Lecoq method

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The training methods of the French director and acting teacher Jacques Lecoq are a technique for learning the art of acting . At the core of acting is, according to Lecoq's view, a strongly physical game that approaches the essence of the subject in question in an abstract way, detached from psychology. Lecoq's methods are influenced by forms of representation such as acrobatics or pantomime and are also considered to be forerunners of performance theater.

Lecoq's training method

Even though Lecoq has developed numerous concrete methods for learning the art of acting over the years, he was always interested in giving his drama students a lot of freedom, for example through numerous improvisation exercises, in order to be able to discover numerous aspects of acting for themselves. He sees acting as a journey that takes place inside the actor. Lecoq's technique is sometimes also described as a strong connection between life and art.

His training methods are still taught today at the “L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq” in Paris. Parts of his techniques are also taught at many other drama schools around the world, e.g. B. at the renowned "Royal Academy of Dramatic Art" (RADA) in London.

Move

One of the essential components of Lecoq's training is the analysis of movements, which should serve the performer as the basis of the game. In most exercises, movements are first made larger and then gradually reduced. Movements that have a back and forth movement are also about finding the moment of immobility or levitation. In addition, Lecoq tried in numerous exercises to work out the natural movements of childhood with his drama students in order to bring them closer to the movements that were there before the imposed behavior and in this way to help them to move freely. These exercises are often linked to acrobatic exercises such as somersaults or handstands.

According to Lecoq, there are basically three natural types of movement: wave movement, reverse wave movement and unfolding. With the "wave movement" he means a forward movement, such as the human gait. With the "reverse wave movement" he describes a backward-facing movement. By “unfolding” he means a sequence of movements that starts from a huddled position and leads to an outstretched final state that takes up as much space as possible.

In the course of his descriptions of movement, he also stated that there are two essential human actions, namely “pulling” and “pushing”. These two actions can be performed in vertical, horizontal and diagonal directions, which he describes with the expression "rose of powers".

In his work "The Poetic Body" he also defines numerous basic attitudes of the human body. For example, there is the samurai , who stands frontally and upright, the large harlequin , who assumes a slightly bent posture, the side lunge, which can be varied in all directions, and the table, where you adopt a bent position.

In the course of the training, numerous movements are developed from simple basic situations. These exercises serve the actor later as building blocks for the game on stage. For example, there is an exercise in which the drama students climb over a wall in 57 different postures in an escape situation. The individual postures are precisely illustrated in this exercise and then combined to form an overall movement.

Animal analysis

Another essential part of Lecoq's training methods is the analysis and imitation of elementary and natural animal movements. According to Lecoq, the first thing to do here is to research the animal's contact with the ground: “How is its contact with the ground? How are the feet built? How do they differ from ours? "

The next step is to find the animal's gait and posture. In addition, animal behavior is examined, such as animal dynamics during the transition from relaxation to alertness.

breathing

According to Lecoq, the performer's breathing is crucial for the meaning of the action to be performed. For example, a person who lifts his arm to say goodbye and inhales while raising his arm and exhaling while lowering his arm gives a positive feeling of farewell. However, if the actor's breathing is reversed - i.e. if he exhales while raising his arms and inhaling while lowering his arm - the audience feels a negative farewell feeling.

Masks

Masks play a central role in Lecoq's training, as they are intended to help the performer shift the focus away from the face and voice towards the body. In Lecoq's method there are three basic forms of masks: the neutral mask, the expressive mask and the counter-mask.

According to Lecoq, there are basically two ways to play with a mask: to identify with the mask or to fight against the mask. Based on the mask, which, according to Lecoq, roughly defines the figure and simplifies the game, the actor decides through his posture and gestures whether to play with the mask or against the mask.

Colours

In the course of Lecoq's training, one also deals with colors and light. The drama students try to represent different colors without thinking about it beforehand. According to Lecoq, each color has its own time, its own space and its own rhythm. According to Lecoq, the color red is often represented by his students as an explosive movement.

elements

An essential key to finding emotions in Lecoq's teaching is playing with the elements: fire, earth, water and air. The drama students try to represent various elements in improvisation exercises or to react to these elements. These exercises also serve to work out individual parts of the body.

For example, the students respond to the element of water by imagining waves dragging them along. In this case, the movement of the body starts from the pelvis. The fire, on the other hand, has a completely different rhythm. It is more internal, so it starts from the diaphragm and breathing and helps, for example, to create the feeling of anger. In the case of air, movement comes from the whole body, for example when you have to fight against an imaginary storm. With the element earth, the movement comes from the hands, but also from the feet, as one stands, for example, like a tree deeply rooted in the earth.

These exercises can also be combined or applied to other materials such as wood, lead, rubber, oil, the process of making an omelette, etc.

Words and language

In a first step, Lecoq and his students tried to work on the individual word and to research its dynamic content. This often depends on the language in question. According to Lecoq, the words "I take" have a gentle and collecting character, whereas "I take" has a hard, tearing character.

In later exercises, the drama students try to examine poems for their dynamics and to translate their words into movements, often also in relation to the play with the elements. In a similar way to the poems, Lecoq's students also put pieces of music into motion, for example.

literature

Primary literature
  • Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag.
Secondary literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 1Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 69
  2. ↑ Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq - Brochure. P. 8
  3. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 110
  4. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 99
  5. ↑ 5Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 102
  6. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 104
  7. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. Pp. 106-108
  8. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 116
  9. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 117
  10. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 112
  11. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 115
  12. ↑ a b Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 126
  13. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 111
  14. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 106
  15. ^ Jacques Lecoq au Festival de Wilhemsblad (documentation). 8:47 - 8:59
  16. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 79
  17. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 71
  18. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 119
  19. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 120
  20. ↑ Austermann, B. (1999). The “Ecole Jaques Lecoq” as a school of life initiatives with their possible applications in the aesthetic field in social work and in social education. Münster: Münster University of Applied Sciences. P. 52
  21. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 121/124
  22. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 74
  23. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 75
  24. ↑ Lecoq, J./Carasso, JG / Lallias, JC (2000). The poetic body - a lesson in theater creation. Berlin: Alexander Verlag. P. 77