Climbing the Mountain

The Performer's Journey into Presence

If you want to exude presence, you need to be present. It's so easy to say and so hard to achieve or maintain. Presence, liveness and spontaneity - fundamental requirements for any performer on stage or screen - are disciplined psychophysical techniques, they combine ways of thinking with ways of using the body. 'Climbing the Mountain' contains 30 short talks given by Master Trainer John Britton across a six-weeks training process. It is a journey that takes you from the slightly nervous first morning, through a process of building ensemble and encountering the self, to the final day of the course, as a group who have shared so much, head out into the world again. Along the way there is a laugher, philosophy, silliness, questioning, struggle... all the elements of a performer's journey. There is also joy; always joy - for this book charts a training based in a radical commitment to enjoyment, empowerment and ensemble. Though this book is for all performers, its appeal is much wider. To be open, joyous, and authentic requires a performer to find and nurture those personal qualities in herself or himself. Dynamic, charismatic live performance requires a disciplined and radical process of personal growth. The approaches that work for performers work for everyone. 'Climbing the Mountain' offers a training for anyone who wants to become more present in their daily life, in their work, and in their relationships. 'Climbing the Mountain' takes you into the privacy of the rehearsal room as a group of actors and dancers learn to stand fearlessly, joyously and passionately in front of their audience. You are invited to join them.