Theatrehaus Mitte, Berlin 2008 - Weekend Workshop

Weekend Workshops or 5-day Masterclasses spent with Jonathan Kay discovering and exploring his unique Fooling Technique. Check out the gig calender to find out when they are happening and to book yourself a place on one.

Fooling is a form of improvised theatre.

It’s based on a particular understanding of how people are put together: the root of why we act as we do, why we present ourselves to the world as we do and how and why we use our defences as we do. With this understanding, the fool adopts the role of other characters and pits them against each other to create conflict on the stage.

Foolish theatre is delivered from the Fool’s performance in the now. This means that nothing is planned, but it goes further than this. The “theatre of the now” demands an immediacy, a sense of the present that precludes both judgment and fear. Performers often analyse what they are doing as they go along, effectively judging it. The judgement can range from anything from brilliant, through passable, to awful and embarrassing. This is to be momentarily in the past. Or performers anticipate how they will perform. In fear of not meeting some standard, they perform in fear. That is to be momentarily in the future. To perform without planning, without analysis and without fear is to approach being present. Many people find doing this unusual, and then curiously liberating in performance, even though this experience of “the now” is common enough when they are relaxed, with friends. Foolish theatre in this sense is the theatre of the now.”

Joe Champion, Barrister, NAF Fool 2007 Student

Always provocative, opening and liberating. Jonathan’s loving support and his infinite perspective helped me to change the pattern of my life. He’s an inspirational teacher who has supported me in my foolish adventures. I would not be doing what I do today or performing as I am able to if I had never met Jonathan. I am certain of that. I have witnessed miracles! What more can I say…? Above all Jonathan helped me to free myself from my fears and to discover the joy of playing in ‘scary’ places. He helped me to cast off limitations and relish new adventure and discovery. It led to a complete change in career and a return to the creative life. His workshops are a must for anyone who would like to feel more alive, more free and more full.

Kath Burlinson, Co-Founder of Weird Sisters Theatre Company

It was an amazing weekend, one of the most exciting workshops I have participated in. I felt loosened up and it has changed the way I see myself. I haven’t laughed so much in years.

Madeline Bridgett