Critical Stages (Jun 2021)
Playful Learning in Actor Training: The Impact of COVID-19 on Spontaneity and Intuition
Abstract
The ability to readily access creative imagination is an essential tool for the actor. Games and playful approaches to learning are vital to enable the actors’ learning space in both traditional and non-traditional settings. Since 2020, the impact of COVID-19 has necessitated remote learning to facilitate drama and actor training, and this has been a beneficial tool in ensuring the continuation of study and engagement. Whilst this utilisation of technology has undoubtedly brought much innovation, this study will consider what has been compromised or even lost in this transfer of activities in actor and drama training. Perspectives are drawn from a practitioner working in a U.K.-based professional training conservatoire at Higher Education level and examines the compensatory allowances that may need to be made in the creative training process moving beyond the global pandemic.
