Teachers Profiles

Grzegorz Bral

Director, teacher and actor. Since 1996 - the co-founder and artistic director of Song of the Goat Theatre, since 1997 - the president and co-founder of the Association of Charity ROKPA POLAND, since 2002;  since 2004 artistic director and lecturer in postgraduate MA in Acting Techniques in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University; from 2005 - artistic director and founder of Brave Festival - against cultural exile.

Performances directed by Grzegorz Bral: 

As a director of Song of The Goat Theatre 

Portraits of The Cherry Orchard (Song of The Goat Theatre, Wrocław)

Songs of Lear (Song of The Goat Theatr, Wrocław ) 

Macbeth (Song of The Goat Theatre, Wrocław) 

Lacrimosa (Song of The Goat Theatre, Wrocław) 

Chronicles a lamentation (Song of The Goat Theatre, Wrocław) 

Song of The Goat - dityramb (Song of The Goat Theatre, Wrocław) 

In colaboration with other theatres 

Scenes from Ionesco (Studio Theatre, Warsaw) 

Idiot (Studio Theatre, Warsaw) 

August (Studio Theatre, Warsaw) 

Blackbird ( Teatr im C.K.Norwida, Jelenia Góra) 

He studied polish philology at University of Gdańsk.  He was also a psychology student at Lublin University and went on to study Theatre Studies at Warsaw’s Theatre Academy. Between 1987 and 1992, he was involved with the Centre of Theatre Practice in Gardzienice and whilst there, he played the role of 'Tristan' in of  Carmina Burana (1990). He was an active participant of the Centre's theatre workshops, which were held in partnership with other theatre companies, such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and members of the American 'Living Theatre' troupe. He also took part in expeditions conducted by Gardzienice to the Ukraine and Italy, among other places.

In 1996 he co-founded the Song of the Goat Theatre (www.piesnkozla.pl). The theater draws on strong artistic roots, such as European theatrical research and Eastern musical cultures.  His company draws actors and students from all over the world and has devised a unique performance style based on the ‘coordination technique’. He teaches Acting Techniques in the MA in Acting programme led in conjunction with Manchester Metropolitan University. He is the Artistic Director of Brave Festival – against cultural exile (www.bravefestival.pl ) presenting the art of vanishing cultures and traditions, the President and co-founder of charity organization ROKPA POLSKA (www.rokpa.pl ). He has received many awards for his artistic work, amongst others Honorary Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, SCOTSMAN FRINGE FIRST 2004, and HERALD ANGEL 2004. In 2009 his ensemble was nominated to XII European Prize in the category New Theatrical Realities.

With his company, Bral has directed Euripides' s Goat's Song (1998), Chronicles - a Lamentation(2001) , Lacriminosa based on the text by Andrzej Szczypiorski entitled Mass for Arras" / "Msza za miasto Arras (2005) , and two versions of Shakespeare's Macbeth Macbeth: A Work-in-Progress (2007) and Macbeth (2008) William Shakespeare, as well as Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms" / "Pożądanie w cieniu wiązów (2009), “ Songs of Lear” (2012) based on William Shakespeare's "King Lear".

Between  January 2010 and June 2012, Grzegorz Bral was Artistic Director of the Studio Theatrein Warsaw, where he directed: “Scenesof Ionesco” based on works of Eugène Ionesco (2011),  “Idiot” based on Fiodor Dostojewski (2011), “August” based on Tracy Letts. As a guest director at the  theatre in Jelenia Góra, he directed “Blackbird” based on David Harrower's play (2013).

Grzegorz Bral also  run workshops in several countries: United Kingdom, Singapore, Tainan Theatre Troupe in Taiwan, Dublin, Belgrade, La MaMa Theatre in New York, Cichuachua, Mexico, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Poland.  He also collaborates with theatre institutions: Theatre School in Zurich., Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

Christopher Sivertsen 

Born in Norway 1974 he graduated from the Rudolf Steiner School in Stavanger in 1993. He got his first taste of the stage after playing some main parts in the school theatre there and as the singer in Willy Wonka. In 96’ he joined Theatre Slava in Stockholm where he played an important part in both the development of several performances as a principal actor as well as establishing the Slava School and taking part expeditions to Mongolia, Russia and Kyrgistan

In 2000 he became a principal performer and collaborator with Teatr Piesn Kozla (Song of the Goat Theatre Company) from Wroclaw, Poland where he stayed for 7 years. With Piesn Kozla he developed and performed multi award winning CHRONICLES – A LAMENTATION (BITE Festival, Barbican; the Sydney Opera House; Los Angeles (UCLA Live); New York (LaMaMa); and Banquo in MACBETH (Royal Shakespeare Company – During these 7 years Christopher assisted Piesn Kozla’s Director Grzegorz Bral in numerous workshops world wide and directed himself performances in Sweden based on old epics, fire, movement and music. He also played a part in the Norwegian film Monstertorsdag directed by Arild Osmunsen, which was seen at the Sundance Festival.

Other work that Christopher has done includes Bird of Night at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as associate Movement Director to Cathy Marston and as a Fire Performer and Dancer. Christopher has developed his own system of physical theatre training (The Breathing Performer), and regularly conducts workshops throughout the world. In spring 2010 he toured UK as Oberon and Bottom in Moon Fool’s production of Ill met By moonlight produced by Trestle Theatre.

Christopher has directed numerous Youth Projects and events with young participants from all over the world. Awake Projects collaborate with the  BRAVE festival in Poland where he directed the 2010 Brave Kids Final in collaboration with Maria Sendow. Last year Awake Me UP saw the light of day with 300 participants at the main square in Västerås, Sweden.  Awake Youth Projects are planned in Uganda, Nepal, Poland and Sweden.

Christopher has been an associated artist of Natural Perspective TC in London together with Timberlake Wertenbaker and Irina Brown. He was the movement and music director of JENUFA, at the Arcola Theatre in London and has assisted Irina Brown in several productions.

He worked as movement director for Edward Kemps production of his own adaptation of Kleist’s Pethesilea at RADA in 08 and directed Antigone at RADA in 2009. This collaboration resulted in a creative relationship that gave birth toAWAKE where Ed Kemp is the author of the text.

Since founding Awake Projects in 2007,  Christopher has directed all of our shows and events. In addition he has co-directed outreach projects at The North Wall, Oxford with Lucy Maycock, directed O Rèjane in Los Angeles, and taught extensively  in workshops and universities world wide.

He was awarded Master of Arts in Acting at Manchester Metropolitan Univeristy with a distinction in 2010.

Rafał Habel 

Rafal Habel has been a member of Teatr Piesn Kozla since its inception, performing in Piesn Kozla – a dithyramb, Chronicles – a Lamentation, Lacrimosa, Macbeth, Song of Lear and Portraits of The Cherry Orchard. These shows have toured internationally throughout Europe, America and Australia. He has co-led workshops in the UK for Manchester Metropolitan University, Brighton, Oxford Playhouse Education Outreach Programme, the Centre of Performance Research, Wales. Former member of Chamber Folk Music “Lautari” in Wroclaw, Poland.