Alchemy of the Extraordinary: Devising & Creative Practice

Søknadsfrist: 16. nov 2025

Kursbeskrivelsen er på engelsk, da kursets arbeidsspråk er engelsk.

Event produced in collaboration with the Norwegian Theatre Academy MA in Performance.

Alchemy of the Extraordinary is not just another workshop — it is an immersive, transformative, and provocative training in creative practice and devised theatre, led by internationally acclaimed theatre-maker David Glass.
Over four intensive days, participants will experience Glass’s unique Five-Stage Creative Practice — a framework developed over nearly five decades of artistic work in 74 countries, blending depth, skill, and radical play. This methodology is designed for theatre artists, educators, social developers, and creative professionals who want to break through limitations, find their authentic voice, and create theatre that truly matters.

Originally developed in Athens and now running annually as a four-week international summer school, Alchemy of the Extraordinary is now reaching new audiences around the world in condensed, high-impact modules. This special Norwegian edition offers an unprecedented opportunity to work with one of the world’s leading practitioners in the craft of devised theatre.

Three Main Strands
The Alchemy of the Extraordinary programme is built around three interwoven strands:
1. Devising Theatre & Creative Practice – Exploring David Glass’s Five-Stage Creative Practice, accessing the reservoirs of the Child, Adolescent, and Elder, and learning to generate and shape original material from an authentic source.
2. Physical & Ensemble Theatre – Developing physical presence, spatial awareness, and collective creation skills, building the trust and responsiveness needed for rich ensemble work.
3. Directing & Creative Leadership – Cultivating the vision, clarity, and leadership skills to guide collaborative processes, from the rehearsal room to large-scale creative projects.

What You’ll Experience
The training is primarily experiential, integrating physical, visual, and ensemble theatre practices. You will:
– Explore the creative reservoirs of the Child, Adolescent, and Elder within your own life experience.
– Develop skills to work from an authentic and provocative place.
– Learn the Five Stages of Creative Practice:
1. Preparation – Creating the conditions for authentic creativity.
2. Origination – Generating raw material through impulse and play.
3. Organisation – Structuring and shaping the material.
4. Manifestation – Bringing the work to its fullest expression.
5. Reflection – Deepening understanding and integrating learning.

By the end of the week, you will have a robust, adaptable set of tools to broaden and
deepen your ability to devise theatre and develop creative projects that resonate with
truth, urgency, and imagination.

Who Is It For?
– Theatre-makers, performers, and directors.
– Educators and trainers seeking creative inspiration.
– Social and community practitioners.
– Creative leaders and facilitators across disciplines.

This workshop is a collaboration with Akademi for Scenekunst – Norwegian Theatre Academy i Fredrikstad at HIØF. Masterstudenter of the MA in Performance will be attending the workshop, together with participants from the Norwegian Actors’ Centre.

Accomodation
Participants will have the opportunity to book accommodation via Høgskolen i Østfold, at the price of NOK 500 per night. The accommodation is close to the school / workshop venue.

David Glass is one of the most influential theatre-makers of his generation — a director, performer, teacher, and creative provocateur. Trained in the 1970s with legendary masters Jacques Lecoq, Etienne Decroux, Jerzy Grotowski, Augusto Boal, Mike Alfreds, and Alvin Ailey, Glass has taught, directed, and performed in 74 countries, working across theatre, education, and social development. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the David Glass Ensemble, whose work spans from acclaimed adaptations (Gormenghast, The Brides) to the pioneering Lost Child Project, which has engaged with vulnerable young people in over 20 countries. Glass’s creative philosophy is both specific and universal, weaving together rigorous craft, political engagement, and a deep belief in the transformative power of play, story, and ensemble. His Five-Stage Creative Practice and research into The Authentic Voice, The Child, The Adolescent, The Elder, Story, and Ensemble Theatre have influenced companies, institutions, and movements worldwide.

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