workshops & training programmes

train with us!

As an artist-led company, we’re passionate about sharing our experiences, and guiding artists and creatives to explore the world of theatre-making and translation. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or just starting out, our training caters to all levels of experience.

Discover a range of workshops and training programmes that reflect our unique approach. Immerse yourself in the art of translation, explore the transformative power of multicultural collaboration, or venture into the exciting realm of performances in unconventional spaces.

Led by Camila & Trine, co-founders and artistic directors, our workshops and programmes are designed to inspire and nurture your artistic journey. Sessions are run by Ensemble members, Lab translators, company associates and guest practitioners.

The core purpose of our activities is to:

  • provide opportunities to learn and practise beyond traditional training settings
  • facilitate a creative laboratory for theatre-makers & practitioners of ALL levels
  • give access and insights into our work and the wider industry at large

Join us and be part of a vibrant community of theatre-makers and translators!

what we do

Young Theatre-Makers:

  • Make Theatre with…
  • Secondary school workshops

Theatre Translators:

  • Theatre Translator Mentorship
  • Translation Workshops & Masterclasses

Makers & Practitioners:

  • Theatre-making workouts
  • Open rehearsals & workshops
  • Coffee meetings

Please note that not all activities may be available at all times.

what's on

An Introduction to Translating Plays

Saturday 30 November, 11:30 – 16:30

Open to translators and theatre-makers with language skills

Discover more

 

Don’t forget to join our newsletter and connect with us on social media for updates.

young theatre-makers

make theatre with ...

Twice a year, we run a FREE workshop programme for young people (18-30) from the Hackney area, who have a passion for making theatre and an interest in pursuing a career in the industry.

Rooted in our collaborative practice, each programme is developed and designed in close collaboration with industry professionals and past participants. Our aim is to provide diverse perspectives and approaches to making theatre, ensuring that no two programmes are ever the same!

Through working with different practitioners, participants gain valuable insights into various aspects of theatre-making, including performing, directing, devising, producing and more.

Past practitioners who have contributed to our programme include Almiro Andrade, Krzysia Balińska, Pepa Duarte and Maria Laumark.

Thanks to generous support from TNL Community Fund, Hackney Council and Arts Council England, we’re able to offer these programmes for free.

secondary schools workshops

We have partnered with Performing International Plays to deliver drama and language workshops using international plays to learn about local cultures and histories that concern everyone. The workshops include:

  • International Play Workshop (Drama)
  • International Play Workshop (Drama & MFL)
  • Theatre Translation Workshop

If you’re a teacher interested in booking a workshop, head over to the PIP website or contact our producer Rachel here.

about PIP

Performing International Plays is a free platform of teaching and learning resources about international plays for secondary school teachers and pupils, featuring videos, interviews, essays and suggested classroom activities.

Our selection of 20 plays, carefully picked for young people, highlight some of the most pressing global issues of our times, such as the war in the Middle East, colonial histories, racial and religious prejudice, totalitarian regimes, gender identity and climate change. Written in 16 languages by a diverse selection of contemporary writers, these urgent dramas allow students to explore culture, politics, geography, history and languages through theatre.

theatre translators

theatre translator mentorship

Launched in 2016, the Foreign Affairs Theatre Translator Mentorship (or FATT) is a part-time mentoring and workshop programme specifically designed for emerging theatre translators.

Throughout the mentorship, participants embark on a ‘page-to-stage’ journey, engaging in readings with actors, practical workshops and rehearsals, and receive valuable one-to-one sessions with industry professionals. The programme culminates in a public showcase for audiences and industry guests, providing a platform to showcase their work.

To date mentors have included translators Charis Ainslie, Paul Russell Garrett, Roland Glasser and William Gregory. Guest practitioners have included Almiro Andrade and Caridad Svich.

The mentorship is designed for emerging theatre translators, by which we mean:

  • professional translators with little/no prior theatre experience
  • theatre practitioners with language skills looking to add translation to their skill set

As a migrant-led theatre company, we actively seek to engage individuals who speak heritage languages, those who identify as migrants, and people from the global majority.

When can you apply?

We have successfully run five small-scale iterations of our programme, and we’re determined to expand and improve it even further. To achieve this, we are actively pursuing funding to enhance our offerings, ensuring that we can provide comprehensive support, abundant resources and greater opportunities for emerging theatre translators.

Applications for the upcoming edition open on Tuesday 12 March. Discover more here.

translation workshops & masterclasses

Drawing on our extensive decade-long experience in developing and producing theatre in translation, we offer a series of one-off translation workshops and masterclasses. Our workshops cover a wide range of topics, catering to both beginners looking to dive into the world of theatre translation and seasoned practitioners seeking specialised knowledge.

Workshops include ‘get into theatre translation’ and ‘from page to stage’, designed to ignite your passion and provide insights into the craft. We also offer specialised workshops on multilingual theatre and cultural and language-specific themes, delving into the nuances and intricacies of translating for the stage.

These workshops are often delivered for or in collaboration with other companies, organisations or academic institutions such as Royal Court Theatre, the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT), Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and SOAS University of London.

To discover more about upcoming workshops and secure your spot, please visit our training calendar. For more personalised inquiries or to book us for a bespoke workshop, feel free to email us at team@foreignaffairs.org.uk.

makers & practitioners of ALL levels

theatre-making workouts

Elevate your theatre-making skills and keep your artistic muscles flexed with our captivating and energising workshops led by industry professionals.

Led by experienced practitioners, these sessions offer a wealth of practical knowledge and insights. You’ll have the opportunity to benefit from their expertise as they share their personal practice and guide you through a variety of exercises and techniques designed to enhance your craft.

No matter your level of experience, our workouts provide a dynamic environment that nurtures collaboration and exploration. They offer a supportive space where you can push your boundaries, expand your skills and embrace new perspectives.

open rehearsals & workshops

Since the early days of Foreign Affairs, we’ve always maintained an “open door” policy, welcoming you to join us and observe a rehearsal or one of our Ensemble or FATT Lab workshops, whenever possible.

We believe that the best way to connect and get to know one another is through shared work and common interests.

Our Ensemble and FATT Lab workshops generally follow an academic schedule, and we’re excited to announce that our next production is scheduled for August 2023.

If this opportunity interests you, please connect with us at team@foreignaffairs.org.uk. We can’t wait to welcome you into our creative space.

coffee meetings with Camila & Trine

Join us every last Wednesday of the month for our casual coffee meetings.

It’s a great opportunity for fellow theatre-makers and practitioners to get to know us and our work better, ask questions about specific areas of our work, and receive informal mentoring.

Please note due to production, we’re not doing coffee meetings In February, March and April 2024.

Make sure to check out our "what's on" section for upcoming dates, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

PWYC scheme

We strive to make our work as accessible as possible and we continue to look for new ways to break down barriers. Since 2018 all in-house productions, events and training programmes have either been free or part of our Pay What You Can scheme.

How does it work?

For all paid activities, there are multiple options and you can choose to pay a price that works for you at the moment.

To help you decide, we highlight a recommended price. This recommended price reflects industry standards (and what we’d “normally” charge) and anything above that allows us to continue our PWYC scheme.

Foreign Affairs is a small non-profit organisation and we receive no regular funding. We appreciate your honesty and generosity when choosing your PWYC option.

want to know more about our work?

Connect with us on social media, where we share news about current projects, behind the scenes stories and snapshots, resources for theatre-makers and translators, updates from our brilliant associates and friends, and much more ...