Relief Theatre has a set of values and philosophies that are shared by all its members and that defined us as a unique society.
- Experimenting -
There are many societies at Edinburgh University where you can propose traditional shows, from original plays to musicals. However, these societies may not be too keen on different kinds of shows.
At Relief Theatre, we love weird shows. And the weirder, the better.
Our first project was a puppets show based on a Russian folk tale; our second, an immersive take on Shakespeare's Hamlet performed in a flat; our third, a minimalist, highly physical adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; and our fourth and current project, a new version of Oedipus set in the 20's with a feeling of Downton Abbey.
As you may see, we enjoy trying new stuff, new combinations, and imagining new possibilities. Other societies may not be willing to risk a slot to stage such avant-gardist shows.
We are.
We are.
- Learning & Teaching -
As you saw, we like to try new things. But that doesn't mean we are experts. Actually, most of the times, we have no previous knowledge or experience on whatever we are doing. Instead, we believe people should be given the chance to learn on the move, to discover new things and, at the same time, sharing them with other members.
You don't have to be well-versed in props making or Stanislavski to organize a workshop. You don't need to know stage combat in order to direct the most gory, bellicose play ever written.
You just need to be curious.
- Sharing & Helping -
We are, as you may have noticed, a small society. We don't have the resources that other bigger societies like Bedlam or Footlights possess. For that reason, much of our labour as members is to show our support in any way possible.
Some of the best ways to support our company are:
· Attending workshops.
· Organizing workshops.
· Getting involved in productions (either as part of the crew or as an actor).
· Attending events and fundraisers.
· Tattooing our logo on your forehead.
- Games -
One of the best ways to get a cast full of energy and ready to perform is theatre games. And at Relief Theatre, we love theatre games! There are many you can choose from (corpsing, exageration games, songs...). However, in Relief we have a couple of games that, because of their versatility, efficiency and ability to make us look even more ridiculous than usual, have become our favourites:
· Busy Bees:
Busy Bees is a well-known theatre game in which the participants run around buzzing and, in general, pretending to be bees. At some point, the organizer will shout a letter (for instance, "O!") which means every bee has to pose in a static representation of something beginning with such letter (for instance, an otter). However, participants are encouraged to reach the limits of their imagination by posing as more complicated or abstract things (for instance, ostracism or Oklahoma).
The game will get more and more difficult as the organizer adds letters (for instance, "O, P and R!") - which reduces the possibilities and, usually, leads to senseless poses (for instance, "Obnoxious pirate rhyming") - or a number, which means participants have to gather in groups of that number of people before striking a pose.
Or he might change the animal. Drunk ostriches is a classic.
· Ninjas:
Ninjas is, from the humble point of view of the guy who's typing this, and from a very objective point of view as well, the best theatre game ever.
Participants begin in a circle, standing with their elbows touching each other's (or as Relief Theatre's motto goes, "Elbow to elbow, bitches"), bow, and then take turns striking ninja poses and engaging each other in ultimate ninja combat. The goal is to eliminate other players by slapping their hands with your own. During your turn, you can move your entire body in one fluid motion to attack or position yourself defensively. Also, if you are attacked by another participant, you may dodge.
Other versions of the game developed by Relief are Munchkin Ninjas (in which participants stand on their knees and are not allowed to stand up) and Ginger Ninjas (in which participants sit cross-legged with their knees touching each other's; created by an ultrafeminist general who was too tired to play proper Ninjas).
Other versions of the game developed by Relief are Munchkin Ninjas (in which participants stand on their knees and are not allowed to stand up) and Ginger Ninjas (in which participants sit cross-legged with their knees touching each other's; created by an ultrafeminist general who was too tired to play proper Ninjas).
