The Playful Artist Retreat
with
Learn to loosen your grip
Clown Space is bringing seven whole days of Full Mask and Clowning to Bodlondeb this August - a chance to loosen your grip on ‘serious acting’, quiet the part of you that tries to get it right, and let your creativity run wild.
This retreat is an invitation to show up with your whole self - curious, brave, messy, ridiculous - and learn how to find real pleasure onstage.
Whether you’re brand new to this world or hungry to deepen your practice, these seven days will nudge you back into the heart of why you make work at all...
...connection, mischief, humanity and joy.
I absolutely loved this workshop, I went from knowing nothing about Mask to feeling confident and ready to go on stage! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. You guys are such a lovely theatre company, and I would love to work with you one day!
Who is it for?
ONLY 10 participants
This intensive training is ideal for...
Any generous and kind actor, director, maker, performer and curious soul no matter their shape, colour, size and preferences willing to connect with their playful side.
18+
When?
ONLY ONCE a year
Next Dates:
Sun 9th - Mon 17th Aug 2026
ONLY TWO PLACES REMAIN
Bodlondeb Studio & Retreat
Dinmael, Corwen, North Wales, UK, LL21 0NY
Price
£649 Early Bird (ends 17th May)
£699 Full Price
£100 deposit is required to secure your place at point of booking.
Payment Plans available
What we'll cover
Across 6 days of training, we will explore two artforms; 3 Days exploring the world of Full Mask and 3 Days of a joyful introduction to the world of Clowning.
Through mask, clowning and embodied play, we’ll explore how to:
● Connect with the audience
● Use our body language, movement and gestures to build narratives.
● Trust and follow our instincts
● Find true pleasure in play
● Be comfortable with failure
We will work with three different types of mask; Neutral Mask, Larval Mask and Character Full Mask. Each one of these masks requires a different texture of movement and detail from the performer, which is a fantastic opportunity to explore some of the above.
The final 3 days of Clowning allows us to discover a lightness and ease that we can bring to any rehearsal room or project. Clowning is a joyful approach to performance that celebrates play, connection, joy and of course, a lot of laughter!
Throughout this retreat we will go in search of failure, and more often than not we will find it! We have found the best work that happens on stage comes from the artists who are willing to embrace failure; often what comes after is pretty special!
What's included
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Shared accommodation at our custom built studio and retreat space in the rolling hills of North Wales
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Off-site private room available, get in touch (£35/night)
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Food package for arrival evening and first morning and kitchen basics ie tea, coffee, spices, oils etc (the rest you’ll order with local delivery)
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Tailored and specialist coaching with Clown Space over 6 full days.
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A hike in Snowdonia with mountaineer Ant on your day off.
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Wild swimming and country walks with Steph, founder of Both Feet and Bodlondeb Studio & Retreat to awaken the senses
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Open flame dinner on the Welsh moors on the final evening
It’s a joyful experience where you have fun performing to others and release your inner child. You are forced not to overthink what you are doing and just commit to creating something with an audience. It’s a freeing experience and something I want to apply to further acting projects.
James Lewis-Knight
Training will be run by James Lewis-Knight, Artistic Director of Clown Space. Clown Space was established in 2017 as a theatre company specialising in teaching Clown, Full Mask and Physical Theatre.
James trained with the prestigious Clown masters Philippe Gaulier and Carlo Jacucci in Etampes, France, as well as Mask and Clown teachers John Wright, Steve Jarand and Felipe Ortiz.
Emily Chattle
Assisting James in the room will be the Executive Director of Clown Space, Emily Chattle.
Alongside working with Clown Space, Emily is an Actor and Singer with a real love for playful theatre!
She recently performed in Clown Space’s flagship children’s production ‘Doris the Dormouse’, next touring in Spring 2026.
Stephanie Morgan
Steph is a certified Neuro Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner, mBIT (Multiple Brain Integration Techniques) Master Coach and HeartMath coach and has worked and coached all over the UK and across the seas.
Whilst Steph won't be with you in the studio, she'll be holding space and supporting you during the outdoor activities.
Steph has also trained both James and Emily over the years and is thrilled to have them here in this capacity.
Accommodation
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You'll be staying in our custom built studio and retreat nestled in the rolling Welsh countryside.
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Sleeping up to twelve people, our accommodation is the perfect place to relax and bond with your group.
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We have a patio garden and balcony for moments of calm and boundless countryside to explore.
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Want to find out more about the accommodation? Click here!
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Getting here is easier than you think. You can drive or we can help with car sharing / collection from Chester/Ruabon if someone's not passing your route. And the T10 bus stops right outside our door!
Are you ready to loosen up
and play?
Let's Do It!