The Revenger's Tragedy Workshop - Blog - Tonya Cornelisse

I was assigned the Mother / Gratiana to look at and dig into. I was very

pleased with this. Jacobean Tragedy is theatre at it’s most indulgent best.

Before excepting the workshop, they warned of a sexual and violent nature. I

got more excited.

I first came across LAZARUS and it’s company by attending there run of The

Changeling, and knew I must stalk Ricky Dukes out. So I did. I am from NYC

and have a vast theactrical background from quite young age, So when I

moved to London I knew I wanted, to find or create a company that is

visceral, fearless and imaginative and driven by the classics - LAZARUS

appeared before me. The work they do and there mission is psychologically

complex and dives deep into the text and the language, but whatsmore than

that is the physical and raw approach to getting inside of the beating heart of

a story and it’s characters. After doing a few of their Shakespeare Gyms my

heart grew fonder, so when I was ask to dive in with Ricky & Gavin through

this workshop - I lept.

The workshop did not disappoint. The lengthy warm up on the days was

much more than a “warm-up” it was a way in to one another. A bonding and

building of trust with the ensemble they had plucked out. By doing so, when

we began to get into the work of the text and explore it…it was seamless, as

if a company was already created even though we (most of us) had all just

meant as an ensemble a mere couple hours ago. That for me was the most

crucial part of the workshop. Ricky’s passionate leadership along with Gavin

as his grand right hand foster a creative environment where one is aloud and

encouraged to fly, that along with Thomas Middleton’s debauchery

layered text and cast of characters led up to a grand and bloody butcher’s

chef’s table of a workshop