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Be Your Own Banana Theatre Company

Be Your Own Banana
Workshop / Education Policy

Since it's inception in January 2000, BYOB has eagerly developed its workshop programme as part of it's touring policy. BYOB's style has been influenced by a number of sources - traditional Irish storytelling, Commedia dell'Arte, Eastern European expressionistic theatre, silent cinema, Keith Johnstone - all of which have contributed to the techniques used by the company in a rehearsal process.

As a result, BYOB have been at liberty to offer workshops to cultural and educational institutes throughout Ireland while on tour. Workshops have been offered and presented to performing arts students in Third Level colleges throughout Ireland. BYOB have also provided programmes to Second Level students (aged 15-18). BYOB's Second Level programme includes drama workshops, performances and forum discussions with students explaining the influences and techniques which inform the company's practice.

The workshop programmes which BYOB offers fall into the following categories:

  1. The Art of Story-telling: This programme identifies ways of story-telling/narrating through specific reference to examples of traditional Irish story-telling, contemporary Irish drama and southern African story-telling.
  2. Acting Without Words: This is a physical workshop programme which demonstrates ways that actors can develop a character through physical techniques such as Eastern European expressionism, Commedia dell'Arte and mask.
  3. Improvisation For Performance: This workshop explores ways in which a play can be developed into a script through improvisation in the rehearsal room.
  4. Communicating a Story: This is a programme for Second Level students which explores the basic ways through which drama communicates a story to an audience.

All of the programmes mentioned above are adaptable to suit the needs of the educational/cultural institution concerned. All programmes can be offered as a one-day or for a more extended period, depending on the needs of the institution.

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