Source Work for Actors

Forthcoming in June 2025.

An actor delves into the electrifying world of Grotowski Laboratory Theatre through a workshop with master actor Zbigniew Cynkutis, revealing practical techniques and the profound impact of this revolutionary approach.

The legacy of Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski comes to life in this personal account of a workshop/intensive with Laboratory Theatre master actor Zbigniew Cynkutis. The volume provides a rare window into the actor-training and performance practices of one of the most influential and revolutionary theatres of the twentieth century.

Drawing from extensive notes and recordings made during Cynkutis’s last workshop in the US, Diane Edgecomb’s Source Work for Actors takes us to the heart of the workshop experience as a young actor determined to make this process her own. Cynkutis’s voice and presence are palpable throughout the book as he guides a group of actors to a deep understanding of his artistic philosophy and craft. Stimulated by a developing series of tasks, Laboratory Theatre training exercises, and by Cynkutis’s startling demonstrations, the group is challenged to bring their whole selves to the work and to reimagine what is possible in theatre.

The intensive proceeds from exercises familiar to those who have studied Grotowski to explorations of dramatic text and character, revealed here for the first time, which draw from theatre sources based on the primal energies of nature. Those who have been mystified by academic writings on the work of the Laboratory Theatre will find this personal story refreshing and accessible, filled with advice and exercises grounded in the rich conversational style of a charismatic master actor. Links to audio files of Cynkutis speaking as he leads the work lend an invaluable, immersive element to the book.

This compelling volume bears witness to the power of a deeply visceral form of theatre and illustrates why the works of Grotowski and his actors have had such a profound impact on generations of theatre artists. It is sure to stimulate students, challenge directors and inspire innovative work.