Conscience of the Actor/Actress on stage Lab at ESAP

Conscience of the Actor/Actress | 21st of October | 10 a.m. | Estúdio

What happens when the actor stops aiming solely for representation and begins to observe what their presence actually generates on stage?

This lab offers a practical approach to the concepts developed by Teatro O Bando within the framework of Consciência do Ator em Cena (C.A.C. — Actor’s Stage Consciousness), a methodology created by João Brites based on the ongoing observation of actors’ work across training and creative processes.

Over three hours, the group will face small compositional and experimental situations to explore the relationship between action, attention, space, and audience perception. The gaze, collective organization, choice of focus, and awareness of what becomes readable on stage will serve as core working materials.

We are particularly interested in observing the transition from impulse to decision: when does an action cease to be merely a spontaneous reaction and become an artistic choice? And to what extent can the actor modify what they do without losing the vitality of their initial intuition?

The session will alternate between stage experimentation, peer observation, and discussion of the generated material—approaching verbalization not as a post-exercise explanation, but as an active tool to build consciousness within practice.

The lab does not aim to establish a specific performance aesthetic. Instead, it offers a space to investigate actor authorship, confronting what the actor thinks they are communicating, what they actually carry out, and what the spectator ultimately perceives.

Duration: 3 hours

Facilitation: Juliana Pinho, with the participation of João Brites

Support: Jesús Manuel

Target Audience: University students of Theatre and Performing Arts, and other participants with theatrical practice experience

Fee: €10 per participant

Participant Preparation: Black clothing allowing freedom of movement and comfortable footwear are requested. Each participant should also bring a notebook and pen to record observations, as well as a bottle of water.

Registration Form: https://forms.gle/Whc3j8ijNYVqAeYp8