Make Your Own Neutral Mask

We are very excited to announce the launch of a Neutral Mask that you can make at home or in class from a simple template created by my talented friends at Wintercroft Masks.

This has been designed with close reference to the Neutral Mask as created by Amleto Sartori for Jacques Lecoq, which in turn was based on the Noble Mask, first used by Jacques Copeau.

The Neutral Mask is core to Jacques Lecoq’s training method and used by pretty much every drama school as a tool to help actors reach a pre-performative state; a state of total neutrality from which to build a character and narrative.

“It is a face that we call neutral, a perfectly balanced mask which produces a physical sensation of calm. This object, when placed on the face, should enable one to experience the state of neutrality prior to action, a state of receptiveness to everything around us, with no inner conflict. This mask is a reference point, a basic mask, a fulcrum mask for all the other masks … when a student has experienced this neutral starting point his body will be freed, like a blank page on which drama can be inscribed.”

Jacques Lecoq, The Moving Body (Methuen 2002)

Many schools will have a collection of white plastic ‘neutral’ masks in their toolkit, but what these lack is the purity, naivety and openness of a well-designed Neutral mask. I highly recommend that teachers introduce the idea of the neutral through masks that are crafted with a true understanding of their purpose.

Wintercroft’s template can currently be purchased for only £6.49. The template is downloadable as a pdf to be printed on a normal A4 printer, stuck onto card, cut and stuck and hey presto, you have a nuanced, fantastic Neutral Mask to use. You only need one template for your class to use. What are you waiting for? There really is no excuse for using anything else!

And of course, having trained in Lecoq’s methods, Cheryl is the ideal practitioner to invite to your school. Drop us a line if you are interested in booking a Lecoq & The Neutral Workshop for your school (available in person or online): cheryl@learningthroughtheatre.co.uk