Not True, But Useful... A Cheek by Jowl Podcast

In this episode, Declan chats to Lucie about the age-old problem actors face of not ‘feeling’ what their character feels, and whether the character themselves might be feeling anything at all. Declan talks about the theatre of feeling in everyday life, and how all the world is indeed a stage.

In this episode, Declan and Lucie discuss the transgression and intensity of Sophocles' classic tragedy, Oedipus. They talk about Declan and Nick's upcoming production of Oedip Rege in Craiova, how ideas can drastically change over a production period, and how even today Oedipus can be truly frightening.

In this episode, Declan and Lucie discuss the subject of love in As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet. They talk about the BBC Open University documentary on Cheek by Jowl's production of As You Like It, which you can watch here (https://www.cheekbyjowl.com/resources/as-you-like-it-documentary-cheek-by-jowl-open-university/). The music in this episode was composed by Sergey Chekryzhov for Cheek by Jowl's 2005-13 production of Three Sisters.Join our mailing list to keep up-to-date with Cheek by Jowl’s news, events and opportunities.

Beginning with a reading of Hamlet, Declan dives deep into the universal themes of (non-)existence, futility, and being driven by the fear of anonymity. This episode contains brief mention of suicide when discussing the text of Hamlet. The music in this episode was composed by Sergey Chekryzhov for Cheek by Jowl's 2005-13 production of Three Sisters.Join our mailing list to keep up-to-date with Cheek by Jowl’s news, events and opportunities.

In this episode, Declan and Lucie talk about the issue of heightened behaviour and the act of being surprised on stage and on screen.The music in this episode was composed by Sergey Chekryzhov for Cheek by Jowl's 2005-13 production of Three Sisters.Join our mailing list to keep up-to-date with Cheek by Jowl’s news, events and opportunities.

Declan, a critic of language limitations in performance, and Lucie, an advocate for prioritizing physicality, dive into the crucial role of the body in theater. They challenge the hierarchy of language over movement and emphasize how embodied expression enriches meaning. The duo explores the interplay of text and physicality, illustrating how identity shapes emotional expression. They also discuss innovative rehearsal techniques that focus on the physicality of language, showcasing how non-verbal cues enhance audience engagement.

Exploring the complexities of character in theater productions, understanding characters' mutability, character development in literature using Macbeth as an example, asking concrete versus abstract questions in rehearsals, and the significance of character analysis and motives.

We're back with some special bonus episodes for the cold winter months...Subscribe to 'Not True, But Useful...' on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts to listen to each new episode as soon as they're released.

To mark 40 years since our first ever touring production - The Country Wife -  we're delighted to release a bonus episode of Series 3. Declan and Nick join Lucie one more time to discuss their four decades of work as Cheek by Jowl, including the company's emphasis on ensemble, their dream dinner guests, the danger of asking 'how' and 'why', and the advice they would give to their younger selves...Join our mailing list to keep up-to-date with Cheek by Jowl’s news, events and opportunities.The transcript of this episode is available upon request. Please contact info@cheekbyjowl.com to request a link.

Declan and Nick discuss Troilus and Cressida, Shakespeare's scathing anti-war satire on glory, chivalry and doomed love. Find out why the play is possibly the most un-Shakespearean of Shakespeare's plays, the dangers of 'truth', and the importance of reserving one's judgment when approaching a work of art. More information about Cheek by Jowl's 2008 production of Troilus and Cressida here.Join our mailing list to keep up-to-date with Cheek by Jowl’s news, events and opportunities.The transcript of this episode is available upon request. Please contact info@cheekbyjowl.com to request a link.