Introduction to Devising
Welcome to the exciting world of devising theatre, students! This lesson will introduce you to the collaborative art of creating original performance material from scratch. By the end of this lesson, you'll understand the core principles of devising, learn about different roles within a devising ensemble, and discover various methods for generating creative content. Get ready to explore how theatre makers work together to bring entirely new stories and performances to life! đźŽ
What is Devising Theatre?
Devising theatre is a collaborative creative process where performers, directors, and other theatre artists work together to create original performance material without starting from a pre-existing script. Think of it like being a chef who creates a brand new recipe rather than following one from a cookbook! 👨‍🍳
Unlike traditional theatre where actors interpret existing plays written by playwrights, devising begins with a blank canvas. The ensemble (that's the group of creative collaborators) might start with just a theme, an object, a piece of music, or even a single word, and through various creative exercises and improvisations, they build an entire performance piece.
This approach to theatre-making has become increasingly popular in contemporary performance, with companies like Frantic Assembly, Complicité, and Forced Entertainment leading the way in innovative devised work. In educational settings, devising is particularly valuable because it develops creativity, collaboration skills, and gives students ownership over their artistic work.
The beauty of devising lies in its democratic nature - everyone in the room has a voice and can contribute ideas. This doesn't mean it's chaotic though! Successful devising requires structure, clear communication, and strong collaborative skills from all participants.
The Collaborative Process and Ensemble Practice
At the heart of devising is the concept of ensemble practice - a way of working where the creative process is shared among all participants rather than being led by a single director or playwright. Imagine a sports team where everyone plays their position but also contributes to the overall strategy! âš˝
Key Principles of Ensemble Collaboration:
Collective Ownership: Every member of the ensemble has equal stake in the creative process. This means that a dancer's movement idea is just as valuable as a writer's dialogue suggestion. Research shows that this democratic approach often leads to more innovative and engaging performances because it draws on diverse perspectives and experiences.
Active Listening and Building: In devising, we use the principle of "Yes, and..." borrowed from improvisation. When someone offers an idea, others build upon it rather than shutting it down. For example, if one person suggests the character is afraid of water, another might add "and they live in a lighthouse," while someone else might contribute "and there's a storm coming."
Shared Leadership: While there might be a designated director or facilitator, leadership often shifts depending on the area of expertise. During movement sequences, the most experienced dancer might lead, while during text work, someone with strong writing skills might guide the process.
Constructive Feedback Culture: Ensemble members learn to give and receive feedback that serves the work rather than personal egos. This involves being specific ("The way you moved your hands in that moment really showed the character's nervousness") rather than vague ("That was good").
Methods for Generating Original Material
Devising employs numerous techniques to spark creativity and generate performance material. These methods help transform initial ideas into theatrical moments that can be developed, refined, and eventually performed.
Improvisation Techniques: Improvisation is the backbone of most devising processes. Through structured improv exercises, performers explore characters, situations, and themes spontaneously. For instance, the ensemble might improvise around the theme of "loss" by having each person enter a space and react to an imaginary object that represents something they've lost. These improvisations often reveal unexpected emotional truths that become the foundation for scenes.
Stimulus-Based Development: Devising often begins with a stimulus - this could be a photograph, a piece of music, a news article, or even a texture. The stimulus serves as a creative springboard. If working with a photograph of an empty chair, the ensemble might explore questions like: Who sat there? Why is it empty now? What stories does this chair hold? Each question leads to improvisations and creative explorations.
Physical Theatre Techniques: Many devising processes emphasize physical expression alongside or instead of spoken dialogue. Techniques like contact improvisation, where performers respond to each other's physical impulses, can generate powerful theatrical moments. Companies like DV8 Physical Theatre have created entire performances using primarily physical vocabulary.
Collective Writing: Text in devised work often emerges through group writing exercises. The ensemble might create dialogue through techniques like "hot-seating" (interviewing characters), "stream of consciousness" writing, or collaborative storytelling where each person adds a line to an evolving narrative.
