ABSTRACT
The Williamson Technique is a physical training method for the actor created by Loyd Williamson at the Actors Movement Studio in New York City in 1975. The Williamson work, in the broadest sense, is concerned with the physical aspects of communication – the interaction of the actor's body with people, places, and elements of the imaginary world, as well as the intersection of the human body with this process. A series of simple contact exercises known as the 'Intimacy Exercises' are an element of the Williamson training. These consist of two actors sitting across from one another and simply receiving and radiating, back and forth. Period style technique, in the broadest sense, is concerned with the physical aspects of 'communication' and is focused on how the human body operates within a particular society. The Williamson Technique is noted for its unique approach to period style training – the Period Style Salon, which is a detailed form of physical dramaturgy.
