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THE JOY OF BREAKING RULESA joyful, challenging and liberating five days for anyone ready to discover the wisdom of the fool, the pleasure of getting it wrong, and the unexpected beauty of breaking rules.
with Andreas L. Maier and Vivian Gladwell
Wednesday 11.11.2026 18h-21h
Thur-Sat 12.11.-14.11.2026 10h-18h
Sunday 15.11.2026 10h-13h
Where
50678 Cologne, Germany (close to Chlodwigplatz/Südstadt)
Costs (sliding scale, see below)
580€ – 380€
Workshop language – English with possible translation in German.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
What happens when we stop trying to be good and instead become playfully, innocently disobedient?
In clowning rules are everywhere — the rules of games, theatre, politeness, success, and how we think we should appear. The clown listens to them, tries to follow, and then fails, forgets, rebels or invents something more interesting. In breaking rules, the clown reveals what might live beneath them: fear, longing, mischief, tenderness, delight. When these are allowed to appear, the stage becomes more alive — and so do we.
This five‑day course invites you to explore the clown as a joyful rule‑breaker.
Through physical play, improvisation and simple performance structures, we’ll discover the freedom that comes from meeting our habits with curiosity and staying connected — to the audience, the group, the moment and to the deeper truth of what is happening.
This is not about being clever, anarchic, or funny on command. It is about discovering the freedom that comes when we meet our habits with curiosity.
Over the five days we will explore:
the rules of games
(and the pleasure of misunderstanding them)
the rules of objects
(chairs, coats, doors, bags and other everyday conspirators)
the rules of social behaviour
(politeness, status, embarrassment and permission)
the rules of performance
(entrances, exits, endings, failure and applause)
the personal rules that limit our imagination
(“I must be funny”, “I must get it right”, “I must not be too much”, “I must not be seen”)
This course is for people with some previous clowning or improvisation experience who wish to deepen their play, become more available on stage, and explore the comic and poetic possibilities of failure, freedom and disobedience.
The course is limited to 12 participants.
SLIDING SCALE FEES
This workshop is offered on a sliding scale. This means there is a price range, and you choose where you place yourself on that scale, based on your current financial situation.
In our understanding, the sliding scale supports both access and fairness. It recognises that participants have different financial realities, while also valuing the time, care, and labour of the freelance facilitators who lead this workshop and rely on this work for their income.
Our finances are shaped by many things—income, health, caring responsibilities, debt, and access to support. There is no income check. We trust you to reflect honestly and choose the place on the scale that feels fair and sustainable for you, and for those facilitating the workshop. Thanks for taking the time to reflect on where you would land.
GUIDELINE HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PLACE ON THE SCALE:
Highest amount – 580€
The standard, fair market price. This is for those who feel financially secure and can meet their needs without ongoing stress about money.
Lowest amount – 380€
For those who are struggling financially—such as students, people on low income, or anyone for whom paying the full price would be hard or create stress.
Middle range
For those in between: able to meet basic needs, but still needing to be careful with money. This is for people who can pay more than the minimum, but not the full amount. Many participants will find themselves here.
(50% of the fee needed as deposit to confirm your place)
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Event venue
50678 Cologne, Germany (close to Chlodwigplatz/Südstadt), Chlodwigplatz 5, 50678 Köln, Deutschland, Cologne, Germany
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.