WHY LEARNING HOW TO FALL CAN HELP YOUR WAY UP

WHY LEARNING HOW TO FALL CAN HELP YOUR WAY UP ! Workshops are an experience, fun, rewarding and designed to unleash the energy potential of everystudent.

Borrowing from various disciplines, Johnny improvises and guides his alumni with spontaneous, direct and committed involvement.
A specialist in group work and sensitivity, Johnny builds a group-energy with fast high-energy exercises and games which specialize in learning trust and help, mental and physical power, and including the element most important for him in any education - FUN.

Drawing on techniques from aikido, tai-chi, acrobatics, slapstick, clowning, kids' games and improvisation Johnny molds his group into a support situation for individual strength....an approach to theatre which is based on self-discovery allowing individuals the chance to develop their own style of character/comedy.

A leading factor in Johnny's work with actors is the chimpanzee: a perfect example for the physical-theatre actor's research and study: chimps have power in relaxation, awareness of space, softness of touch, incredible agility and a sense of play. Johnny trained 12 weeks on pre-production of GRACESTOKE in 1978.

At the end of every workshop course Johnny always takes his group out into a performance situation to allow students to experience free character performance within the safety of the group structure whether it be the street or museum/ shopping mall/ or to co-incide with a public event or relevant theme....

Each student should arrive totally fragrance free. This includes fragrance free shampoo, soap, lotions, make-up, detergent in clothes, literally everything. Please note that just because a label says "all natural" or comes from a health food store does not necessarily mean healthy. The label must read fragrance-free. Such products cause allergies and destroy neurons.

(translation from the Spanish)

The students of the School of Stage Arts of Vitoria, under the leadership of the multi-talented performer Johnny Melville present a very funny street theatre performance"

The tourists appeared on the steps of San Miguel at about one o' clock in the afternoon. Absurd, surrealistic, dressed in extremely unfitting suits and elegant hats from a Fellini film. They descended into the La Plaza de la Virgen Blanca in squeals of delight, " Oh isn't it beautiful! So many monuments!"

The townsfolk who were passing by began to speculate on the visitors. "Seems like a group of Italians", said a youth to his girlfriend who was clearly distracted by them." "Are they crazy?" asked someone a trifle concerned. In reality the group were made up from the Stage art school of Vitoria, captained by their. teacher Johnny Melville, a multi-faceted artist from Scotland, actor, mime, singer, social commentator and clown.

The actors made their way to the monument, the Battle of Vitoria. "This is Wellington, how wonderful!" shouted Melville taking the position of a heroic sculpture with his black umbrella. People began to notice more and more. "That's funny!" screamed a kid. " Come on - this is a lot of nonsense", grunted his father. They're performers" said a lady in a low voice.

Meanwhile the group had planted themselves around the monument as parts of the sculpture, completely still without a tremor for some minutes. a statue of flesh and bone. On the command of their maestro, Melville, they broke their composition and then the 31 students began a delicious fight in slow motion, a street-battle of funny bites, punches, slaps and kicks heavily applauded by the amused spectators.

The crazy foreigners then entered Plaza Espana which was full of people. There they fell on the ground and transformed into authentic-looking chimpanzees, walking on all fours, imitating perfectly the screams of primates, and connecting with each other like chimps do.

After some funny exchanges in the market, the actors arrived at Dato: here they performed an excellent exercise in mime and immobility. In a moment they blocked the street with a chain of bodies. Passers-by just didn't know what to do. Melville and his disciples remained immovable for five interminable minutes. Some of those in a hurry opted to climb past between arms and legs.

Descending el Dato, they continued to perform a series of mime animations, including an athletic jump from a garbage container.

At one moment they invaded McDonald's en masse.

The show finished at 2.30. Melville and his actors climbed behind the steps of the church of San Miguel and disappeared in silence.