Drama and Deception
with Clint Bolster
from Lightwire Theatrical Productions
The Workshop
Discover the freedom, spontaneity and play of mask work! A mask enables an actor to forget their normal persona and get lost inside someone else – be it the swaggering braggart Il Capitano, a mindless 'Shaun', or a snivelling old man. It permits you to be larger than life, grounds you in your body, and is a fantastic training experience that you can draw on, no matter what kind of actor you are or want to be.
Over 6 days we will explore the major masks of the rich comic tradition of the commedia dell'arte, to which modern theatre owes so much. We will also discover two sad-comic masks created by commedia specialist Tony Kishawi - the Shaun mask, a blend of pathetic and simple clown - and the Naïve mask, a gentle Innocent wandering in a universe of wonder, where everything is forever new. Come along and develop essential skills in improvisation, audience interaction, comic timing, group complicité, and of course, masks!
The Tutor
Clint has worked professionally in Australia and overseas as an actor, stilt performer and clown. For 6 years he has toured with Tony Kishawi's Lightwire Theatrical Productions throughout Australia, in clown and commedia dell'arte shows for primary and secondary schools (Cafe Floriani, Spirit of the Mask and Thoughts Have Feelings Too – TAS, VIC, SA, QLD). Other recent work includes Queensland Theatre Company Theatre Residency Week Core Group Artist, Much ado About Nothing (4MBS), contracts with Universal Studios in Japan and Jupiter's Casino on the Gold Coast (with Aerial Angels), and the role of Cranky Pete in Where is Santa? (South Bank Xmas Celebrations 07, Caloundra Xmas 08) - the memory of which continues to haunt children. In 2008 Clint was mentored by Annie Lee of The Kransky 
Sisters, through the Youth Arts Mentorship Program (YAMP), where he created a solo clown show entitled 'The Secret Life of Warbro Roulston'. Clint also owns and manages Manoeuvre, an elite stilt performance company catering for corporate events, night clubs and festivals, both nationally and internationally. This December will see him in Shakespeare on the High Seas with 4MBS on The Princess Cruise Lines. Clint studied theatre at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and has trained with several companies including Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, Frank Theatre, DeBase Productions, Expressions Dance Company and Lightwire. In 2010, Clint will train with Stilt Company Stalker (Sydney), 3 x QLD Arts Council Tours with Spirit of the Mask and Thoughts Have Feelings Too, development of 2 new theatrical works with Annie Leeand take over the reins of Top Chick Management.- representation of elite performers – provisional of extraordinary performance. Clint, in 2011, will train at the Circus Centre in San Francisco, The International Commedia dell'arte School in Italy and the Phillipe Gaulier School of Clown in Paris. Clint is a proud member of equity and Brach Council member.