we will get to know better our clowns by putting them in trouble in various improvisation moments. In the impros we research how the clowns could benefit your personal talents and stories. 

Some tasks might be given for the clowns for the next meeting.

 

MetaPLATFORM will continue during the fall. We will start collectively to develop clown numbers to be performed for the public at the Clown Matinee. 

 

All the numbers that will be performed at the Clown Matinee, will be developed from the improv materials created during the summer. The numbers will be done with 1-5 clowns and the length of the number will be max.15-20 min.  

 

At the event MetaPLATFORM Clowns will share the stage with the choir of all choirs, MetaLAB: Clown Chorus.

 

 

TIMETABLE 2023

Please read through the information and timetables well and check out that you can fully commit to the whole education project.

 

SUMMER (60h)
Daily working hours are 10-17, including one hour lunch break. 

Week 30: Mon–Fri     24.–28.7.  (30h)

Viikko 31: Mon–Fri    31.7–4.8.  (30h)


AUTUMN (76h)

August

Sat–Sun 26.–27.8.  (12h)

 

September 

Sat–Sun 16.–17.9. (12h)

 

October

Sat–Sun   7.–8.10.   (12h)

Week 42:

Mon–Fri  16.–20.10. rehearsals and run throughs  at 10-17 (30h) 

Sat 21.10.  rehearsals with the clown chorus at 10-14 + general rehearsals at 15

Sun 22.10.  public performance at Clown Matinee at 15

 

The duration of the Clown Matinee will be 2-3h. To be confirmed later, depending on the number of the numbers and the concept of the time of the clowns….

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Min 8

Max 14

LANGUAGE

Teaching will be in Finnish, except if some participants do not speak Finnish, then the teacher speaks either Finglish, English, Italian, French or Onomatopoeia.

You can perform in any language you wish, even in silence.

PRICE 

Early Birds 890€ (to be paid by 24th of May ) 

Regular price 980€ 

 

The workshop will be confirmed on 1st of July 2023.

 

Conditions of the workshop in case of cancellation:

Please note: Once the workshop is confirmed, If the participant must cancel his/her/ their participation (regardless of reason, including illness), the reimbursement is given only if there is someone in the waiting list who can take his/he/their place.

VENUES

WORKSHOPS:
Teatteri Metamorfoosi /Point Fixe

Suvilahdenkatu 10 a 4th floor

00500 Helsinki

Metro: Kalasatama or Sörnäinen

Map

THE LAST WEEK OF REHEARSALS AND THE CLOWN MATINEE:

Pakilan Nukketeatteritalo

Lepolantie 19, 00660 Helsinki 

Map

 

CONTACT

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact:

soile.soikku(at)gmail.com

 

(All rights reserved for changes by Teatteri Metamorfoosi)

bottom of page