56 episodes
The History of Actor Training in the British Drama School. Robert Price
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- Arts
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5.0 • 14 Ratings
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An investigation into the development and trajectory of actor training in the United Kingdom.
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The Drama School and The University.
In which we think about Drama Schools and University Drama Departments and work our way through ‘Falling Off A Wall: Degrees of Change in British Actor Training’ Ben Frankombe's essential paper on the History of Actor Training between the 1970s and the early 2000s.
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East 15 at Sixty. The first two years. Philip Hedley.
In which we discuss how Philip Hedley came to join the first cohort of East 15 Acting School in the autumn of 1961 and examine something of the complex relationship between the school, it’s founder Maggie Bury and the work of Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop.
The cover shows the blue plaque which celebrates Margaret Bury and Joan Littlewood outside of East 15’s Loughton campus.
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East 15 Acting School at Sixty.
In which we celebrate the Sixtieth Birthday of East 15 in the first of two special podcasts. The cover shows blossom in the grounds of the Debden campus earlier this year.
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Nicolai Demidov: Some thoughts on Pedagogy.
In which we prepare for a new term by reading Chapter 8 of Nicolai Demidov’s book ‘The Art of Living Onstage From a Theatre Teacher’s Laboratory Translated by Andrei Malaev-Babel and Alexandra Rojavin.
The studio: www.demidovstudiolondon.uk
The association: www.demidovassociation.com
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Andrei Biziorek : Nicolai Demidov and The Pedagogy of the Future.
In which we discuss Nicolai Demidov and his School of Acting with Andrei Biziorek of the Demidov Studio London.
Links for the London studio and the Demidov Association can be found here :
The studio: www.demidovstudiolondon.uk
The association: www.demidovassociation.com
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Ita O'Brien. Developing an ethical approach to intimate content.
In which we discuss the career of teacher and intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien and understand why Michaela Coel chose to thank Ita for her work when she won the leading actress award at the 2021 Baftas.
These are some of the intimacy on Set guidelines discussed in the podcast.
Intimacy on Set Guidelines
Best practice when working with intimacy, simulated sex scenes, and nudity
Producers to Identify whether a production may include scenes of intimacy and sexual content as part of the risk assessment; ensure that relevant departments are informed and necessary measures put in place:
a. Put in place wardrobe - appropriate covering for genitalia
b. crew required for a closed set
C. consideration of, and budget for, an Intimacy Coordinator.No initial auditions or screen tests are to include sex scenes or to involve nudity. Where, in exceptional circumstances, nudity or semi-nudity is required in a recall, the actor must be informed in advance and provided with the script. All material recorded must be protected and be destroyed once the role has been cast.
a. The actor to sign a written agreement with the Casting Director that any recording of a nude or semi-nude audition will be confidential.
b. The actor may be asked to audition in specific clothing (e.g. swimwear) required for a commercial but will be informed in advance.
c. If an actor is nude or semi-nude in a recall, they may bring a support person to be with them throughout the shoot.
d. The only other people allowed to be present in the audition room will be the Casting Director and/or Director/Producer, and the Reader.At point of contract all scenes involving nudity, intimacy, or simulated sex to be discussed with the actor and representative/agent, so that agreement is made with full disclosure.
a. The standard Equity contract for screen productions allows the actor to agree, or disagree, to performing nude and to performing simulated sex and to choose the type of nudity the actor is willing to do (e.g. buttocks only, or full frontal).
b. Actors sometimes accept a role in which their character will be semi-nude, only to find later that additional scenes have been written into the script which include full frontal nudity and simulated sex. Actors should not sign a contract for full frontal nudity and simulated sex if only prepared to go semi-nude.Directors to plainly describe and discuss with the relevant actors all scenes involving intimacy, simulated sex, and nudity at the appropriate times in the creative process:
a. Before signing the contract
b. Throughout the rehearsal process
c. And into performanceAgreement and consent by the actor, and actors’ representative, to be given each and every time when working with intimacy, simulated sex scenes, and nudity.Establish boundaries around areas of concern, including an agreed strategy to halt the action where necessary, in rehearsals and filming on set, such as ‘time out’.When sculpting intimacy or a simulated sex scene, for the actor and director, or the actor and director in conjunction with an Intimacy Coordinator, to follow the Intimacy On Set Guidelines as standard practice,
a. To always have a third party present, keeping the work professional, not private
b. Identify the blocking of the scene
c. Agree areas of physical touch
d. Sculpt the physical actions using plain words
e. Separately identify the emotional content of the scene
f. Integrate the physical actions and emotional content, creating a seamless intimate scene Support the show
Customer Reviews
Extraordinary
This is quite simply the best podcast I’ve ever encountered—and it is a model for what a podcast can uniquely accoomplish. Robert Price minutely and analytically examines a seemingly narrow subject—the history of actor training in the British drama schools—and in so doing brilliantly illuminates one of the cultural triumphs of the last 120 years (the British theatre). He has managed to interview a large and ever-growing number of the still-living figures and to elucidate (and often unearth) the key texts related to his subjects. His questions are probing and intelligent, his analysis and conclusions are considered and generous. As the former literary editor of the Atlantic Monthly, I can say with some confidence that Price should, of course, develop this rich subject and write a book. But a book, as valuable as it would be, would lack some of the digressive, detailed qualities that make this such a satisfying and stimulating podcast. This is a thoroughly rewarding cultural artifact.
An Extraordinary Resource!
I’ve been badgering all my friends about this podcast ever since I started listening. It is an extraordinarily useful resource for anyone interested in learning more about actor training in the British drama school and beyond. Needless to say, drama school has meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people over the years, and this podcast does a wonderful job of exploring some of those varied experiences. It also hones in on a number of ideas and methodologies that have, until quite recently, been regarded as fundamental to the craft of acting. The image that emerges is of something fluid and dynamic, but also grounded and nourished by an immense and very specific body of knowledge acquired over more than a century by a whole bunch of brilliant, obsessive, fascinating people.
Fascinating!
A deep dive into what acting training was, is, and will be from the best practitioners in England.