Storytelling as a group

Saturday 31 January, Sunday 1 & Monday 2 February 2026, 10.00 - 17.00

Arts Admin, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial street, E1 6AB, London

Workshop led by Jos Houben

This three-day workshop led by Jos Houben, long-time Complicité collaborator, will shine light on what only theatre can do: making the invisible, visible. 

We will journey back to the very essence of theatremaking and learn to tell stories together as an ensemble of actors, using techniques grounded in Lecoq; the starting point and core of the company’s creative practice to this day. 

An empty space, some props, perhaps some simple costumes – this is all that is needed to conjure up rich and colourful characters, to create great and dramatic events with many twists and turns. Together, we will traverse from the real to the imagined space through working with the key elements of devised theatre. 

Participants will learn the power of starting with a blank page, and finding and creating a story as an ensemble through their bodies and connection to one another. And how this is all that is needed to keep an audience on the edge of their seats. 

The workshop is open to performers, actors, designers and theatre makers at any stage of their practice. You must be 18 or older to participate.

 

Fee

£300

 

Jos Houben

Jozef (Jos) Houben (b. Bruxelles 1959) is internationally acclaimed as an artist in Comedy, Physical Theatre and Music Theatre. Performing, writing, teaching, and directing worldwide for the past 30 years he has worked with many leading international organisations and artists such as Peter Brook, Simon McBurney, Georges Aperghis, Jean-François Peyret, The National Theatre London, L’Opera Comique de Paris, L’Opéra de Caen, L’Opéra de Rennes, the RSC. He was comedy director for West End productions including Sunshine Boys, Calendar Girls, The Full Monty, Pride and Prejudice (sort of..). Since 2000, he has worked as a teacher at the Ecole Internationale Jacques Lecoq. He is a regular professor at the Hochschule for Music und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart and also teaches master classes throughout the world at international festivals, circus and theatre schools, and universities. His hit one-man show The art of laughter has travelled the world for the last 20 years.

 

How to apply

If you are interested in taking part, please send your CV with a photo and a short statement (max 500 words) telling us why you would like to take part and how you hope it will influence your practice. Alternatively, you are welcome to send us a video or audio track no longer than 4 minutes. Please send your application to creativeengagement@complicite.org with ‘storytelling as a group’ in the subject line.

A limited number of half price bursary places are available for applicants who would otherwise be unable to attend this workshop due to financial circumstances. To apply for a bursary place, please note in your statement if you are receiving Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or other financial support. 

 

Please let us know if you have any access requirements.

If you have any questions regarding access, please email creativeengagement@complicite.org.

 

The deadline for applications is: Monday 8 December 2025 at 10am

We will reply to all applicants by end of day Friday 12 December 2025, notifying them of the outcome of their application.