THE 1st Dublin International Theatre Symposium will run from January 3rd to 8th, under the auspices of Pan Pan Theatre Company and TCD's Samuel Beckett Centre. The week will feature talks, workshops and demonstration performances from eight theatre companies including: Scena Plastyczna Kul and Mandala Theatre, Poland, Theatre de L'Instant, France, Teatro Potlach, Italy, Tyst Teater, Sweden, Scarlet Theatre from England and Marbergerteaterwerkstatt from Germany, as well as Pan Pan itself.

Subjects for exploration will include the "Theatre of the Grotesque", "Body and Voice and Meyerhold's Biomechanics", the creation of character and styles of performance.

The symposium comes at a time when younger companies like Pan Pan and the Corn Exchange are turning very obviously to continental physical performance styles - perhaps they are the first generation of companies in which a large number of practitioners have studied theatre in an academic context? - and it can hardly fail to be fascinating. Information can be had from Mary O'Donovan on 01-2800544.