CONTRADICTIONS with Matej Matejka

“Matej Matejka has an extraordinary talent and gift for teaching… I am always surprised by how far his actors develop the craft of physicality and the intelligence of their bodies.” – Milan Kozanek, choreographer/teacher

Flabbergast Theatre are delighted to announce a professional development workshop open to dancers, performers, actors and those looking for reliable tools for personal artistic expression with Physical Theatre Master Matej Matejka (Slovakia).
Matej’s pedagogical method “Contradictions” is based on researching the compression and friction of ’potentially logical and physical incompatibilities placed beside each other’ to reveal new forms of synthesis in acting, physical expression, and the creative process. We will combine rigorous physical theatre practices, martial arts, and dance to get participants to push their boundaries, step outside their comfort zones and go beyond their physical habits.

Contradictions is a method of redefining differences in order to make them function beside each other in a more intense, conscious, and balanced way. We don’t need much more than human presence and dedication.

Participants are introduced to elements of:

• rediscovering anatomy, opening physical abilities no matter to the level of
previous movement experience

• tools for building original physical structures

• awakening the intuitive body

• sensitivity and listening through partner and group

• power of collective presence and creative improvisations

• unique exercises tracing to Grotowski’s laboratory work

• adventure of unpredictable compositions of performative actions

• ritual of a respectful and focused working environment, individually and in a group

Matej Matejka (Slovakia) is a multi award-winning theatre researcher, actor, director, and teacher of movement. In Poland, since 2006, he has been associated with Teatr ZAR and the Grotowski Institute in Wrocław. He has worked over 15,000 hours of workshops with various groups and artists across 5 continents and 28 countries. He has conducted masterclasses and seminars all over the world, in India, China, South Korea, Canada, USA, South America, Scandinavia and Switzerland among others. He participated in several theatrical expeditions to Mount Athos, Sardinia, Corsica, Morocco, Georgia, Egypt, and India. In 2013, his short film “Pearadise” was awarded Best Short Film at the Underground Film Festival in Los Angeles. Since 2020, he plays one of the lead roles in the Polish television series “Na dobre i na zle”.

Course Ticket

To book a place, please select Tuesday 25 May and this will give you access to the full course.  Concession tickets are available.

The course will run from Tuesday 25 to Sunday 30 May at Poplar Union.

If you have any questions or issues about booking, please get in touch – info@poplarunion.

COVID 19 rules, regulations and considerations

As this a professional training environment it is currently exempt from most regulations pertaining to COVID and the UK tier system, however we will of course need to take risk factors into account and do our best as participants in and producers of the event.

Matej will have had a test prior to travel and have quarantined the required amount in the UK before teaching the workshop.
It is imperative that if you start to develop symptoms at any time leading to or during the workshop that you seek a test and quarantine if you are positive.

All covid regulations imposed by Poplar Union must be adhered to including wearing masks in public areas and checking in/out each day.

Hand washing and or sanitising on arrival and before commencing the workshop including after breaks is compulsory.

This is a physical workshop with close physical contact at times between participants, please do not purchase a ticket if you are uncomfortable with this.

To minimise chances of transmission the group (maximum 18) will be subdivided into smaller groups that will only be physically close with those of their group, mask wearing in the rehearsal room is not compulsory however you may wear one if you prefer and you may request that a partner you are working closely with wear one during the exercise.