VITAL THEATRE WORKSHOPS

"The best example of someone
to watch how to perform
is George Dillon." 
Steven Berkoff

George Dillon

In a 25 year career acting in films, tv and on stage, including more than 20 productions at 13 Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, George Dillon has become known for his association with Steven Berkoff and his 7 solo shows which have toured extensively in the U.K. and abroad, winning a Herald ‘Angel’ award and two nominations for The Stage’s ‘Best Actor’ Award.

George has worked on 12 productions of Steven Berkoff's work, including 3 with the man himself. He was assistant director for Salomé in 1989 and also appeared in Metamorphosis at the National in 1992. For his own Vital Theatre he has staged 4 world premières of Berkoff’s writing, among them his award-winning solo performance of Graft - Tales of an Actor.

As well as five of his own solo shows, George directed the première of Berkoff’s Brighton Beach Scumbags; directed and starred in Hamlet at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh; and conceived and directed Guy Masterson's solo Under Milk Wood which has won international acclaim.

Workshop Topics

George Dillon is also a trained and experienced class-room teacher, having spent 2 years teaching English as a Foreign Language during the 1980s. Since 1990 when he was invited by the National Theatre Education Department to give workshops on Berkoff’s Metamorphosis, George has led more than 100 workshops with students, professional performers and business groups both in the U.K. and abroad.

Based upon his experiences as performer, director, teacher and martial artist, George Dillon’s workshops are intense, enjoyable and provocative. The primary objective is always to allow the participants to make their own discoveries, leaving a lasting and even life-changing impression.

Workshop topics include ‘Berkoff & Physical Theatre’, ‘Acting Solo’ & ‘Playing Shakespeare’, but workshops can also be tailored to request.

As well as leading workshops, George Dillon may also undertake freelance directing of productions/projects at student or professional level.

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Terms & Conditions

WORKSHOP BRIEF

Whether tailored towards a specific topic or a more general brief, George Dillon's workshops are designed to give a genuine and inspiring insight into the thoughts and practices of a professional theatre-maker, while increasing awareness of the skills needed for a heightened performance style and the impact it can have on an audience, and also providing a few practical tools for unlocking creativity.

George regards students as future creative artists rather than exam fodder, so his workshops are NOT designed to directly address examination type questions. However, he is aware that teachers have a curriculum to follow, targets to hit and rarely enough time to 'play' within the timetable and so he is happy to tailor sessions to a specific brief.

If you have specific questions or topics which you would definitely want to be addressed during the session, please make this very clear in advance, preferably by email with at least a week's notice.

DURATION

Workshops are typically 3 hours long (and are better without a break). 1-day, 2-day and week long workshops are also undertaken.

PRICES

Costs will be calculated according to the circumstances by taking a standard fee for a workshop (of up to 3 hours) or a full day's teaching and adding travel costs and a supplement for time spent travelling (if more than 4 hours) and/or for overnight stay if needed.

Travel costs are for a return train fare from Brighton plus taxis if the location is more than 15 minutes walk from a train station. Taking peak time and rail network card discounts into account this means that morning sessions usually work out costing more than ones in the afternoon. If you want to estimate the train fares yourself visit nationalrail.co.uk and look up train times and fares from Brighton.

As ever in this biz, fees are negotiable (a bit), and discounts can be done for more than 1 booking or introductions made.

DATES

Workshops can be booked at long/short notice but please see the note below regarding rearrangement/cancellation. This website is usually kept up-to-date with George's public performance/workshop schedule, and can serve as a guide to George's availability (see the foot of this page).

It is rarely possible to do a workshop and a show on the same day. Quite apart from travel and technical get-in time, George's workshops and performances both demand a lot of energy and some clear recovery time is needed in between. It can work to arrive the evening before, and do a workshop in the morning and a show the same evening, but it is usually best to have a performance on one day and then a return visit, or overnight stay for a workshop on another day.

NUMBERS

Any number from 4 to 40 participants can be accommodated in a session, as long as there is large enough space in which to work. If you only have a small group you may want to consider combining students from different years or even teaming up with another school. Quite apart from better "value for money" - a lot of the focus is on chorus work and the actor / audience relationship, which can be hard to get across with groups of less than 8. On the other hand, combined groups can be less successful, as the students tend to be more nervous.

REQUIREMENTS

A CD player.
A white/black board (and marker/chalk).
Table and 4 stools / chairs (not too particular).
Large enough space.

REARRANGEMENT / CANCELLATION

In 20 years it has never yet been necessary, but... as a working actor, George Dillon reserves the right to cancel or postpone any workshop in the event of being offered other acting work.

In practice this has never happened, and it is extremely unlikely that it could happen with less than a week or two's notice (or more likely a month or two) for a jobbing role or several months' notice for a solo performance. Since Since 2007 George has concentrated exclusively on his solo productions, (and does not even have an agent for jobbing work) the likelihood of cancellation is almost non-existent.

Should a cancellation ever be necessary, as much notice as possible will be provided and, as far as is humanly possible, alternative dates will be offered (at a reduced rate).

COMMUNICATION

Email is generally best - fast, clear and written. Once a workshop is confirmed it will be advisable to exchange home and mobile phone numbers, as well as a school switchboard/direct number.

If you have any questions please ask:...

Contact George Dillon

Forthcoming Vital Theatre Dates: