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Fool’s First Step

A one-day workshop in play, presence and creative expression

Clown-student-group-laughing

For the curious ones.
The shy ones.
The secret weirdos.

The people who feel the tiny tug of clown, but don’t quite know where to begin.

The Fool’s First Step is a one-day introduction to clowning through play, movement, connection and simple physical exercises.

A soft landing into the work.

Just your body.
Your curiosity.
And a willingness to follow the wobble.

About the workshop

At its heart, clowning is presence.

It asks:
Can I listen?
Can I respond?
Can I let myself be seen before I polish myself into a sensible little biscuit?

Through physical exercises, improvisation and play, we’ll explore timing, responsiveness, connection and the strange little worlds that appear when we stop trying to get things “right.”

The emphasis is on doing, not discussing.

We’ll move.
We’ll play.
We’ll try things.
We’ll let things flop.
We’ll keep going.

Held with care, consent and community, this workshop offers an accessible first taste of clowning for beginners and curious humans alike.

    • Beginners curious about clowning

    • Performers and creatives wanting to reconnect with play

    • Actors, dancers, comedians and theatre-makers who feel too polished or in their heads

    • People wanting to develop presence, confidence and expression

    • Anyone who feels drawn to clown but nervous about being seen

    • Humans who want to work more physically, honestly and in the moment

    • You do not need performance experience.

    • You do not need to be extroverted.

    • You do not need to be good at improv.

    • You just need curiosity.

  • By the end of the day, you’ll have:

    • A stronger sense of presence in your body

    • More freedom in how you express yourself

    • A practical experience of play as a creative tool

    • More awareness of timing, attention and response

    • Simple tools for connection and communication

    • A first glimpse of your clown

    • A little more permission to be uncensored, imperfect and alive

  • Across the day, we’ll explore:

    • Arriving in the body and building awareness

    • Play as a practice

    • Connection and shared attention, known in clown as complicité

    • Timing, rhythm and responsiveness

    • Improvisation through movement and interaction

    • Simple solo, partner and group exercises

    • Letting go of polish and getting-it-right

    • Beginning to meet your inner fool

  • Saturday 1 August 2026

    Saturday 14 November 2026

    10am-4pm

  • ReadyMade Works Studio, Ultimo Sydney.

    Located just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Central train station!

  • $249

  • Alicia Gonzalez is a clown teacher, performer and facilitator trained at L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. Her work combines physical theatre, clowning and embodied play to create spaces for creative risk, connection and transformation.

Your next step

The Fool’s First Step is the beginning.

If you feel the pull to continue, Finding Your Fool is the next doorway.

Finding Your Fool is a two-day intensive where we deepen the work, explore your unique comic body, and begin shaping the first traces of your clown.

But first, we start here.

One day.
One step.
One wobble at a time.

If you feel the pull, come play.

 
 
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25 January

Finding Your Fool