“All that life can give a man, has been given to him.He left this country.He has known other realms,the sea, some free existence. Me,I remained here.I remained,small and sullen,in a tedium,buried in the heart of this continent”
Martha,The Misunderstanding by A Camus Come to find out about Martha’s story!
I’m so happy to announce that I have been cast in The Misunderstanding theatre play by AlbertCamus in a role of Martha produced by Theatre Collection company.
I’ve been waiting to play such a good part for a long time, my character has so many layers and the story is dark and deep.
Come to see me and the rest of a great cast on stage on the 19, 20 and 21 July in Etcetera Theatre in Camden, tickets are on sale now 👇
I am making some new work… theatre, dance, music, art so everything mixed together. Right now it’s a chaotic blob , I don’t understand it so I sit down and think, or I dance – improvise with different music, textures, emotions. And I write. Then make a sound to it. Lots of ideas, it’s a specific way if working, well my way, but now I am bit more used to it to keep calm and carry on…
What I know is that it’s important, that I wanna say something heavy, meaningful and deep, and I wanna say it loud so everyone can hear. It will not be nice, pretty, pleasing and fun. It will be wild, deep, maybe difficult, maybe ugly, maybe beautiful. I don’t know.
So the show journey began. I had the idea for two shows in my head for over 8 years but after the last show EX UTERO that could have been successful but was interrupted by pandemic, I just gave up a bit. It was so much work, so many rehearsals without any compensation (which means scheduling between everyone’s jobs was a nightmare), then all of us got really ill at some point (obviously, it was 2020) but not at the same time. So the show was as an effect underrehearsed, although still had a potential. On the final performance, the one to which everyone was supposed to come including reviewers, one of the actors got really sick, decided not to come and we had to cancel the showing. Heartbreaking to be honest. But at that point I was so exhausted by producing and rehearsing two shows, performing and dealing with my physical not-so wellbeing that I just let it go. I was actually grateful for the lockdowns so I could rest from it all.
Reflection came later along with some kind of refusal to enter this process again, in the same way. I was just asking myself then why am I doing it to myself because it was an enormous amount of work and almost no gain. So we are back in 2023 and the ideas for the show are even more pressing now. They want to get out. So I found this beautiful rehearsing space in Shoreditch Town Hall and entered it without any expectations.
You see my creation process is very different from most of the theatre makers. I don’t start with writing. I do a lot of research, not on Google but within myself and within my body. I let my mind float free and generate ideas that might not be connected at the surface level. Then I work on them separately, developing them to a smaller or bigger scenes, I improvise around it, I move, I use words, I listen to music. Usually the things that come are the things I really want to say, that I wanted to express for years, things that want to get out to the world and stir the taboos and appearances. But I feel I have to transform them somehow, let them through my body, relive them so they become authentic experiences so I can express their essence in my unique way. Only then the words for dialogues come along and I write them down. I don’t like to write long speeches or some unnecessary conversations, the essence is the key and the rest is in behaviour and in silence between words. The words are the keys that are to open the minds, not to overstimulate them.
I also like to devise the dialogues and behaviours in collaboration but it’s essential that the person I am working with understands the process well. You see when improvising, is it in Meisner style or in Grotowski’s physical / dance theatre way, you don’t search for the words or gestures in your mind. You don’t search for them at all. They are supposed to come out of you with an impulse, like a cough or a burp. You don’t think about it and you don’t act ideas. And you never ever bring stuff to the improv that you think is supposed to be there. That’s what I was surprised people din’t understand – trying to be logical makes you totally unbelievable and predictable. It also makes you create things that are not authentic, because they are not yours. Because you are using ideas someone has already planted in your head some time ago – that B comes after A and 2 comes after 1. It’s a killer of creativity.
My mind never worked this way, for me the numbers can be in any order, the same as words and there is no right or wrong there are just old things and new. But try explaining that to people 🙂
So this is my initial process, that’s what I usually start with. The chaotic mixture that somehow finds its order at the end. I create separate pieces of the puzzle and combining them together is only the final act of creation. I told you it’s weird 🙂 But I know I am not the only one working this way. If you are – please let me know, I would love to chat.
This is Episode 1 of I am making a new show. Episode 2 is coming next week and it will be all about ideas for the show so basically what I am on about. It will be available only on my Patreon.
I’ve got a Patreon! And I am writing about my acting experiences of getting jobs on various projects and also giving a business of acting advice on how to get them, what steps to take when you are an unknown actor and what mistakes to avoid (which I didn’t :-).
