Writer as Reader Workshops
Workshop is filled/accepting registrations on a waiting list only basis. Rebels and Angels: Jane Eyre—A Performative Workshop
November 1, 2013
Jane Eyre has to play many roles to survive her childhood. In 19th century England, the female rebel had to play the role of the angel, or be shunned and outcast. Status is a crucial component of all dramatic works; understanding and manipulating status is part of the work of the actor, playwright, and director. Jane Eyre’s world is defined by status, and she is defined by her refusal to remain in her assigned role as dependent female. In this workshop we will use perfomative techniques to explore status and role playing in a participatory approach to Brontë’s novel: What strategies does Jane use at different stages of her journey? How can we identify these and try them out ourselves in order to learn about them? What do they tell us of Jane and the women of her time and how do they shed light on the ways women portray themselves now? We will work with theater games for non-actors with a focus on role playing and status; exploring a range of performance-based writing and writing-based performance that can be brought into the classroom as a complex yet accessible lens through which to approach Jane Eyre.
Texts: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (any edition); Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre by Keith Johnstone (excerpt provided in workshop)
Workshop fee: $200 (includes morning coffee, lunch, and workshop materials)