National Theatre offers beastly workshops

First Published 13 October 2010, Last Updated 13 October 2010

The National Theatre is giving children and their families the chance to make like a beast and fight like a swordsman in a series of workshops about theatre-making this half term.

Theatre Skills For Families, aimed at children aged 8-12 and their parents/guardians, comprises three workshops held from 27 to 29 October, run by the National Theatre’s team of experts.

In the first workshop, Stage Combat, a professional fight director will teach participants the basics of stage combat, a skill seen in the current production of Hamlet.

Making Monsters: The Beast Within, is based around the forthcoming family show Beauty And The Beast. A masterclass in how movement and physicality can help actors create imaginary characters, the workshop will teach participants how to become a beast. 

The final workshop is a chance for families to work with puppeteers from the hit West End show War Horse to learn how to walk and talk like a horse. After discovering how the puppeteers came to understand and recreate the precise movements of real-life horses, participants can make their own horse puppet and bring them to life.

Each workshop is two hours long and costs £7 for children and £10 for adults. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information and to book, call 020 7452 3000.

CB

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