The Fool, approaching life with openness and curiosity, walks into the empty space and says, "Wow, look what I found!”
WHAT IS FOOLING?
Fooling is a form of solo improvisation where you get to meet and play with the cast of characters who normally live inside your head. You may find yourself tapping into the freedom of your inner child. Your inner critic may have some things to say about this. Your inner guide may show up to help you manage the situation and so might your inner anarchist, your inner artist or even your inner hermit.
As you embody each part, you’ll find that some parts like to talk, some express themselves through dance or song and some might just want to sit quietly and be. The Fool, approaching life with openness and curiosity, walks into the empty space and says, "Wow, look what I found!”
This 5-day course equips a small group of participants with the tools to walk onto an empty stage with no script, no plan and no ideas and discover and play with whatever is ready to be seen. Although Fooling is a solo form, this workshop is very much a group journey. Working with honesty and integrity, the group will support each other to find an audaciously authentic quality of play.
Each day there are mindfulness meditations, physical warm ups, group games and exercises to enable participants to explore different methods of accessing and embodying their own personal cast of characters. There are also lots of opportunities to play solo for each other in a safe and supportive environment.
Hang on, is this therapy?
Well, it can be. It depends on what you're looking for. I am a trained and registered Dramatherapist with further training in Internal Family Systems - which means I have all the skills to take people to very deep places if that's where they want to go. But it's not an expectation for this course. It's possible to splash around on the surface of your experience if that's where you need to be - but please bear in mind that other people may be diving deep.
Having run this course for 10 years, I can say it's possible for everyone in the group to have very different experiences to each other - the aim is not to homogenise, but to follow your own path through the week, whilst respecting that everyone else will be doing the same!
You can use the week to:
>Get to know the parts that live inside of you
>Explore blocks to creativity and connection
>Dialogue and dance with your doubts and fears
>Learn tools to safely bring your vulnerability and authentic feelings out to play
>Develop a more sensitive, connected, alive and wild performance style
>Generate raw material which can be used as the basis of creating devised theatre
>Discover a structure for creating instant performance anywhere
Where does this work come from?
Fooling has formed the foundation for most of my performing / directing work since I began my training with Master Fool, Franki Anderson, 25 years ago. Over the years, I have woven in many strands of my professional training and experience, including Dramatherapy (MA), meditation, dance/movement, playful voice work, communication skills training (Nonviolent Communication, Compassionate Inquiry, Open Space, Action Learning, Clearness Committee, Insight Dialogue, Thinking Environment), creative writing, sacred clown and Internal Family Systems, to develop my own version of the form.
I am artistic director of a public performance company of fools called Beyond The Ridiculous.
To find out more about my training and experience go here:
https://www.hollystoppit.com/about-holly
Who is this for?
This course is designed adults aged 18+
It is for both performers and people who want to learn more about themselves.
It’s for a very small group of 8 participants, so that everyone gets a good amount of supported stage-time.
Priority will be given to people who have worked with Holly before, as this week can go super deep and Holly needs to know you'll be a good fit for the work.
It may be possible to get a place without having trained with Holly before. If this is you - make sure you take time over the application and Holly may invite you for a Zoom call to make sure you're a good fit.
BRISTOL AUGUST 5-DAY FOOLS SCHOOL
Dates: 18th- 22nd August 2025
Times: 10-6 pm
Location: Clifton, Bristol, UK
Cost: £5650 (standard) / £550 (low income) / £450 (supported)
Application Deadline: 6th June 2025
Application form here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8yStKSKmY-G_qrfP_LQWA1E9crBkD5LS450ZlVS7ZdigT4Q/viewform?usp=sharing
Application process
There is an application process to make sure you're a good fit for the course. After the application deadline, Holly will select a balanced group based on age, gender, experience and reasons for joining the course. In our experience these courses benefit hugely from having a good mix people in the room.
Access
Holly is a trained and registered dramatherapist and delights in holding space for people with mild to moderate mental health issues. She is highly experienced in working with neurodivergent and LGBTQI+ people. She will create a brave space where you can bring yourself and your needs.
This course is not appropriate for anyone who is currently experiencing psychosis.
Holly welcomes people with disabilities. The venue has 3 toilets - one is accessible at ground level, with a sink inside the cubicle. The venue has stairs leading between the two spaces, which will unfortunately make it not possible for wheelchair users to move between the spaces.
Covid Care
>There are still people who are vulnerable to covid and Holly wants everyone to feel as safe as possible in the space.
>We can't guarantee a Covid-free environment, but we can do our best to minimise the risks for people with compromised immunity and/or those who are connected with immune-compromised people.
>If you have any covid-like symptoms, please take a lat-flow test and please don't come if you have tested positive.
>All exercises can work with social distancing, if that is what you need. Please make sure that physical proximity is consensual.
>You are welcome to wear a mask if that makes you feel safer. Holly will not be asking people to wear masks.
>We will be working with windows open for ventilation, so please bring extra warm layers.
>We will have an open discussion and make a group agreement on the first day to make sure everyone feels safe and comfortable enough.
Cancellation Policy
> If you need to cancel your place before the course begins, full refunds can only be given up until one month before the course starts.
> Should you need to cancel your place after this date, 50% of your payment will be retained, unless your place can be suitably filled.
> For drop-outs within 72 hours (3 days) of the start of the course, your full fee will be retained.
> If Holly needs to cancel this course for any reason, you will be offered alternative dates. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled dates, then we will offer a refund.
FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS
“Deep, funny, touching, playful”
“Whenever people ask me how it was, the same thing happens: 'Boof' I say, while flinging my hands away from my head and body.”
“Holly, thanks for making the space so safe and inviting us to be so brave. I hide it, but I find it so difficult in groups and this showed me it doesn't always have to be! Fooling was a really special experience for me that I will cherish always!”
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