Second year (BA) Hons Acting for Stage and Screen degree students enjoyed an expert insight into the colourful, comically anarchic world of commedia dell’arte at a recent workshop with MeeMee Theatre.

The specialist clowning masterclass was led by actor, director and international teacher of theatre Pady O’Connor who is the founder and artistic director of the MeeMee Theatre company, which generates worlds of high-quality theatre, workshops and projects that ignite imaginations and create spaces to empower, transform and connect people. Pady has performed on Broadway in New York, at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and Expo Festival in Zaragoza Spain, alongside many other theatres both nationally and internationally. He was also assistant casting director for the award-winning film Billy Elliot.

A huge part of Pady’s creative journey is about nurturing and sharing the skills and experiences with others that he has learnt throughout his training and performing. The acting degree workshop at The Northern School of Art’s Hartlepool campus focused on clown, mask, commedia dell’arte, and combined physical theatre.

Second year acting for stage and screen degree student Katie Jordan said the workshop highlighted how important the development of commedia was for clowning and some of the characters that appear in the genre adding, “The one that we really worked with was a character type called Zanni and we focused on using physicality for it before adding the mask. I really enjoyed the use of the masks in the workshop and the fact we chose each others. The games in the morning session were also fun and insightful.”

Katie, who is from Leeds and went to Leeds City College before coming to The Northern School of Art, said that she chose to study at the School “because I was really interested in what the course explored especially with clowning and devising opposed to other traditional drama schools.  I was also interested in the smaller class sizes so I could receive support when I needed it.”

She added that she was “also interested in becoming a part of the community of students” and is active in many of the student societies and the social scene in Hartlepool.

“I go to the musical theatre society that happens every Wednesday and I sometimes model for the Life Drawing Society on Tuesday. Lots of students head out on a night to the Local Vixen Bar and Vixen Arts Centre which hosts events and monthly markets and gives opportunities to students and artists in the area to paint murals and sell art.

“I am also developing a four part short film series and theatre shows for our student-created project ‘Ravioli Off the Ceiling Theatre’ with two of my friends on the course Jack and Alex.”

Follow Katie’s progress on Instagram at @katiemjordann and @ravioli.theatre.

The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen degree programme is designed by working industry professionals to reflect the realities of today’s performance landscape. As a member of the Federation of Drama Schools, students enjoy high-quality drama school training without the need to relocate to London. Find out more HERE