Physical theatre: Steven Berkoff (Research pack)

Steven Berkoff

D.O.B- 3^rd August 1937 (75)

Active since: 1959

Occupation : Actor, Writer, Director, Practitioner 

Steven Berkoff was the practitioner explored by Mel, Shane and Jade; unfortunately I only managed to engage in the last 10 minutes of this seminar. In which Shane was describing the mimetic techniques that Berkoff uses in his plays.

Berkoffs opinion towards props is ‘why use props when you can achieve the same effect in a more imaginative way by using mime?’ This feeling and his heavy use of mime comes from his early apprenticeship at the LeCop School in Paris. I learnt that during the seminar that “mime can be taken as far is physically possible”(Shane Horton) so long as the actor and the audience can find it believable. One of the best examples of mime, used by Berkoff, is in his 1981 play Decadence later 1994 film; which he directs and acts as the lead alongside Joan Collins. In which they mime riding a horse I would say there is also a huge amount of physical expressionism in this piece.

During my research at home these are techniques that I've found out that he uses/manipulates:

Alienation of the audience seems to be the most widely used technique in Berkoffs plays he does this by:

I have learnt through my research that Berkoffs works can be shocking, grotesque and graphic; a full on onslaught to the human senses and this is no less for the actor and the audience. In future 

     physical theatre sessions or work I could incorporate techniques such as alienation and physical 

    expression; alienation to distance my audience because I don't want them to connect with the character,

     I  want them to analyse the behavior or actions that have lead them to a given circumstance.

     Or simply because I wish to make them uncomfortable.

      And physical expression appeals to me as a  young professional in ways I could make a set redundant  and morph my body.


References/ Bibliography

Research notes by J.A , Steven Berkoff, 24th Nov 1991
Mel, Shane, Jades seminar.

http://www.stevenberkoff.com/filmd.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Berkoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ewnwElPwuA