A three-day physical storytelling course introducing Neutral, Larval, and Character Full Mask work for actors, directors, and creatives.
Clown Space are running a three-day course, An Introduction to Full Mask, at York Theatre Royal from 15 to 17 July. It's a physical storytelling workshop led by James Lewis-Knight, the company's artistic director, and it's open to actors, directors, movers, and anyone who wants to get a bit more playful and fearless with their creative work. The whole thing is built around games and exercises that lead to building both solo and group scenes.
Over the three days, you'll work through three different types of mask: Neutral Mask, Larval Mask, and Character Full Mask. If you've never worked with masks before, that's fine — the course is an introduction, so it's designed to get you comfortable with the basics. The focus is as much on the physical side of things as the performance, so expect to be on your feet rather than sitting around talking about it.
Clown Space has been around since 2017, run by James Lewis-Knight and executive director Emily Chattle, and they specialise in clown, full mask, and physical theatre. James trained with clown masters Philippe Gaulier and Carlo Jacucci in Etampes, France, as well as with mask and clown teachers John Wright, Steve Jarand, and Felipe Ortiz. For the 2025/26 period, the company is an Associate Company at York Theatre Royal, which means they've got a year of tailored practical support, resources, and mentorship as part of the theatre's Artist Development programme.
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The course runs in the Billiard Room at York Theatre Royal — you meet in the foyer first — and costs £175. One nice extra: your place includes a complimentary ticket to A Brief Case of Crazy on Thursday 16 July at 7pm, so you can see some work in action while you're in the middle of the course.
