CONFIDENCE TRICKS

‘The most important quality in acting is sincerity. If you can fake that you’re made. ‘ Sam Goldwyn, film producer.
Conquer fear and embarrassment, enjoy a fun-filled, non-threatening session, the goal of which is for you to walk out at the end – bigger, more special and accompanied by a toolbag full of cunning tricks to give you the ‘WOW’ Factor.
No preparation necessary as all material used will be mined from you yourselves but generous hearts and, flexible souls required.

This popular workshop was tutored three times for Actors Centre in 2012 and 2013
And for Sunday Times Drama Festival 2013 and 2014.
Other workshops tutored over week-long Festivals at Scarborough include ‘Releasing Erotic Power On Stage’, ‘Story Into Song’, ‘Interpreting songs in Musicals’, ‘Shakespeare’s Magic’, ‘Who’s Got the Power?’

Actors Centre, 21st July, 2011 - Actor to Audience via Shakespeare Soliloquy.
This workshop merges two popular subjects - ‘Talking To the Audience’ and ‘Shakespeare’s soliloquies’. Explore the techniques of direct address to the audience, find the pulse of what a character is feeling and wishing to communicate and then connect clearly and honestly using Shakespeare soliloquy.
Choose up to 6 lines  from any soliloquy – the workshop will be broad in scope so you will not be restricted to these lines only and come with an open mind and adventurous spirit.  

The methods used in this workshop are useful not just for Shakespeare but aim at releasing energies and imagination to inspire creativity in theatre generally.

Contact the Actor's Centre to book this workshop

October 7th and 8th, 2010. Actors Centre Workshop - TALKING TO THE AUDIENCE
We will explore the different techniques involving the audience with individual performatnces. Although this can be specially helpful in one-person plays such as 'Shirley Valentine' which Glen directed and is now playing at the Trafalgar Studios in the West End, all actors need to ensure that the audience is fully connected with the character they are portraying. Bring a 6-line piece of any description which you would like to experiment with. A follow-up workshop for those who wish to take the techniques further, looking specifically at Shakespeare Soliloquies will be running on 8th October. Contact the Actor's Centre to book this workshop

MAY 6th, Actors Centre Workshop - SHAKESPEARE AND LOVE
Using ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ as a basis, this workshop will explore the passions, romance, humour and often ridiculousness which being in love lays us open to.
Come with a flexible imagination and a rough knowledge of the story (a copy of the play will be useful).

Contact the Actor's Centre to book this workshop

Actors Centre - February 11th 2009. 10.30 – 5.30pm - SHAKESPEARE COMEDY - How to make it funny.
Ever watched a Shakespeare Comedy production all the way through without even cracking a smile? Is it Shakespeare’s fault or is it the way we tell it? This workshop explores different ways of communicating comic characters and comic situations for the audience’s enjoyment without sacrificing the truth.

Contact the Actor's Centre to book for these workshops

July 3rd and 4th - Repeat of the Feb workshop - 'Who's Got The Power' at the Actor's Centre
Feb 7th and 8th.  10.30 – 17.30 at the Actor's Centre
‘Who’s Got The Power?’
Actors were asked to explore their own personal powers.  These were then developed and applied to the supernatural, the sexual and the political powers revealed in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’.

2 day workshop SHAKESPEARE’S ENDINGS July 12, 13 2007
This workshop explored the endings of a selection of Shakespeare’s plays. ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ was used as the main text because of the many ways of interpreting the eventual plighting of troths and reconciliations. Day Two concluded with a 20-minute work-in-progress showcase.
Book for any workshop via the Actor's Centre

Shakespeare's Happy Endings' April 12th and 13th 2007

Two days of peeling away layers of stress to release the radiance within so that the concluding harmonies of Shakespearean comedy can be conveyed with conviction and delight. Day Two will conclude with a 20-minute joyous performance (around 4.15pm) in which re-united lovers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives join together and with the audience in celebration.
'Comedy of Errors' which Glen will be directing for the Ludlow Festival in 2007 will provide our main text for escalating serial reunions and ive plenty of scope for larger-than-life comedy exploration. No preparation necessary but be sure to bring an open heart and a flexible spirit.

Taster Session - September 21st 2006 as part of an Open Day for the Actors Centre In Business. This session was called 'Confidence Tricks' and dealt with how to use actor training skills in business - lashings of humour plus use of two bananas!

Corporate Training Workshops at the Actors Centre
The Actors Centre is a leading provider of corporate training courses led by the country’s most distinguished practitioners and expert teachers at the forefront of the media and communications industries.
Glen's workshop called 'Tell It Like It Is' dealt with crystallising ideas, communicating them in clear, persuasive language. Learning to assess space, pitch of voice and of course the signals to be picked up by the receivers of the message.

Actors Centre February 8th and 9th 2006
Workshop using Willy Russel's acclaimed first novel 'The Wrong Boy' as inspiration.

Actors Centre - 6 June, 2005
Speaking With Tongues or How to Get Away With It
This workshop explored instincts and skills needed to play characters with different backgrounds, accents and personalities. The workshop was asked to explore older, younger, posher, rougher, taller, shorter, bigger, smaller characters than themselves. Flexibility, generosity, imagination and courage were required.

Actors Centre - June 8,9,10. 10.30-17.30. 2005
Glen Walford and Willy Russell
The Land Beyond the Wall
A three-day exploration of the writings of Willy Russell
Glen and Willy Russell ( See www.willyrussell.com )encouraged participants to re-create, re-live stories, characters and situations, to re-examine solos, two and three-somes and also the big-cast epics. A generous heart and a flexible soul were the order of the day!

SHAKESPEARE'S MAGIC (December 16, 2004)
Do you want to, to fly, to cast spells, become invisible, to amaze your friends and confuse your foes? By harnessing some ancient beliefs, applying some acting skills, adding large doses of chutzpah we explore ways of connecting to and communicating the power of Shakespeare‚s magic. No particular prior study necessary but helpful to bring any Shakespeare text in which magic occurs or is mentioned. i.e. any of them.....
DON'T DREAM IT - BE IT (November 3, 2004)
'The Rocky Horror Show' acts as a springboard for releasing some 'Dare To Be Great' performances. You don't need to know the show or the songs (although is there anybody out there who doesn't?). Nor do you need a screeching celeb. ego. What you need is a desire to have fun exploring your own personal allure via the rock /galactic superstars and the release of the normal converted to the super-sensual.
HAMLET's PLAYERS (11th March, 2004)
Actors in this workshop form an Elizabethan acting troupe and explore the skills and characters of the visitors to Elsinore. Cut to the chase of Shakespeare's most thrilling scenes. Additional material provided from a script now in development - 'Players' by William Hobbs.
HOW TO BE EPIC (12 March, 2004)
Why weren't you in any of the 'Lord of The Rings' trilogy'? Could it be that you just aren't communicating BIG enough? Explore building your confidence and excavating your epic powers. Work on a 4-6 line piece which is epic in scale, empower yourself physically, emotionally and vocally so that you 'Dare To Be Great'.

For bookings and further information contact the Actor's Centre direct on 020 7240 3940 ex. 204