👋 Greetings, dear readers.

My first week in Germany is done, and it has been absolutely fulfilling being in Berlin. I was here two years ago as a tourist, but being here for work feels different. I stayed on the Eastern side, where you can feel how the once-communist capital of the German Democratic Republic is falling into the hands of capitalist gentrification.

I feel blessed for being treated so warmly by the Playback Theatre community. Performing with Platforma Linii was an absolute treat, the time-themed show was a success due the amazing chemistry I had with the rest of performers. Here’s a peek of it.

However, the main reason I came to Berlin was to facilitate a weekend intensive for playbackers based in the city. Inspired by my experience with Acaprov, I adapted several voice techniques to enhance synchronicity and ensemble work within playback forms. It was no easy task, hence my insistence on keeping things simple. And then a question was asked…

“If we keep things simple, are we honouring the story enough?” It is indeed a good question, though the answer is quite nuanced. By default, short forms are simple because we work with a short sharing from a teller, mostly just an emotion. Take Fluid Sculpture, for example: we stick to a simple offer, which is then presented alongside other simple offers from the rest of the performers. The result, therefore, is not so simple; we are each just one part of a larger whole.

This concern comes from a good place. We don’t want to fail in honouring the teller. I’ve already addressed what’s behind this fear (and how to avoid it) on previous newsletter, so I’ll move on.

When it comes to longer forms, simplicity refers to comfort. By saying “keep it simple”, I am saying “work within your skill”. You might feel your current skill level cannot achieve a deeper meaning, that’s fair enough. That doesn't mean you have to beat yourself up because you want to do a somersault when you can only hop. This metaphor applies to presenting elaborate offers in Playback, such as poems, analogies, or songs. Again, your offer is not the only one.

With time, practice, and experience come confidence and skill. This will shift your perception of simplicity toward something effortless and comfortable. Honouring your capabilities allows you to be present and, sometimes, that’s the only thing you need to honour properly a story. A teller doesn’t want to see you being in your head.

Of course, this applies to improv as well; working from our comfort level always goes a long way.

I hope that’s helpful! Now that I think of it, if you have any questions you would like me to tackle, please feel free to reply to this email. 🙂

📆 What is coming up

• 🇩🇪 21th-22nd of March - Playback Theatre Level 2 Intensive (Hamburg, Germany). And also, I’ll wave the Winter goodbye while offering the same intensive in Hamburg.

• 🇬🇧 3rd to 6th of April - Playback Theatre Core Training Intensive (London, UK). I´ll be co-running, with London Playback, a core training intensive during the easter weekend. A perfect oportunity to learn Playback Theatre from ground level. Get on the waiting list.

• 🇬🇧 10th of April - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). You’d be a fool if you miss April’s new improvised a cappella musical by Acaprov. Hop into the fun.

• 🇬🇧 1st to 4th of May - Two Islands Playback Theatre Gathering (Buckden, UK). Join playbackers from UK and Ireland on a long weekend of camaraderie, connection, and, of course, Playback theatre. Check the information.

📚 🎮 🎥 📺 The geeky dessert

After our performance in Berlin, we were having a drink and talking about musical theatre when, of course, my all-time favorite musical came up. I can’t believe it took me this long to bring it up! I’m talking about The Rocky Horror Show and its movie adaptation from 1975.

One thing led to another, and minutes later we improvised a late-night screening. It was a blast, as usual.

Written by Richard O’Brien, the musical is an ode to the horror and science fiction genres. It’s not perfect, and it’s camp, but it’s a beacon for misfits and the queer community. As a misfit (and geek) myself, this musical clicked with me the moment I discovered it as a youth. I have so many stories tied to it, and it’s also my go-to choice for karaoke.

Watching it again the other night (something I haven’t done in a couple of years) reminded me of my love for this capsule of underground culture. Another remarkable thing about the improvised screening we carried out was that a young virgin watched it for the first time and fell in love with it. That’s exactly what this movie does for artists.