The Toolbox
What is The Toolbox?
We believe the best way to prepare yourself for working in the theatre is to deepen your experience and understanding of different techniques and approaches to theatre making. So, we've designed a physical and practical workshop to help theatremakers broaden their creative horizons and fill up their creative Toolboxes with the help of expert practitioners.
The Toolbox is series of 5 workshops for theatremakers and creatives to learn five disciplines from five different experts in their field. Each day different practitioners will teach and talk through different forms of and approaches to theatremaking, such as Clown, Movement, Six-viewpoints method, Approaching Text, Puppetry and beyond.
These workshops will be focused on learning how, when and why you might incorporate different methods into your creative practice.
Who is The Toolbox for?
The Toolbox is aimed at all theatremakers, whether you're an actor, director, writer, technician or stagehand. We encourage people of all abilities to join us and learn more about their craft.
Even the most seasoned actor will find something valuable on this course. Get a taster of how an eclectic pool of different directors work and experience the specifities of their crafts firsthand.
How much is it? Where and When?
The Toolbox is £100 for all 5 workshops or £25 per workshop.
If you would like to attend all the workshops, but cannot afford to pay all at once, please send us an email and we can set up a payment plan that suits you. (thedirectorsplayground@gmail.com)
All workshops will be held in Hoxton, every Thursday evening in May
List of Services
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The Game with Piotr SikoriaList Item 2
The Game
When I discovered clowning, it blew my mind - that through games, I could actually learn how to play. That being playful is something you can practice. And that playing a character and playing a game… are actually almost the same thing.
I mean real games. The kind that connect you with people, that make you laugh, that test how far you’ll go before you start taking yourself too seriously.
There’s this sweet spot - between really wanting to win, and being too cool to even try. That’s where the joy lives. And that’s exactly where I’ll meet you.
Piotr is a Polish clown and comedian with a passion for exploring the rich world of clowning and physical comedy. His journey has led him to create the original, award-winning comedy show Furiozo: Man Looking For Trouble. In 2024, Furiozo earned “The Besties” award at the Edinburgh Fringe and was nominated for the Comedians Choice Award for Best Show in both 2023 and 2024.
6th November 2025, 7-10pm
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Dynamics of Clown with Mick BarnfatherList Item 1
Dynamics of Clown
In this workshop we will be looking at what it is that makes us laugh and how we can be funny. We will concentrate mainly on the clown and the pleasure to be ridiculous in the space.
The clown moves from one flop to the next always happy and optimistic to be playing before an audience. There are many confusions and disasters in a clown show but there are never any doubts. The clown is joyful, playful, mischievous and full of fantasy.
Mick Barnfather has been working in theatre as an actor, director and teacher for more than forty years, and has been a member of Complicite since 1986, He has directed shows for Told by an Idiot, Peepolykus, Hoipolloi and many more. He has also taught at École Philippe Gaulier, Rada, Central School of Speech and Drama, and Commedia School in Copenhagen, and is renouned as one of world’s best teachers of Clown.
13th November 2025, 7-10pm
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Circus Clown with Ella the GreatList Item 3
Circus Clown
In the workshop you will gain experience in stagecraft, audience rapport, the joy in discovery and the pleasure to share. And a chance to have a go at spinning plates, juggling scarves.. and the "highest" tightrope on the ground. Ella creates warm welcoming spaces from heart to heart where the participants are the stars of the show. This is a space for celebrating imagination and play with collaboration at the centre. Remember "when you're having fun, the audience will as well"
Ella The Great is an international trailblazing clown and drag artist from London . With a background in fine art sculpture and circus theatre . Ella "lights up the stage" (Scotsman) celebrating the craft of clown from the heart, inviting audiences into a world of wonder, where no two encounters are the same. From beautiful silent clown to dynamic stand-up stilt walking, Ella specialises in playful, subversive acts with quick and lasting charm.
20th November 2025, 7-10pm
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Physicality of Clown with Peta Lily
Physicality of Clown
Movement is essential to clown, and each person physically engages with clown in a different way. This workshop covers the physicality of Clown, how to enter Clown state and some basic physical comedy techniques.
We will explore how to use the body to release into play, the principles of laughter creation and management, rhythm work and the concept and practice of play through movement.
Peta is an award-winning performer/theatre maker and one of the key figures in the early Physical Theatre movement; well-known for her solo career, her work with the David Glass Ensemble and with Claire Dowie. Lily teaches at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and London College of Fashion (Costume Design for Performance MA). She has also taught at Circus Space (NCCA), The Actor's Centre, Central Saint Martins, and École Philippe Gaulier.
27th November 2025, 7-10pm
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Acting through Clown with Stephen SobalList Item 4
Acting through Clown
Acknowledging one's own ridiculousness is fundamental to any actor, performer ot theatre maker. Through play, games and exercises we will unlock a more open, daring and vulnerable way of working.
In this workshop, we will try to turn off the ‘clever’ part of the brain and tap into a simpler, impulse led way of approaching acting and theatremaking.
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Stephen is a multi award winning director, performer, teacher and the artistic director of All In. He studied acting at ALRA and clown, bouffon and physical comedy with Philippe Gaulier. Stephen has taught for many educational and performance based institutions including RADA, RSC, ArtsEd, Rose Bruford, ALRA, Doreen Bird, Theatre Royal Bath and The Rose Theatre, Kingston.
4th December 2025 7-10pm
