Of Potters' Demons

OfPotters’Demons was founded by the writer, teacher, and theatre maker Anton Bonnici in 2016, with the initial intention of being a Paris based, international, collaborative production lab. Bringing together a number of artists and performers, throughout 2017 & 2018, in collaboration with the co-director Louise Denyer, Of Potters’ Demons produced and staged a number of performances in Paris, Moscow and London – Some Stupid Bitch Killed Ana Peaceful June 2017 Paris, Listen, I’m Dying February 2018 Moscow & September 2018 Paris, Criminals! August 2018 London & October 2018 Paris (in co-production with Magus Theatre).

These experiences, which are being categorized as CYCLE#2017-2018, all pointed towards a further need for experimentation with a liberated approach focusing more on progress presentations rather than the staging of finished productions. This is what motivated the shift from Performance Production Lab to Text, Image & Performance Lab.

Thus, OfPotters’Demons as Text, Image & Performance Lab, intends to develop a continuous process of research and creativity in the making of texts, images and performances without any specific production end goals. Building on the concepts already explored in previous theatrical productions yet moving forwards onto a variety of other media including photography and film, the next phase for the OfPotters’Demons process will see a new cycle of experimental research and creativity, bringing together a number of international artists and collaborators for the creation of emotionally demanding, aesthetically complex, and politically relevant works of literature, art and performance across media and genres.

If you wish to get involved with OfPotters’Demons just get in touch via email. Any form of collaboration, in any medium, is welcome.

antonbonnici@ofpottersdemons.com

Writing for the Stage Course – The Basics

Introduction:

A 15hour course over five 3hr sessions, ‘Writing for the Stage-The Basics‘ gives you an inspiring hands-on experience whether you are a beginner with a desire to start developing your own scripts or an experienced playwright in search of an inspiring boost.

The course consists of a balanced program that covers the basics of script writing for the stage with reference to the works of a selection of all-time beloved playwrights, in conjunction with a more personal approach where you may experiment with your own writing. Developed and delivered by the Paris based teacher, playwright and theatre maker, Anton Bonnici, this course aims to fill a sadly still neglected area in the Parisian Anglo-theatre scene – training in professional writing for the stage.

Details:

Dates – Monday 1st to Friday 5th of July 2019

Time – 7pm to 10pm

Venue – to be announced

Price – The full price is 350eur – 50eur at the time of registration prior to the start of the course, and 300eur at the start of the course on the 1^st session.

Payments can be made in Cheque, Cash or Bank Transfer.

Course Programme:

Session 1 – Habits, Stories & Structures

Session 2 – Opening Moments

Session 3 – Anatomy of a Scene Part 1

Session 4 – Anatomy of a Scene Part 2

Session 5 – Climax and Resolution

Over the five sessions we’ll be exploiting each topic to discuss practical difficulties that every playwright must face, but also more specific obstacles that the individual writers on the course are facing in their own writing.

To elucidate on specific strategies and choices we shall explore excerpts from a selection of texts by William Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, Thornton Wilder, Peter Shaffer, Tennessee Williams, Tom Stoppard, David Mamet, Caryl Churchill and others.

Each session will involve a lecture based analysis of a text excerpt followed with group discussion and individual writing exercises to test out specific skills and writing strategies.

No prior reading or knowledge of the texts is necessary for the course. All reading materials will be provided.     

If interested, please get in touch via email on  

antonbonnici@ofpottersdemons.com

YET SO AS BY FIRE – A Passion Play in 2 ACTS by Anton Bonnici – Victoria Sultana, a devout religious woman, has died on a Friday after having suffered from the Holy Wounds of Jesus Christ. Her family and closest friends are on television talking about their last hours with Victoria in memory of her service and devotion to the Church. But is their testimony truly what happened that day? And is there any place left in today’s world for Holy Women? 

QUASAR BLUES – A Re-Enactment in 2 ACTS by Anton Bonnici – Over a decade ago, Terry Williams and Jennifer Cole, two deranged lovers, put on an experimental show in a local theatre and ended the performance by shooting dead a few members of the audience before killing themselves in a horrific double suicide. Today, two young performers want to take Terry William’s original texts and re-stage Quasar Blues, but what do the survivors of the original play have to say about it? And who would ever risk go seeing this ominous performance?

PORNOTOPIA – A Rite of Passage in 1 ACT by Anton Bonnici – Ana Peaceful, a feminist, porn actress and producer has been shot dead in her studio. The shocking news turns the lives of employees, lovers, and devoted friends completely upside down in a blink, but what does everyone have to say about Ana Peaceful now that she’s gone? And what are these voices left behind, blindly roaming the void in search for a peaceful way out?  

PUBLICATIONS COMING SOON in 2019

ANTON BONNICI – A writer, teacher, and theatre maker, Bonnici has been a keen student of the literary and performing arts since his formative years. He’s been involved in the Anglo theatre Paris scene since 2016 and has written three 2 act plays, two of which – Quasar Blues (2016) & Pornotopia (under the previous work in progress titles of Some Stupid Bitch Killed Ana Peaceful (2017) & Listen, I’m Dying (2018)) have been staged in Paris. He is currently developing new material in a variety of different media as part of the next process cycle for OfPotters’Demons.  

The collaborative process with different artists has always been a key element of all OfPotters’Demons projects. Here are some names of artists that have already collaborated with OfPotters’Demons and will surely feature in future works: 

Louise Denyer – Paris based Actress, director, producer and performance coach. – http://www.louisedenyer.com/

Charles Gosme – Paris based musician, music teacher and music producer –  https://charlesgosme.com/

Nikita Belih – Moscow based theatre and dance choreographer – https://vk.com/video26356814_456239052

The Opiate Magazine – A New York based international literary magazine – http://www.theopiatemagazine.com

Zoe Fan – A Singapore based photographer – Instagram @zoeandzo : http://www.zofanproductions.com

Marina Lvova – A Moscow based photogpraher – Instagram @marin.lv