clown: woodland: reset

clown:woodland:reset

Step into the whimsical embrace of nature's grand stage for a retreat like no other!

THE INVITATION

Picture this: amidst the whispering trees and the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy, a gathering of playful souls converges.

Welcome to the clown:woodland:reset.

This isn't just any retreat; it's a symphony of laughter, exploration, and connection set against the backdrop of the untamed wilderness. Here, in the heart of the forest, we shed the trappings of mundanity, activate our clown senses and dive headfirst into the rich tapestry of the natural world.

As we tune into the rhythms of nature, we nourish our creative spirits through clowning, pleasure and play, to cultivate wholeness in every aspect of our being.

So, come join us in this enchanted realm where laughter echoes among the trees and every playful moment is a celebration of life. The clown:woodland:reset awaits, ready to ignite your spirit and awaken your sense of wonder.

ABOUT THE RETREAT

The clown:woodland:reset is hosted by Oliver Broadbent (Regenerative Engineer) and Robyn Hambrook (Bristol Clown School). We invite you to the stunning, regenerative Hazel Hill Woods for 2 days of connection, rejuvenation and play.

As a group, we will co-create the days with a mixture of:
🌳 guided sessions
🌳 structured clown, play & nature explorations
🌳 invitations for site-responsive, solo and group creation
You are invited to follow your curiosity and creativity and bring what you hope to find.

We will also have an evening cabaret, shared meals and preparation, creative time together around the fire, and downtime on the land.

HOW IT WORKS

Dates & times:
Friday 6th September - arrival from 5pm
Saturday 7th September - full day
Sunday 8th September - full day & depart at 4pm

Venue:
Hazel Hill Wood, SP5 1AU

Cost:
£70 - £100 (pay what you can afford)
A £50 deposit is required
Includes two nights accommodation in a shared bunkhouse or camping
plus delicious freshly prepared vegetarian/vegan breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks

Booking:
Please get in touch to book your place

WHO IS THIS FOR?
This weekend retreat is for performers, musicians, directors, facilitators, makers, artists and creatives of all kinds looking for a retreat with a difference. You don't have to be a clown. Just a desire to be in nature, in the changing seasons and be in connection in the receptive, playful state of the clown.

OUR BEAUTIFUL LOCATION & ACCOMMODATION

Hazel Hill is woodland retreat centre where people come to heal and learn through deepening connection with the living world. For 30 years, the space has been held with a philosophy of stewardship and respect for the land, creating place for transformative experience among the trees. The place is a mix of open woodland, clearings and dense canopy, giving a wide range of settings for exploration, play and quiet contemplation. We have a range of gathering circles, each with a different theme, and these provide points for discovery, singing, storytelling and celebration.

The off-grid buildings at Hazel Hill are a cosy place to rest and hangout. Our main building is the Oak House where there is indoor gathering space, a dining room and a big kitchen. We also have a roundhouse - a great in-between, indoor-outdoor space.

There are TWO options:

1. To sleep in one of the bunk rooms
The accommodation is in bunk rooms. Most are twin rooms, a few rooms have space for three or more people. There’s warm showers and indoor composting toilets. We have one wheel-chair-accessible room with ensuite bathroom.
2. Bring your own tent or van

ABOUT ROBYN

Robyn is a Bristol-based director, teacher and performer. With over 20 years experience she is a passionate practitioner of clowning, physical theatre, circus and street arts. She has a MA in Circus Directing, a Diploma of Physical Theatre Practice and trained with a long line of inspiring teachers including Holly Stoppit, Peta Lily, Giovanni Fusetti, Bim Mason, Jon Davison, Zuma Puma, Lucy Hopkins and John Wright.
Over the past five years she has been exploring the meeting point of clowning and a deep desire to address the injustices in the world. This specialism has developed through her Masters Research ‘Small Circus Acts of Resistance’, on the streets and in protests with the Bristol Rebel Clowns and in research residencies with The Trickster Laboratory.
Robyn’s Activist Clown research has led to collaborations with Jay Jordan (Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination, France), Clown Me In (Beirut), LM Bogad (US), Hilary Ramsden (Greece) and international Tricksters; ‘The Yes Men’ (US).
During the pandemic in 2020, Robyn set up The Online Clown Academy with Holly Stoppit and developed a series of Zoom Clown Courses. Robyn’s research, started during her Masters, has been exploring the meeting point of clowning and activism, online, in the real world and with international collaborators. With this drive to explore political edges of her work she has also dived back into the world of the Bouffon; training with Jaime Mears, Bim Mason, Nathaniel Justiniano, Eric Davis, Tim Licata, Al Seed and the grand master Bouffon-himself; Philippe Gaulier.
Keen to explore the intersection of clowning and politics, Robyn is driven to create collaborative, research spaces, testing and pushing the limits of the artform to create new knowledge and methodologies for her industry and strengthen partnerships for future work. Some of her most recent collaborations and teaching projects have included the Nomadic Rebel Clown Academy (5-day Activist Clown Training), The Laboratory of the Un-beautiful (Feminist Grotesque Bouffon Training for Womxn Theatre Makers) and the Clown Congress (annual gathering of clowns, activists & academics collectively exploring what it means to be a clown in this current era)

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Photo by HeardinLondon Photography