Words from the Founder
Many former students experienced the prospect of the closure of the Studio-Théâtre d’Asnières as a kind of loss. Their school.
The King is dead?
Long live the King!
After a year of reflection, a few former students and teachers decided, alongside me, to revive this school and to bring into it what they had experienced: the joy of being together, of building oneself, of respecting one another, of dreaming, and of inventing new ways to share theatre.
Does talent exist? Perhaps yes. Perhaps no. Whatever the answer, there is nothing without work. The young actor must train as a dancer practices at the barre or a musician rehearses scales. Therefore, we must provide the best conditions for their growth and flourishing.
To better achieve this ambition, we created a new structure, innovative in its approach to professional integration, emphasizing immersion in theatres and creative spaces. These places, more than simple venues, become true centers of activity, where students encounter new teams and experiences, explore new spaces, and enjoy new meetings. This itinerancy is complemented by a permanent base, the school’s headquarters and heart.
"The audience is the best teacher," said Jouvet, Copeau, and many others. Our pedagogy is founded on a fundamental principle: the encounter with the audience. Through this encounter, the student discovers the best of their personality and reaches a certain maturity in their craft.
Our pedagogy must introduce students to texts, classical and contemporary alike. The actor is first and foremost a bearer of the text, a bearer of the word. They are responsible for what they say, both in context and in the skill of expression, making them a fully engaged citizen. They must play their role in society. Words are multifaceted, rooted in the past, present, and even the future. The school can also nurture writers. Every actor is very often a poet who does not yet know it.
Our pedagogy must ensure mastery of both classical and contemporary texts, without neglecting the technique of alexandrines and poetic theatre. It is about combining archaism with naturalness.
Our pedagogy must also embrace other disciplines: body and voice work. Singing and dance provide rigorous training. The goal is not to train professional singers or dancers, but actors who know their primary instrument— themselves—thoroughly.
Our pedagogy must finally be centered on the student. Unique and irreplaceable, they must be respected. Their flaws can become strengths. They should not fear themselves but accept and love themselves as much as they must love their characters—white or black, wolf or lamb.
This is why the guest artists at Studio JLMB commit to rejecting rigid systems. Every student must independently find their own path, supported by peers and pedagogical leaders. We guide them to discover within themselves a secret core and treasures of possibilities yet unknown.
Finally, our pedagogy must be of its time and open to the world. Most of our guest artists are young and all are alumni of the original Studio School. They are here to think and shape the theatre of tomorrow, familiar with new techniques that transform our perception of the world, bringing a fresh perspective to our profession. They are modern, and their presence is an essential enrichment to our work.
And Studio JLMB does not fear modernity.
JEAN-LOUIS MARTIN-BARBAZ
