Hagley Theatre School (13HTS)

Hagley Theatre School

Are you looking for a strong foundation for acting training or a platform to develop a theatre performance?

The Hagley Theatre School’s purpose is to provide a space for immersive, concentrated, embodied, investigative, creative and transformative theatre training. Our goal is to support and nurture the students' journey into the study of the foundations of the acting technique the development of new works of theatre. 

The school offers two courses: The One Year Acting Training Course is focused on the study of physical action, movement training, mask technique, improvisation, theatre creation, and performance. The course investigates theatre styles that include clown, melodrama, tragedy, Commedia dell 'Arte and bouffon and is a pre-requisite for the six-month course. The course accepts only 20 students per year.

The Six-Month Theatre Creation Course is a unique opportunity dedicated exclusively to theatre making. Under the guidance of our experienced staff and guest tutors, students propose an area of investigation to create a theatre performance. The course, with its intimate class size of a maximum of three projects, is offered twice a year (beginning in February and August), providing a truly empowering learning environment.

The Hagley Theatre School’s methodology is a practical blend of different sources, including Konstantin Stanislavski's method of physical actions, Jacques Lecoq's poetic body, elements of popular theatre (Commedia dell ‘Arte, clown, street theatre, improvisation), the somatic movement technique from dance teacher and choreographer Fleur de Thier, and the research conducted by Dr Pedro Ilgenfritz on the concept of the actor's game and its application to theatre creation.

Course Components

One Year Acting Training Course

The Acting Training Course, a year-long journey into the world of the art of the actor, is open to all with a passion for performance. With 20 places available, the course runs from 8:45 am to 2:30pm, Monday to Friday, from February to December. Admission is by application, and while the minimum age is 18, no previous theatre experience is required. The learning journey in this course includes:

From Neutral Mask to Physical Action: Physical Presence, Movement Analysis, Principles of Physical Action and Neutral Mask.

Mask Training, Improvisation and Creation: Larval Masks, Expressive Masks, Half-Masks, Commedia dell 'Arte, Balinese and Aotearoa Masks.

Object Theatre

Comedy: The Game of Clown and Bouffon

Tragedy and Melodrama

Movement-based Training and Dramatic acrobatics

Presentation of Final Projects

APPLICATION - One Year Acting Training Course

The Six-Month Theatre Creation Course

The six-month theatre creation course is an immersive theatre-making laboratory where students pitch a project as part of their admission proposal to develop a theatre performance. The course is designed to be an incubator of new theatre work and aims at the creation, production, and performance of a variety of styles, forms, and purposes.

Candidates can apply as individuals who want to create and perform solo or group work or direct a project. The school privileges applications that include partnerships with other organizations, stakeholders, and communities, originality of idea, viability, timeframe of the project, previous theatre experience, relevance, and methodology.

For those interested in the six-month theatre creation programme, it's important to note that completion of the year-long course is a prerequisite. Alternatively, eligibility can be met by having a bachelor's degree in performing arts, or experience in the performing arts industry.

The practical and theoretical approach of this course includes the following aspects:

The role of the theatre performer, creator, director, and writer.

Dramaturgy

Theatre creation methodologies

The aesthetic of theatre: Theatre styles and dramatic territories.

The investigation of theatre space and relationship with audience.

The use of technology in performance.

Directing actors

Theatre production, management, and marketing.

APPLICATION - The Six-Month Theatre Creation Course