‘Humanity has only one truly effective weapon, and that is laughter.’
Mark Twain
The
power
of comedy
Throughout history, we see comedians and clowns springing up like mushrooms in times of crisis. Think of comedians who give direct airs to hopeless political situations, clowns who roam war zones to bring hope, or the commedia dell'arte performers who mock power to encourage citizens. Humour is a powerful tool to address inequalities in society and helps redefine reality in creative ways. Troupe Courage is fascinated by how people try to live and survive in today's world in the most extraordinary, hilarious, flippant and above all human ways. Comedians offer audiences a chance to look at the world with fresh eyes and dismantle inequalities in a humorous way. In doing so, they playfully and light-heartedly broach topics that are often taboo in society.
The training includes physical transformation, psychology of movement and mask play. Led by Troupe Courage's core artistic team, you will work on imagination, musicality, creating comedy from tragedy, playfulness, stage presence, improvisation and timing.
The main tool used is the archetypal masks, which unlock the actor's creativity and imagination.
"Laughter connects people. It is a force for democracy. It is almost impossible to maintain distance or a sense of social hierarchy when you laugh intensely together."
John Cleese
Katrien van Beurden, founder of Troupe Courage, director and actress, is internationally known for her innovative approach to commedia dell'arte. She broke away from classical museum theatre as we know it and developed a unique, raw and comic style. Katrien travelled the world for 20 years, to Iran, India, Palestine and America, among others.
Alaa Shehada, core player of Troupe Courage, founder of the Palestinian Comedy Club and stand-up comedian, has toured worldwide as an actor and stand-up performer. He is also attached as a clown to Red Noses International in the West Bank, where he conducts theatre workshops for women and children.
For who:
The workshop is open to anyone - including theatre-makers, philosophers, journalists - who wants to get hands-on to explore the world and urgency of comedy.
To really laugh, you have to take your pain and play with it.’
Charlie Chaplin
The workshop will include:
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Learning the basic elements of an engaging personal narrative
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The world of archetypal characters
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Creating humour out of tragedy
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The power of playfulness and imagination
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Comedic timing and developing effective punchlines
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The history of humour during world crises
Practical information
Date: 10 to 13 February 2025
Location: (near) Amsterdam
Language: the summerschool will be given in English
Price: to be announced
To apply:
You can apply by sending your CV and motivation letter to productie@troupecourage.com
Curious?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at
About Troupe Courage
In recent years, Troupe Courage has been running workshops around the world. Their playful, positive approach, rooted in a unique pedagogy, encourages creativity and innovation. Di Trevis (Royal Shakespeare Company/Britain's National Theatre) describes their work as ‘bloody serious and tremendous fun,’ while Theatre Newspaper critic Kester Freriks describes it as ‘important and innovative theatre.’
The company also runs workshops at institutions such as the Amsterdam Theatre and Cabaret Academy (ATKA) and the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
The horse of Jenin
Troupe Courage is currently touring with their show The Horse of Jenin, written and performed by Alaa and directed by Katrien. The performance tells the story of Alaa, who grew up in the West Bank in Palestine.