Oundle School’s Master class with a ‘legend’

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Oundle School Wontner Master Class
Max, Theatre director, Naomi Jones, actors from CTPE and pupils from Oundle School

On 29th April, Oundle School drama pupils were privileged to take part in a Wontner Master Class, led by theatre director Max Stafford-Clark.

Lower Sixth former, Hetty Hodgson (17) commented, “If asked to describe Max Stafford-Clark in one word, it would be ‘legend’.”

The pupils had all watched Max’s production of Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage by Robin Soans, a former Oundle pupil, the evening before, and were excited about the prospect of the workshop the following day.

Hetty added, “It is fair to say none of us really knew what to expect. What struck us almost immediately was the energy that Max had, as did his cast.”

The workshop was split into two parts revolving around the two rehearsal methods that Max is most famous for – ‘status’ and ‘actioning’. In the first section, the pupils were each assigned a random status, and through their interactions with each other, had to identify each person’s status in the group. Then, through a series of improvised scenes they played with the idea of how status can influence strength of motivation.

In the second part of the workshop they examined the idea of ‘actioning’. This is the idea that each word or line has an individual action attached to it. Here, the two actors from the previous night’s production who play the characters Meryl and Darcey read through one of the scenes with the actions attached to them. The pupils saw how useful this would be in rehearsals and how fundamental it is to the process of directing in Max’s productions.

Hetty concluded, “We were surprised to hear that two out of five weeks rehearsal time for Max’s shows is spent doing table work and actioning. We each had a chance to work with actioning, and it was harder than it looked, especially having to do it in some highly questionable Welsh accents. But we could see how useful it would be to the development of characters and the portrayal of distinctive emotions.

Everyone would agree that we learnt an unbelievable amount during the workshop. The two actors and Max were truly inspirational.”

Stahl Theatre Director, Naomi Jones commented, “Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage by Out of Joint was performed at the Stahl Theatre on Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th April.  This extraordinary production tells the compelling and at times moving story of Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas and his hometown of Bridgend. It opened in Cardiff in February to rave national reviews, (4 and 5*s across the board) and came to Oundle following a national tour which has included performances at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman Theatre.  

Writer Robin Soans, himself an Old Oundelian and director Max Stafford-Clark hosted a post-show discussion after Tuesday’s performance.  This was a great opportunity for members of the public to ask leading theatre practitioners about their work in rehearsal, and to quiz the cast about the responsibility of playing a real person“

Max Stafford-Clark says of the project: “I’m always on the lookout for stories, and the story of the so-called “epidemic” of teenage deaths in Bridgend lodged in my mind. I knew Gareth Thomas had played for Bridgend so when he came out as gay three years later I associated the two stories. In addition I am a keen rugby fan, and some of my Welsh friends moan about the demise of the old great Welsh clubs. After all, as recently as 1981 Bridgend had beaten Australia! Here was a town whose story must be told.”

Writer Robin Soans says “It is great to be working for Max and Out of Joint together with the National Theatre of Wales and the Arcola because between us we can tell a story about survival in the face of huge odds and try to combat narrow-mindedness. It is important in an age of pigeon-holing and casual assumptions to show a broader picture of humanity, and to challenge prejudice wherever it raises its dismal head.

For more information about future productions at Oundle’s Stahl Theatre visit www.stahltheatre.co.uk or E: stahltickets@oundleschool.org.uk T: 01832 273930

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