Here is a snippet of the first of series of posts – whole article on 🔥PATREON.COM/ZUZATEHANU🔥 🔥Follow me me for more acting advice :-)🔥
This will be the first of many posts about how to get film roles when you are not a big actor with a big agent who has opportunities knocking at their door every day.
“I am not a big actress. Yet. I have skills and I have potential to do big things and many teachers and casting directors complemented my work. But I don’t have connections or famous family or anyone who could open the career door for me. I have to do it myself and I am working on it everyday. Because even if you are like me – working class, immigrant actor or actress with an accent, you can still get opportunities, you can get jobs and you can act, it’s just twice as hard. But you will if you really love it. I do, I would do anything to act a good part in a film or a play. But you need patience, persistence and hard work. And you need to find that place inside you where the love for acting lies and hold on to it, remind yourself daily why you are doing it. And always remember that moment when you are in a flow of performing and you feel so much alive!
Look at this gem we are creating! The best team of POL-BUD CABARET : @karioasconti @adam_hypki @m1sterm1key @emiliyahmusic @tomaszbrajter and @barbar_aka directed by @przymierska presents their first show inspired by Polish Entertainment Scene of the 80s, this Thursday the 27th in at 8:30pm in Ognisko Polskie in London (London Hearth Theatre). The show is SOLD OUT so make sure to get those tickets next time!! #cabaret #show #scene #stage #polishcabaret #actress #dancer #performer #theatre #behindthescenes #theatregroupe
Amazing pictures by Lucyna Kaniecka – @yourphotographerlondon fresh from our adventure in Tenerife!! I really love shooting with Lucy, she can catch the wildness and emotion perfectly!!!
Last week we had another great day of filming #DJKill by #AntonMakon . What a day!!! You can see on those behind the scenes pics that we were in a beautiful studio in @dalstonpier , we had fun but also were very focused and working hard!
I had a pleasure to play Kazimiera – the other one of my double role.
It was as always an honour to work with our amazing cast @carolineoakes1 @drama_cannon @arsandell @eliotjghello @trispretty and my partner in crime @romestewart99 and amazing crew Boyd and Dan
I m working on a new 🎬 character for the #DjKill movie by Anton Makon shooting in April. Meet Kazimiera!
It’s a second character I play in this film (Yes double character treat this time!), I will not reveal how are they existing next to each other because I don’t want to give away the plot BUT! I can say that Kazimiera is very different to my other character Edith 🙂
MOTHER MORTIS film by Balraj Kang and Apotheosis Productions, in which I play the role of Suzanne Kroll, had its premiere on Tuesday the 7th of February in Phoenix Cinema in Leicester.
What an experience to see our work on a big screen! And so lovely to see all cast and crew again!
The movie will be out globally on Amazon and DVD very soon so check it out if you like gore!
This Tuesday the 7th of February I am going to a world premiere of MOTHER MORTIS movie in Leicester Phoenix Cinema !! I m very excited!! It’s my first premiere of a feature film I played in. Can’t wait to see all the amazing cast and crew! What a journey!!
Just before Xmas we had a private screening of our film INERTIA by Blue Sera Films where I played Billy. The film is very unusual, hypnotic, sensory rich. Most importantly it’s in a subject of female safety on streets late at night and violence against women. Very very important issues that we should shout about from the rooftops until they are dealt with properly.
I am very happy to be taking part in this journey with @blueserafilms @bluesera85 @official_ruishang @hcauchi and the rest of fantastic cast and crew. The film is doing the festival rounds now so we are all keeping our fingers crossed for the results. I really hope you will all watch it at some point. ♥️🖤
Another great day on set of #DJKILL playing EDITH, film directed by #AntonMakon with fantastic cast @drama_cannon @carolineoakes1 @kellyefthymiouactress and lovely crew Guy, Boyd, Eliot .
In the midst of all the music show and single release I forgot to mention that “Pennyworth 3” is out now on HBO Max and other platforms where you can see my brief appearance in Episode 4. You can’t see me much but this role was about the music and so you can clearly hear me playing accordion which I recorded in Warner Bros music studios last year in November.
My scene was filmed few days later and it looks beautiful, the both actors I rehearsed and filmed with were lovely, especially Dorothy Atkinson made me feel very welcomed on this rushed day on set. It was a great experience but not without its challenges, few days before the recording I didn’t even own an accordion and I had only few hours before the music recording to learn the song I never played before.
But I did it and I think I will share this story in detail on my Patreon because it’s quite a something!