Roles and Responsibilities in Devising
While devising is collaborative, successful projects often benefit from clear roles and responsibilities. Think of it like a film crew - everyone contributes to the final product, but each person has specific areas of expertise! 🎬
The Facilitator/Director: This person guides the overall process, keeps the group focused on objectives, and helps make final decisions when the group reaches creative crossroads. They're like a conductor of an orchestra - they don't play every instrument, but they help coordinate the ensemble to create harmony.
Performers/Devisers: These are the primary creators who generate material through improvisation, character work, and physical exploration. In devising, performers often wear multiple hats - they might act, write dialogue, suggest staging, and contribute to design elements.
Dramaturg: Some devising processes include a dramaturg who researches background information, helps maintain thematic consistency, and provides critical feedback on the developing work. They might research historical context if the piece deals with past events, or gather contemporary information for current issues.
Designer-Collaborators: Set, costume, lighting, and sound designers in devised work often function as creative collaborators rather than just executing someone else's vision. A lighting designer might suggest how different colors could represent emotional states, while a costume designer might propose how changing clothes could show character transformation.
The Outside Eye: Many devising ensembles benefit from having someone who isn't involved in the daily creative process but can provide fresh perspective. This might be a teacher, mentor, or peer who watches rehearsals and offers constructive feedback.
Sustaining Creative Practice
Maintaining momentum and creative energy throughout a devising process requires intentional strategies and practices. Research in collaborative creativity shows that successful devising groups establish clear working methods and maintain them consistently.
Regular Reflection and Documentation: Successful devising ensembles document their process through video recordings, written reflections, and creative journals. This helps track the evolution of ideas and ensures that valuable creative moments aren't lost. Many professional companies film their improvisation sessions so they can revisit spontaneous moments that might become key scenes.
Structured Warm-ups and Check-ins: Each devising session typically begins with physical and vocal warm-ups that prepare the ensemble for creative work. These might include trust exercises, physical coordination activities, and vocal preparations. Emotional check-ins help ensure everyone is present and ready to contribute.
Iterative Development: Devised work develops through cycles of creation, sharing, feedback, and refinement. A scene might be improvised, performed for the group, discussed and analyzed, then re-improvised with new insights. This iterative process allows ideas to evolve organically while maintaining quality standards.
Maintaining Creative Risk-taking: As devised pieces develop, there's often pressure to stick with what's working rather than continuing to explore. Successful ensembles build in time for continued experimentation even in later stages of development, ensuring the work remains fresh and surprising.
Conclusion
Devising theatre represents one of the most democratic and creative approaches to making performance, students. Through collaborative ensemble practice, diverse generation methods, and clear but flexible role structures, devising allows theatre makers to create entirely original work that reflects their unique perspectives and experiences. The skills you develop through devising - active listening, creative problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and artistic risk-taking - extend far beyond theatre into many areas of life and work. As you begin your own devising journey, remember that the process is just as important as the product, and that some of the most powerful theatrical moments emerge from genuine collaboration and creative courage.
Study Notes
• Devising Definition: Collaborative theatre-making process that creates original performance material without starting from a pre-existing script
• Ensemble Practice: Democratic creative process where all participants share ownership and contribute equally to artistic decisions
• "Yes, and..." Principle: Building upon others' ideas rather than rejecting them, borrowed from improvisation techniques
• Stimulus: Starting point for devising work - can be image, sound, text, object, or concept that sparks creative exploration
• Key Roles: Facilitator/Director (guides process), Performers/Devisers (generate material), Dramaturg (research/consistency), Designer-Collaborators (creative input), Outside Eye (fresh perspective)
• Improvisation Techniques: Spontaneous exploration of characters, situations, and themes through structured exercises
• Physical Theatre: Using body movement and physical expression as primary creative vocabulary
• Collective Writing: Group creation of text through hot-seating, stream of consciousness, and collaborative storytelling
• Iterative Development: Cycles of creation → sharing → feedback → refinement that allow organic evolution of ideas
• Documentation: Recording process through video, written reflection, and creative journals to track development
• Creative Risk-taking: Maintaining willingness to experiment and try new approaches throughout the devising process
• Structured Warm-ups: Physical, vocal, and emotional preparation activities that begin each devising session