Jacques Lecoq

Jacque Lecoq was a French actor, mime and acting instructor.  Through his school in Paris, L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq he influenced many artists views on  physical theatre, mime and movement. 
RESOURCES:


BOOKS:
Auslander, P. (1997) From Acting to Performance, Routledge, London and New York:
Felner, M. (1985) Apostles of Silence: The Modern French Mimes,  Associated University Presses,Cranberry and London
Lecoq, J.(2002) The Moving Body: Teaching Creative Theatre, Routledge, London
Lecoq,J.(2006) Theatre of Movement and Gesture, Routledge, London 
Murray, S.(2003) Jacques Lecoq, Routledge, London
Murray,S.( 2015) Physical Theatres: A Critical Introduction, Routledge, London
Wright, J. (2002)‘ The Masks of Jacques Lecoq’ , in Franc Chamberlain and Ralph Yarrow (Eds) Jacques Lecoq and the British Theatre, Routledge, London and New York:, 71–84.
Wright, J. (2007) Why is that so Funny: A Practical Exploration of Physical Comedy, Limelight Editions, NY

WEBSITES:

Lecoq- Wikipedia

Theatrelinks

Obituary - The Independent

Seven levels of tension

Devising, Phenomenology and Jacques Lecoq   

STUDENTS OF LECOQ
​
Jos Houben 
​Simon McBurney  + Compilcite Teacher Pack 
Pedagogy of Lecoq 
  • Guru or director? 
I am nobody. I am a neutral point through which you must pass in order to better articulate your own theatrical voice. I am only there to place obstacles in your path, so that you can better find your way around them. (Lecoq:2000: ix)
  • Via Negativa
Lecoq uses the via negativa to manipulate creative energy. Sometimes he knows exactly what he wants his students to find and sometimes he simply uses it as a strategy to generate urgency; an atmosphere of white-hot discussion and experiment as his students struggle to find exactly what it is they think he is looking for. He plays a sophisticated game with his students and does not like them being too comfortable and confident. (Wright 2002: 73)
  • Le Jeu, Disponibilité and Complicité -  these word represent play; openness and rapport - the spirit of the ensemble. (Murray: 2003: 87)
  • Neutrality - Using the neutral mask
Gesture precedes knowledge, Gesture precedes thought, Gesture precedes language  (Felner 1985: 150)
  • Mime  and movement - To mime is a fundamental action, the foundation of dramatic creation, not only for the actor, but also for writing and for performance. For me, mime is central to theatre. (Lecoq 2000: 21)

Lecoq's focusses

  • Improvisation
  • Neutral Mask
  • Masks and Counter Masks
  • Character
  • Physical and vocal preparation
  • Dramatic Acrobatics
  • Movement analysis
  • Auto cours - student own invesitgations

Main Dramatic territoires
Everything Moves
Everything moves.
Everything develops and progresses.
Everything rebounds and resonates.
From one point to another, the line is never straight.
From harbour to harbour, a journey.
Everything moves... as do I!
Joy and sorrow, confrontation too.
A vague point appears, hazy and confused,
A point of convergence,
The temptation of a fixed point, In the calm of all the passions.
Point of departure and point of destination,
In what has neither beginning or end.
Naming it,
endowing it with life,
giving it authority
For a better understanding of what Movement is.
​Jacques Lecoq. August 1997

Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq - YouTube