Last month, CODE members had a chance to participate in a Directing Intimacy Workshop at Port Credit Secondary School led by Siobhan Richardson. Intimacy Direction focuses on navigating emotionally charged subject matter in the rehearsal room, whether that involves touch, kissing, scenes of violence/abuse, etc. This approach focuses on safety, communication, and consent. Participants explored protocols for approaching this work in the rehearsal room/classroom.
It's all about communicating and normalizing these approaches so that they aren't 'hidden' or assumed and actors can express what they do/do not feel comfortable with. This helps not only in high school performances, but helps students develop a vocabulary of consent if they enter the theatre profession after high school. Exercises included making eye contact to establish comfort and trust, exercises for separating artist and character, techniques for establishing consenting touch, creating rituals for beginning/ending these rehearsals so students can get ready to do the work and 'let go' to achieve closure at the end.
For more helpful resources consult https://www.intimacydi
Siobhan can be booked to come into your school to consult as an intimacy director. She also does stage combat http://www.siobhanricha