Happy Birthday Charioteer Theatre!
Saturday 28th January saw a celebration marking the first birthday of Charioteer Theatre and with it an exciting piece of news - that of "patronage in the person of Theatre Master Anatoli Vassiliev" Anatoli Vassiliev is a disciple of Maria Knebel, and considered one of the last few theatre genius in Europe. Ms Pasetti, keeps her own inspiration and development going by participating regularly in Vassiliev's theatre laboratories at his school in Moscow.
The famous Russian theatre director, who has his own theatre in Moscow, in 2004 was invited by ENSATT (National Higher School of Theatre Arts and Technics, based in Lyon, France) to create a new Department - that of Theatre Directing.
Charioteer's first year brought a two week intensive laboratory course on Beckett's "All that Fall", a course concentrating on 'Dialogue' with Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as text, three monologue courses giving participants the opportunity to work on their own choice of classical text and research their own individual acting skills. The year was rounded off by a seven day course with a visiting teacher, internationally acclaimed mime teacher and choreographer Marise Flach, who thereby visited Scotland for her very first time, and has promised to come again!
The majority of participants have been local to Moray, but some Italian students from Milan have attended, as well as participants from Inverness and Edinburgh. Theatre experience has ranged from professional and amateur actors to those with very little experience, some of the latter perhaps only wanting to gain more understanding of the nature of theatre.
In 2006 Charioteer programme will include a workshop on 'Chorus and Voice' using a text from Brecht. At the end of June, Giorgio Bongiovanni brings his vast experience as Pantalone in performances throughout Europe, to Charioteer Theatre, teaching a workshop on Commedia dell'Arte. In September Giuliana De Carli will visit to teach all aspects of theatrical makeup. Ms Pasetti is keen, through her long association with the famous Piccolo Theatre in Milan, to bring to Scotland, through Charioteer Theatre, some of their expertise and European culture. For their birthday, Piccolo Theatre and Piccolo Theatre Acting School sent messages of good will to Charioteer Theatre acknowledging the seeds of what we hope will be a fruitful collaboration.
Charioteer Theatre have tried to keep their fees to a level which allows a range of participants, and for this they give thanks and acknowledgement to support from Arts Council for Moray, Moray Arts Development and HITN. They also acknowledge support from the general public through a small lottery award which has enabling them to put up their new website . Such support and funding is critical for the continuation of Charioteers work, and they welcome any suggestions or offers of support (01309 674884).