Day Eight: Once in a lifetime

After departing the beautiful Crowne Plaza Hotel at Stratford, the students arrived in the little picturesque area of Richmond, ready for a once in a lifetime workshop in the Meisner acting theory. There was time to explore the area for some lunch before partaking in the workshop at a local community building. 

The Meisner workshop was run by a young ‘cool’ actor from New Zealand named Robyn. She is well travelled and has trained with some of the best coaches all around the world. She studied at the New York Meisner School and is now one of two practitioners teaching in London. The technique teaches an actor to be honest, truthful and present in the moment. She taught them skills in how to listen attentively and to provide their whole undivided attention to the person (actor) in front of them. Robyn explained there is ‘no such thing as character’ in Meisner. An actor must read the circumstance and to respond to the actor in front of you with impulse and instinct. They must ‘get out of their head’ and truthfully listen. After an intense workshop, it was clear the students felt inspired by Robyn as they gathered around her to ask many questions. Robyn was clear in her explanation that the Meisner technique can help enhance your engagement in other career paths too, not just in acting, as it makes you a more genuine listener who can focus not on themselves, but on the circumstance and the person in front. This makes you a more desirable employee, highly focused and attentive. This workshop really was a once in a lifetime opportunity that the students were lucky to experience. 

Following the workshop, the coach took the students to the Eurostar Station in London, ready to board to Paris! It was a late train ride, after an eventful time in England, so many of us slept. Before long, the students were in Paris and ready for bed at their new hotel. Tomorrow: Theatre Du Soleil - one of the best theatre companies in the entire word!