It’s time to announce the news!!! MY NEW SONG “FIRE” is COMING OUT ON THE 31st OF OCTOBER!!!! Long time after we made our first music video “Someone said” with my band Yavenirie Amok, we are back with a different sound, bigger squad, better quality mix and more firey! Also we are releasing our music for the first time in the online streaming space! The release of “Fire” will be wildly celebrated at the @surreeluncannyfestival on Monday 31st of October where we will play a nice long and spooky set of new songs combined with dance theatre and Samhain vibes creating a new form – Sound Theatre.
For all of you who won’t be able to join us we have an online premiere on all the streaming platforms , 8pm London time!
You will be able to listen, save and download the track!!!
I can’t wait for you to hear it!! See you on the 31.10 in a material or virtual reality!!!!!
The festival starts at 7pm with a projection of surreal horror films, we are playing at 9pm and everything finishes at 10pm so don’t be late, entry – £5 ! See you there! Dress up ! We will
I was keeping it under wraps BUT I can now share that I got cast as Edith, the Head Witch, in DJ Kill feature film written and directed by Anton Makon. I am over the moon for receiving such a great opportunity and I feel blessed and grateful that the Director and all the team believed in my skills and trusted me to play this super interesting but also a challenging role.
The film is in the middle of shooting now and I had my first filming day this week, more to come this and next year 🙂 I also absolutely loved working with all the amazing cast , they are not only brilliant actors but also a bunch of lovely people who welcomed me warmly into the team so I want to send them all a big hug 🙂
I am very happy to announce that I have been cast in Eden Limchawalit-Smith’s upcoming feature film ‘Lovetistic’ as a lead female character Clementine.
Can’t wait to start filming in Birmingham in April with the whole team of ViciousCobra Films.
Zuza Tehanu is a multi-faceted performer living and working in London.
For the “Brexit Makes Me Sad 😥” pop-up Zuza will be a performing a melancholy dance and movement piece based on her latest show “Someone Said”.
“Brexit makes me sad because it comes from the idea that we are divided and need to be separated and isolated for reasons that are not even clear. I strongly believe that only in interactions and with all our diversity we can experience connection and grow as a society”
“Someone Said” incorporates dance, theatre, performance art, singing, original music and poetry. It was created in response to recent events and changes in society as well as all the miscommunication we witness on a daily basis. The division of the society that is happening right now is both scary and sad. It creates the illusion that one group of people wants to attack the other, for any reason. While the people repeat whatever they heard from others and refuse to listen to anything that collides with their beliefs, all of society goes into the division state of mind, which at the end is just an idea. An illusion which invaded their minds and blinds them to see that we are all one.
I have a pleasure to be part of this amazing theatrical Cabaret experience by Patrizia Paolini – I will perform in an ansemble and with my own little act in Hoxton Hall on the 24th of February!!!
Directed and Produced by Emiliyah Singer, Edited by Zuza Tehanu Film and Photography, Art direction by Eva Lis, DOP by Andrey Kurochkin,
Starring: Sham Anka, Emiliyah Singer and Zuza Tehanu.
I will feature in December issue of What’s Hot London Magazine.
If you see it in print somewhere – take a look inside for my crazy pictures and an interview, or You can wait for an update with an online version on this page!!!
It comes out on the 6th of December, watch this space!!! It’s time to take over this city 🙂
Video promo for my performance “Mire” coming to Etcetera Theatre Camden on the 14th and 15th of January at 4:30pm. Music made by Zuza Tehanu and Tomasz Brajter.
at Etcetera Theatre (Above the Oxford Arms), 265 Camden High Street NW1 7BU
Dates & Times:
Saturday 14th January at 4:30pm
Sunday 15th January at 4:30pm
Tickets:
General Admission £8 + booking fees
FEMININE, SPIRITUAL DANCE THEATRE
Spiritual dance theatre performance “Mire” created by Zuza Tehanu is based on a deep internal search for feminine power and archaic intuitive wisdom. Through following the impulses and feelings coming from the performer’s own body the artist tried to identify the struggles that women experienced through the ages on the path of becoming more powerful and connecting to their inner knowledge. The female body then became the main subject of the study, as the artist believes that those struggles are imprinted into the bodies of all women collectively. Therefore the performance became a diary of a very personal journey to overcome the obstacles on the way to discover the feminine true self.
This one-dancer Performance is an interdisciplinary creation combining very organic, contemporary dance, theatre and singing with some originally composed music and poetry:
Her water spilled
Her matter embraced the ground
Her body became a mud
And from the mud back it came
For She is the Creator
She is the feelings of Mother Earth
The beginning and the end
The Goddess, the obstacle, the transition
Woman, in her pure, timeless being.
