Starts 10:00 on first day - Finishes 18:00 on last day
THE JOY OF BREAKING RULES
A joyful, challenging and liberating five days for anyone ready to discover the wisdom of the fool, the pleasure of getting it wrong, and the unexpected beauty of breaking rules.
with Andreas L. Maier and Vivian Gladwell
Wednesday 11.11.2026 18h-21h
Thur-Sat 12.11.-14.11.2026 10h-18h
Sunday 15.11.2026 10h-13h
Where
Central Cologne, Germany (venues tba)
Costs (sliding scale, see below)
580€ – 380€
Workshop language – English with possible translation in German.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
What happens when we stop trying to be good and instead become playfully, innocently disobedient?
In clowning rules are everywhere — the rules of games, theatre, politeness, success, and how we think we should appear. The clown listens to them, tries to follow, and then fails, forgets, rebels or invents something more interesting. In breaking rules, the clown reveals what might live beneath them: fear, longing, mischief, tenderness, delight. When these are allowed to appear, the stage becomes more alive — and so do we.
This five‑day course invites you to explore the clown as a joyful rule‑breaker.
Through physical play, improvisation and simple performance structures, we’ll discover the freedom that comes from meeting our habits with curiosity and staying connected — to the audience, the group, the moment and to the deeper truth of what is happening.
This is not about being clever, anarchic, or funny on command. It is about discovering the freedom that comes when we meet our habits with curiosity.
Over the four days we will explore:
- the rules of games
(and the pleasure of misunderstanding them) - the rules of objects
(chairs, coats, doors, bags and other everyday conspirators) - the rules of social behaviour
(politeness, status, embarrassment and permission) - the rules of performance
(entrances, exits, endings, failure and applause) - the personal rules that limit our imagination
(“I must be funny”, “I must get it right”, “I must not be too much”, “I must not be seen”)
This course is for people with some previous clowning or improvisation experience who wish to deepen their play, become more available on stage, and explore the comic and poetic possibilities of failure, freedom and disobedience.
The course is limited to 12 participants.
SLIDING SCALE FEES
This workshop is offered on a sliding scale. This means there is a price range, and you choose where you place yourself on that scale, based on your current financial situation.
In our understanding, the sliding scale supports both access and fairness. It recognises that participants have different financial realities, while also valuing the time, care, and labour of the freelance facilitators who lead this workshop and rely on this work for their income.
Our finances are shaped by many things—income, health, caring responsibilities, debt, and access to support. There is no income check. We trust you to reflect honestly and choose the place on the scale that feels fair and sustainable for you, and for those facilitating the workshop. Thanks for taking the time to reflect on where you would land.
GUIDELINE HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PLACE ON THE SCALE:
Highest amount – 580€
The standard, fair market price. This is for those who feel financially secure and can meet their needs without ongoing stress about money.
Lowest amount – 380€
For those who are struggling financially—such as students, people on low income, or anyone for whom paying the full price would be hard or create stress.
Middle range
For those in between: able to meet basic needs, but still needing to be careful with money. This is for people who can pay more than the minimum, but not the full amount. Many participants will find themselves here.
(50% of the fee needed as deposit to confirm your place)
Click here to book this course or enquire
Submit the form with your details and we will let you know how to proceed with payment of your deposit. Deposits are paid online.
Facilitators: Vivian Gladwell & Andreas L. Maier
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.
Andreas L. Maier
Andreas has a degree in acting and works as a performer, artistic speaker, presenter and audio artist. Since 2006 he has been training young actors at universities, professional performers and offers numerous workshops and seminars on presence training and storytelling.
He studied at the Berlin University of the Arts and has worked at numerous municipal and state theatres in Germany, including the Maxim Gorki Theatre, Schauspiel Bonn and TuP Essen as well as the Schauspielhaus Bochum and the Opera House Dortmund.
He has been freelancing in DACH since 2006 and has performed with various independent groups and artistic collectives, e.g. kainkollektiv, Drama Köln and subbotnik. Since 2008 he has completed numerous further training courses, e.g. as a somatic movement teacher according to BMC ©, with voice training according to the Lichtenberg method and clown training with Nose to Nose. Currently he’s taking part in their ongoing clowning facilitator training 2024-2026.
Andreas’ work as a performer has received several awards since 1998. He lives in Cologne and speaks German and English fluently.
Click here to book this course or enquire
CANCELLATIONS AND WAITING LIST
Your deposit is refundable more than 8 weeks before the start of the course. There is a 20€ admin fee for refunds. Less than 8 weeks before the start of the course your deposit is non-refundable unless you find a replacement to take your spot.
If the course is cancelled your deposit will be refunded in full.
NOTE: Your place can only be confirmed after we have received your deposit. Once your deposit has been accepted, we will notify you to confirm your place on the course. You are booked on the course ONLY when Nose to Nose confirms your place.
If you have questions or problems or want to go on our waiting list, email us at nosetonoseoffice@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER
By attending the workshop, participants acknowledge that they are responsible for their own safety and well-being. Any injury or other consequence remains the responsibility of the individual concerned.
The organisers cannot be held responsible for loss, damage, or injury, whether to people or personal belongings, inside or outside the workshop space.
MORE INFO CONCERNING COURSE FEE…
Q: Can I talk to someone? A: Yes, just send an email with your phone number to nosetonoseoffice@gmail.com and we’ll call you as soon as we are free to do so.
Q: Are there still spaces available on the course? A: Just click on the link Click here to book… above. You will see on the form whether there are available places.
Q: Can you put me on the waiting list? A: Sure, just click on the link Click here to enquire and fill the form. We will put you on our waiting list and let you know when a place becomes available.
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