Karma Drama and Clowning

with Mike Chase and Vivian Gladwell

Course Description:

Unlock the wisdom of your past lives through the joyful mischief of the clown.

This unique course blends the soulful depth of karmic exploration with the spontaneous freedom of clowning to guide you through a transformative journey of self-discovery. By working with the karmic double—an aspect of your shadow self—you’ll uncover and engage with patterns, behaviors, and stories that may have roots in past lives.

But rather than getting weighed down by heavy introspection, you’ll be invited to play.

Through the lens of the clown, we loosen the grip of self-seriousness and step into a space where laughter, movement, and improvisation become tools for healing and revelation. This process enables us to explore even the most challenging parts of ourselves with lightness and compassion.

Karma Drama & Clowning is more than a course—it’s a crucible for awakening, where insight meets imagination. You’ll go deeper into the origins of your struggles and soar higher into the radiant possibility of who you can become. Because we are made of both light and shadow, and when we dance with both, we become whole.

“We are certainly not toying with serious matters if we attempt to bring some humor into what is serious; in some circles that deem themselves mystical, every frivolity that assumes the caricatured mask of “spiritual depth” is considered serious, displaying itself in gestures of physical nobility and with tragically elongated faces that merely represent burlesque somersaults of spiritual life to one who really knows life. Whoever wants to be truly serious in the face of seriousness must be able to laugh about the ridiculous when the ridiculous deems itself serious. Whoever can find no humor in the humorous is also unable to be serious in the true sense when confronting what is serious. Especially where knowledge of the spirit is sought after, laughter must also be possible about the absurdities of certain “spirit seekers.” Otherwise they will make what is serious into something ridiculous among those who laugh because their laughing muscles begin to move whenever they don’t understand something; or they will enrage those people who fly into a rage when they encounter something they have never “seen or heard before”.”

–– Rudolf Steiner in his introduction to the eurythmy performance “Twelve Moods” 12 August 1915 (GA40)

Who Should Attend:
This course welcomes anyone interested in self-discovery, personal growth, and creative expression. Whether you are a teacher, actor, therapist, or simply curious about shedding light on the impact of past experiences through the transformative power of play.
The group is limited to 12

Are you curious about clowning? Would you like an opportunity to meet the course leaders and learn more? We are offering an online ‘insight’ session which will give you the chance to do just that. To register for Wednesday 11th June 2025 from 7pm to 8pm UK time, please click below and choose option ENQUIRE and put your name – email leave a short message “interested in the online “insight” session”:

ONLINE INSIGHT SESSION – 11 JUNE 2025 – 7 TO 8 PM

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Facilitators:

Michael Chase
Mike established The Mask Studio in the mid 90’s and developed masks for training, education, performance and therapy. He has taught in these fields internationally for 35 years. He was the Artistic Director of The Mask Academy and the Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge for 14 years, during which he created the Hero’s Journey programme for students using masks and psychodrama. For the last 9 years Mike has been working within a therapeutic community prison HMP Grendon using psychodrama and group psychotherapy. He is currently the therapy manager on a wing men with learning disabilities. His book Mask was published by Hawthorn Press in 2017. Mike is on the faculty of the Mental Health Seminar, looking at mental health in the light of anthroposophy. He has a diploma in psychodrama psychotherapy and an M.Ed. in educational research and is a fully insured member of UKCP.

Vivian Gladwell

Vivian is the founder and director of Nose to Nose and has given hundreds of workshops around the world. He lives both in the UK and France where he started clowning in 1978. He speaks French and English fluently.
Vivian began teaching in 1988 as part of the Lifeways Festival at Emerson College – UK. He trained as a facilitator with the Bataclown in 1990 and joined their team in 1991 also working as a modern day Court Jester (Clownanalyst).
He created Nose to Nose UK in 1990, Nose to Nose of North America in 2006 and Fool View, the Social Clowning group and has trained facilitators in the UK, the USA, Germany and Italy – view history.
He continues his role as ambassador for the work by researching the applications of clowning in the context of teacher training, medicine, conflict management, ecology and intercultural work in many countries (South Africa, USA, Senegal, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Italy, Germany, Norway…)

He holds clowning as a social playground for exploring our humanity.

Course fee: £520

Deposit: £200

Date and times: 3-8 August 2025

The course begins first day – 18h15 (with supper)
Ends on last day – after lunch – 14h30

Venue: Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex

Bursaries:

To enable as many students as possible to attend our courses Emerson College are able to offer bursaries in some circumstances. If you would like to apply for a bursary please complete the bursary form when you apply to join the course.

Step 1 – Book this course

To book this course or enquire
PLEASE CLICK HERE

(You will be redirected to the Emerson College website to book or if booking is not yet available you can leave just your name and email under enquiry and you will be notified and sent a link it becomes available)