'Playing with Text': The 6FootStories Approach to Shakespeare

A new workshop exploring our innovative approach to retelling and reworking Shakespeare. Part of our new online workshop series.

About the workshop...

In this workshop we will explore some of the key aspects of our approach to Shakespeare. After making two extremely well-reviewed productions (Macbeth: A Tale of Sound & Fury, Hamlet: Rotten States), as well as R&D on a third (The Tempest: Ministers of Fate), we feel well-placed to share some of the techniques we use when working with Shakespeare.

Our Shakespeare productions are boldly reworked whilst remaining faithful to the language. We do, however, move scenes about, repurpose dialogue, craft brand new scenes with stolen lines, and we cut. A lot. So it is with this sense of irreverence that we share our process.

We will look at:

- Using soliloquies as a tool for theatrical invention and ensemble performance

- Finding base characters for the ensemble/finding a frame

- Turning tragedy into comedy

- Reducing complex scenes to moments of montage and physical comedy

- The editorial process - cutting and stitching. And more cutting.

- Sharing roles - in our previous productions, all three actors played Macbeth & Lady Macbeth, all three actors played Hamlet. There is much to be discovered through this device, both theatrically and in terms of the language.

We will work on selected scenes and speeches from the plays we have worked on in depth; these will be sent out to participants in advance of the workshop in order for you to familiarise yourselves with the material.

This is suitable for performers usually fearful of or disinterested by Shakespeare. It’s also going to be great if you’re a huge fan of the Bard. If you’re interested in great language, theatrical invention and ensemble-based theatre making then this is the workshop for you.

About 6FootStories...

6FootStories are a touring theatre company founded by writer-performers Jake Hassam & Nigel Munson. In 2016 they staged the highly acclaimed Macbeth: A Tale of Sound & Fury at The Hope Theatre. Last year they returned to The Hope with Hamlet: Rotten States, which also received rave reviews. In late 2020 they began developing a new Shakespeare show - The Tempest: Ministers of Fate. Their version of Macbeth went out on tour in 2017 and 2018 and has been seen at venues far and wide including Greenwich Theatre, Oxford’s Pegasus Theatre, Havant’s Spring Arts Centre, and The Warren at Brighton Fringe.

About the instructors...

The workshop will be run by co-artistic directors of 6FootStories, Jake Hassam & Nigel Munson. Between them they have taught at drama schools including East 15, Fourth Monkey, Italia Conti, Rose Bruford, Kingdom and the Oxford School of Drama. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience as theatre makers and as facilitators. They combine their classical actor training with the lessons they've learned through experimentation and play, and they can’t wait to share some of their practice in these online workshops.