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"A letting go fest! Truly liberating."
Denise (opera singer exploring clowning)
The Upcycling Clown
31 May-5 June 2025 (4 days - 5 nights)
Clowns are disasters specialists and love upcycling trauma. In their own silly creative way of course. Their specialty: Creating wonder & comedy with our life's crap.
SUPER EARLY BIRD
Until 1 April 2025
Supporter: £450.
Normal: £390
Concessions: £350
"An incredible time. Only one wish: To come back!"​
Anja (trained with Nose to Nose)
What is it? A 4 days poetic journey to explore the various layers of the clown: The deeper message within the comedy and the clown's metaphorical universe and language.
A time to play & escape in nature's beauty and its endless source of inspiration.
A place to recharge & explore the healing powers of clowning through laughter, empowerment and artistic expression.
"So much playfulness, but also depth, warmth and trust. Absolutely loved it. Ready to go again!"
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Isabelle (theatre maker working with people with different abilities)
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Who is it for? People interested in clowning as a way to raise awareness about social issues, life journeys & transitions. People working in applied theatre or theatre activism. People willing to add a poetic layer to their clown or artistic journey. The space will be held by Sophie Besse - Founder of PSYCHEdelight Theatre Company (scroll down for more info).
"Find your edge and dive! Loved it. Life changing."
​Moss (trained with Extension Rebellion "Rebels Clowns")
1st evening: ​
Clown moonlight welcome diner party!
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Day 1: Going on a clown hunt. Clowns don't just turn up like that. These little peeps are very cheeky and love hiding in unconventional places. like inside a trumpet, or bathing down the river, or even in trash bins. Yes, lots of clowns grow beautifully in a garbage soil: That's where your broken stuff will come very handy: Clowns can't resist a ratty shoe or a broken heart: They love upcycling trauma!
There's another thing clowns can't resist: playing! So this will be a long outdoor day to explore our secret games to find our clowns.
Day 2: The upcycling day
More games looking for our unique "me-clown", full of our skills and talents of course, but also full of our edges and broken bits. We will juggle with all these pieces, celebrate our resilience, playfulness and creativity and start giving shape, rhythm and colours to our clowns.
Day 3: The Poetic Language
Emotions are often far too big to fit into words no matter how hard you squeeze and you push... So clowns developed another language full of poetry, imagery and metaphors. But some of them still love words, they'd just rather play with them, that's all. Clowns take us into a world where they can be heart-wrenching, endearing and hilarious at the same time. They are not scared to tell the terrible truth, it's even their duty to do so, but they always hold a flower of imagination in their hand.
So on day 3, we'll go to their language school for the day. (More about our poetic approach here.)

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Day 4: Time to dress up & invite friends over!
Last evening is party time with guests from the village. It's not a show, not even a sharing, more of a an invitation into the universe we explored. "An evening in our broken world" (The clown version of course!)
And for our clowns it's finally the time to get messy-creative, dress up and powder their noses! We will explore diverse costumes playing around with objects, clothes, recycling bins and Nature's gifts. The last touch will be the make-up of course, a sacred clown ritual involving a magic mirror to reach inside us and spot the shadows and colours of our clowns.

YOUR STAY
You will be staying in an old mill from the 14th century and its wooden chalets surrounded by a little river and a bamboo forest.
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We have 2 individual rooms (supporter price check below) and 4 twin rooms.
We are located 35 minutes away from Bergerac airport and 5 min wallk away from Monpazier, a medieval village from the 12th century classified as one of France's most beautiful villages.
You will also find
- A swimming pool
- A sauna
- Monpazier's local market on the Thursday morning.




About The Facilitator

"Beautiful in both its poetic and physical language, Mohand & Peter is a triumph."
There Ought To Be Clowns
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More info on Sophie's recent work Here
Sophie Bertrand Besse, founder of PSYCHEdelight Theatre Company of Sanctuary is both trained in drama and therapy and developed an expertise in physical theatre, ensemble work and clowning (Among other trainings: LISPA, Lucy Hopkins, Gaulier, Lecoq, Told by an Idiot, John Wright, Frank Wurzinger, Ben Keaton). Sophie is specialised in participatory theatre and used her therapy background to develop a trauma informed approach in directing and devising. She creates shows with mixed casts involving marginalised communities who wish to raise awareness about their life journeys. Sophie uses theatre as a platform to help people express themselves and be heard. She is a diversity advocate and expert at holding spaces with different cultures, languages and abilities in the room. She worked with young offenders and women in prison for 7 years and is the founder of the weekly Together Workshops, a gathering space for local people and refugee communities in London.
PRICE & CONDITIONS
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4 days/5 nights (31 May- 5 June)
(arrival 31st at 6pm departure 5th morning)​
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SUPPORTER - INDIVIDUAL: £480 You help provide access to our trainings for all & the 2 first people to book this price get an individual room.
NORMAL: £420
CONCESSION: £380
If you can't afford this retreat contact us here As a theatre company of Sanctuary we support participants from refugee background who wish to develop & share their artistic and facilitation skills with their communities.
PRICE
SUPER EARLY BIRD
Until 1 April 2025
Supporter: £450.
Normal: £390
Concessions: £350
Conditions
THE PRICE INCLUDES
Delicious home-made food, wine in the evening, accommodation, workshop and transport from and to Bergerac airport or station at agreed time (see below).
. To secure your place you need to pay a non refundable £100 deposit.
. The full fee has to be paid by the 1st of May and won't be refundable in case of last minute cancellation.
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TRANSPORT TO & FROM VENUE
We are a 40 min drive away from Bergerac airport and train station. There isn't any bus or Uber in the region so you have to make sure you arrive at the same time than the others.
Picking up time : around 6pm on the 31st of May in Bergerac.
Dropping off time: Between 9.30 and 10.30 am on the 5th.
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The easiest from London is flying with Ryanair to Bergerac airport. We recommend booking early for cheap prices.
31 May: 3.25pm - 6.10pm (Stansted-Bergerac)
5 June: 10.05am - 10.45am (Bergerac- Stansted)
For bookings & questions
contact Sophie here (please put "clown retreat" in the title) or via what's app on +447954153038
Thank you!