Music by Zuza Tehanu and Tomasz Brajter
“rhythmical performance, a whirlwind of forceful energy, hypnotic, alive, intense energy, rhythmical energy, powerful, very powerful…” THE ORGAN
02.10 – Festival of Choice, 04.10 – Action Pelpeuse
Created on a basis and with the deep internal research of the impulses and feelings coming from the performer’s own body. Being a female determined the exploration in the subject of women’s body and internal, archaic wisdom that it possesses. The wisdom that seems to be lost or connection with ceased through ages.
“Mire”
Her water spilled
Her matter embraced the ground
Her body became a mud
And from the mud back it came
For She is the Creator
She is the feelings of Mother Earth
The beginning and the end
The Goddes, the obstacle, the transition
Woman, in her pure, timeless being.
Some time ago I worked on “Fire” music video by great singer Emliyah and the MightyZ All Stars. The band is really busy this summer giging in London and South England.
I will be performing on MADE IN POLSKA event with my performance “Yarners”, next Wednesday the 18th, 7pm, £3, event of Polish short films and live performance organised by Shorts On Tap and InShort Film Festival , be there or be square !!!
I will be performing my new solo work “Yarners” on the 16th of March on the Action Peupleuse event hosted in The Betsey Trotwood, 56 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3BL London.
The event will feature women artists this time and will start at 8pm.
“Yarners”
Women’s bodies. Bodies of pain not expressed , Bodies of joy and pleasure suppressed ,
Bodies of stories never said and
Bodies that never shout out
But are shouted at
To shut them up
I have a pleasure to announce that I will be appearing on Channel 5 as Wallis Simpson in “Inside Buckingham Palace” documantary series made by fantastic WildFire TV crew, I will be playing in Episode 2 on Wednesday the 2nd of March at 9pm.
Welcome to our HAPPENING.
We are artists. We support eachother in any of our creations, art causes and events. We gather together to drag Your attention, to entertain You and ourselves, to share our creativity and show You who we are.
This HAPPENING is all about DANCE.
Dance as a free body movement that anyone can do, dance as a skillfull movement that anybody can learn, dance as a form of expression that anyone can have.
Dance as a therapy.
Dance as a blissfull moment of joy.
Dance as something that you need.
You can dance no matter the age, gender, race, nation, skill level or anything else. You can dance any time, anywhere.
You can dance now, with us.
This time we were dancing , singing , and creatively fooling around to support one dancer –Zuza Tehanuin her campain to raise funds for a Dance Development Programme that she was accepted on.gofundme.com/helpzuzadance
We were also spreading the word about the new shows of singersEmiliyah SingerandMaja SlimChick(Petal) , who supported us with their songs and performance and we showed the newest creation of artist Eva Lis.
We started in front of Tate Modern at 12:30 pm on Sunday the 23rd of August and continue our creative walk along Thames until the huge rain stopped us at Blackfriars Bridge, where we gave a street performance of dance, live singing and live art.
If you are interested in having a similar event promotion Your Art contact Zuza here or via zuzatehanu@yahoo.co.uk.
I recently passed the audition and was accepted on an amazing contemporary dance education programme lead by Transform Dance Company.
I really want to improve my dancing skills and take my Dance Theatre company to the next level but I don’t have enough funds so I am starting a crowd funding campaign for it .
Please help. I ll be grateful for any donations but also for sharing and a word of support. I am doing that the first time… Thank you!!!!!!!!
I love traveling with friends on a mini holidays and get involved in some art makeing at the same time. This summer we were on a green fields near Southampton and we set up new Female Art Collective (still in progres).
One of our first projects is this photosession:
Photographer: Emiliyah Make-up : Emiliyah Assistants: Eva Lis, Anie Lica Editing; Zuza Tehanu Model: Zuza Tehanu
I was floating on the surface of a freezing pond, it just looks easy 🙂 More pictures to come!
I filmed “Atonement” Scene with a filmmaker Ray Price. It’s good to practise acting skills and get some showreel material. My partner was actress Caroline Lazarus.
That was happening today – happy Princess Leiastraight from Star Wars , filming music video for The Absurds band with a bunch of crazy positive people.
Some time ago I landed a speaking part in a Hospital Reconstruction Drama, the filming was happening earlier today and I can announce that I was playing Irina Cook, a mother of a very ill child. The film should be available online later this year.
I feel amazed!!! The filming day was fabulous, the whole team of Red Goat Productions are such a nice people 🙂 And it’s so good to act!!!
Zuza Tehanu 