Synopsis
Movement Directors in Contemporary Theatre - Conversations on Craft
Published by Methuen
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'When directors understand the value of a movement director they remove any sense of hierarchy within the room and place movement directors firmly by their side for they are and should be their co-pilot, navigating and creating the world of the play' ~ Joan Iyiola
Movement directors work with the physical, living bodies at the heart of theatre productions, creating movement languages with actors and directors
Through a series of in-depth interviews with leading theatre practitioners, Ayse Tashkiran charts the growth of the movement director in contemporary theatre
The voices of Jane Gibson, Sue Lefton, Kate Flatt, Toby Sedgwick, Siân Williams, Struan Leslie, Ellen Kane, Peter Darling, Steven Hoggett, Ann Yee, Imogen Knight and Shelley Maxwell explore processes of creativity, collaboration and innovation for the moving body in performance
The Conversations open up:
+ Growth of movement direction through the 20th century
+ New insights into embodied theatre practice
+ Diverse movement approaches and creative preparation
+ Physical trainings and influences
+ Working methods with directors and actors in the rehearsal room
+ Movement for actors in opera, film, television and musical theatre
+ Relationships between movement direction and theatre choreography
+ Potential future developments in the field
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Forewords Maria Aberg and Joan Iyiola
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Early practitioners and practices
3. Themes
4. Jane Gibson
5. Sue Lefton
6. Kate Flatt
7. Toby Sedgwick
8. Siân Williams
9. Struan Leslie
10. Ellen Kane
11. Peter Darling
12. Steven Hoggett
13. Ann Yee
14. Imogen Knight
15. Shelley Maxwell
16. Future voices with Diane Alison-Mitchell, Polly Bennett, Lucy Cullingford, Ioli Filippakopoulou, Natasha Harrison, Chi-San Howard, Vicki Igbokwe, Jennifer Jackson, Ingrid Mackinnon, Rebecca Meltzer, Coral Messam, Anna Morrissey, Sue Mythen, Sacha Plaige
17. Beyond the room: Contexts and structures
REVIEWS
“Tashkiran has collected interviews with fellow movement directors for years. She is a great interviewer and a careful listener, instinctively taking a back seat and giving space and time to her interviewee, only intercepting to dig a little deeper or tease out more clarification … [the book] brims with different personalities, unfinished thoughts and stream-of-consciousness monologues – the struggles of people who habitually work with bodies to find the right word. The book allows us to sneak a peek directly into the rehearsal room and the very practical physical craft that happens there.” – Springback Magazine
“Opens up discussions on key aspects of the creative process, how to make a name for yourself and what it is truly like to work with bodies of all backgrounds … Tashkiran's own passion and experiences set out the foundations for this highly informative and insightful book, which is highly recommended for all those who have a desire to choreograph, movement direct or simply have a curiosity for how a production gets moving.” – One Magazine