Experienced storyteller with a background in theatre arts, Alice Fernbank, leads a two-part workshop devoted to exploring how we embody the characters in the stories we tell and the songs we sing on Friday 2nd and Friday 23rd of June at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. During the workshop, she will share a variety of physical theatre techniques which enable storytellers to connect with the essence of the characters which appear in their stories.
The workshop is divided into two parts on two separate dates. The first session will be an opportunity to learn and practice techniques which can be applied to a performance to enable the artist to easily access a character physicality or voice. The second session invites participants to bring a story or song they’ve prepared using the character skills from the first session. There will be opportunities for group work and sharing with the whole group, with supportive feedback and coaching.
Introductions and warm up
Story from Alice
Alice will share a character filled story with the group
Exploration of character archetypes for storytelling
Through physical gesture we can access a wild array of characters. Alice will teach some simple physical gestures which enable storytellers to develop the characters in their stories and to access them easily
Exploration of states of tension
These are exercises to explore the degree to which we embody the characters
Effort actions
These are a range of physical gestures based on a Laban technique which can be used to create characters
Stepping in and out of character
Letting go of the character is as important as becoming the character in storytelling. We will explore the transition from character to self and back to character
Group storytelling using character archetypes
An opportunity for freer practice in groups exploring the teachings from the session.
Warm up
Story group work
An opportunity to tell your story or sing your song in smaller groups
Whole group sharing and feedback
Work as a larger group sharing our stories and receiving character coaching
Additional Character Skills
If time remains Alice will share other skills and techniques which work effectively when exploring character
More about Alice Fernbank
Alice is an experienced and versatile storytelling workshop facilitator. She works with both adults and children and has facilitated age groups ranging from 0 to 100. She is passionate about igniting imaginations and connecting people young and old through story. Alice loves to tell transformational stories of women and girls and their heroic adventures. She also loves stories of the land and water and has a particular affinity with the folktales and legends of the East Anglian fen country, where she spent her childhood. As a CELTA qualified EFL teacher she has created and delivered a number of workshops and storytelling sessions specifically designed for English language learners. She also works with language teachers, exploring the use of story in the language classroom. Alice has acted as English language consultant on a corporate storytelling venture organised by the Sagomuseet in Sweden, assisting in the facilitation of business storytelling. At present, she is delivering a programme of storytelling workshops for lecturers and academics at The University of Strathclyde.
Alice creates her own storytelling stage performances with musicians.
