Ritual Play – Physical Theatre in Munich

“The loving, open minded man plays without a reason and enjoys his life because he is joy. He imitates the dance of the birds and stretches his wings like they do. He is fulfilled with the spirit of the winds, the floating water, the warming fire and the nourishing earth.” [after Kabir]

This kind of play is the foundation of “physical theatre”: playing not for the sake of performance but rather to engage all aspects of self, our entire being.

In playful encounters we find ourselves in the flow of breath, voice and movement. It requires letting go, surrendering joyfully to the spontaneous embodiment and expression of our impulses. These become the source of inspiration: everything is valid, nothing is incidental; the duality of right versus wrong no longer applies.

Even resistance is considered less a barrier and more a way to access new possibilities. The whole world of emotions, dreams and fantasies is integral to ritual play and manifests as a source of constantly emerging shapes: one minute we are human, the next an animal or a plant or simply air, water or fire. In group improvisation, through body and voice, rhythm and space, we discover ‘archetypal’ images: prototypes of the soul or contents of the ‘collective unconsciousness’ (ref. C.G. Jung)

Ritual play is a special form of physical theatre without audience: everybody is performing at the same time. After an intensive body work and a series of exercises focused on awareness, encounter, and improvisation, the players gradually enter into a daydream-like state, which many of us haven’t experienced since childhood.

The roots of ritual play derive from a combination of the research and work of Jerzy Grotowski, Living Theatre, and, Off-Off-Broadway . It is for actors and dancers who seek to extend their expressive capacity, who are searching for a deeper understanding of a text, a theme or a myth, and indeed for anybody who is fascinated by the wildness and aliveness of free play and experiencing a deep submersion into something bigger than self. Ritual play taps a profound spiritual dimension.

Conditions 

• Dates 28 May to 01 June 2025
• Location Thomas-Mayr-Str. 4, 85567 Grafing
• Schedule Wednesday 18.00 to 21.00, Thursday-Saturday 10.00-18.00, Sunday 10.00-15.00 lunch breaks incl.
• Participation fee 440,- Euro for payment until 31.03.2024 (receipt of payment), thereafter 490,- Euro. ALG II recipients and students pay the reduced rate of 100,- for registration until 31.03.2024, thereafter 130,- Euro.
• Accommodation e.g. Pension Egglhof, rooms from 60,-/room or Gasthof Netterndorf, rooms from 45,-/room.

   

Led by Lutz Pickardt, freelance theatre director, teacher for performing arts (BuT), theater therapist (HIGW) and Roy Hart Voice Teacher (CAIRH) i.e.

I have studied “Ritual Play” in the eighties with Prof. Heinz Schlage, continuing in the nineteens with Gandalf Lipinski, teaching it myself since 2001. During more than 15 years of experience i have created my own form, inspired by my researches in open play systems (Renier Niens), image theatre (Augusto Boal), contact improvisation, Roy Hart Voice Work etc. and the experiences of countless workshops in Germany and Europe.