In Response Theatre’s newest work, I Made You a Mixtape, the choreography isn't just a dance—it’s the script. Using the Response Movement Method, nine performers navigate the nostalgia and heartbreak of a final college hangout, treating every track like a scene partner.
We caught up with Creative Director and Choreographer Christie Lee Manning to discuss the "truthfully lived" philosophy of the show. From the mechanics of improvised music videos to the emotional tax of a "last night together," Christie shares how she coached her cast to stop acting and start responding.
What can you tell me about I Made You A Mixtape and the inspiration behind it?
'I Made You a Mixtape' grew from my discovery of Meisner acting technique whilst training with Impulse Acting Company, a professional acting program run by Scott Williams here in London, UK. As a dancer, I had always felt like I was learning shortcuts to acting rather than the craft itself. Meisner completely changed that for me, so naturally my first instinct after completing the course was: can this technique be translated into movement?
'I Made You a Mixtape' grew from my discovery of Meisner acting technique whilst training with Impulse Acting Company, a professional acting program run by Scott Williams here in London, UK. As a dancer, I had always felt like I was learning shortcuts to acting rather than the craft itself. Meisner completely changed that for me, so naturally my first instinct after completing the course was: can this technique be translated into movement?
After three years of research and development, that exploration eventually became the Response Movement Method, where the performer’s scene partner becomes the music and the choreography becomes the text. After several workshops across the UK, New York and Canada, the impact on artists and performers was extraordinary. Eventually the question became: if this process is so powerful for artists, what might it do for an audience? I Made You a Mixtape is our attempt to answer that question.
For those unaware, can you explain what the Meisner technique is and how it’s used in the production?
Sanford Meisner technique is an acting technique built around truthful response in the present moment. Instead of focusing on planning or performing emotions, the actor learns to listen deeply and respond instinctively to what is happening in front of them. It's primarily focused on accessing genuine, human impulse, as opposed to a preconceived idea. And for anyone that has experienced it, it's magical. You never feel more alive than when you are practicing Meisner.
Sanford Meisner technique is an acting technique built around truthful response in the present moment. Instead of focusing on planning or performing emotions, the actor learns to listen deeply and respond instinctively to what is happening in front of them. It's primarily focused on accessing genuine, human impulse, as opposed to a preconceived idea. And for anyone that has experienced it, it's magical. You never feel more alive than when you are practicing Meisner.
In 'I Made You a Mixtape', we translate that idea into movement using our company's method, Response. Instead of another actor always being your scene partner, the music becomes your scene partner. The choreography functions as your text. So rather than “performing steps,” the performers are responding physically and emotionally to what they hear in real time. Just as a truthful actor will never say the same line in the exact same way twice, this holds true for the dancers. They know their 'text' (in our case, their choreography) but how they respond to the music using that same 'text' every night is different. It has changed the way I experience dance forever.
You treat the music as a scene partner. Can you describe a time when a piece of music dictated your physical movement in a way that felt involuntary rather than planned?
There are moments where a piece of music hits you in such a visceral way that your body responds before your brain has time to decide anything. In those moments, the movement isn’t choreographed, it’s instinctive. It might be a shift in energy, a sudden stillness, or a burst of movement you didn’t plan. That’s when the method is working best, because the performer isn’t illustrating the music, they’re genuinely responding to it.
There are moments where a piece of music hits you in such a visceral way that your body responds before your brain has time to decide anything. In those moments, the movement isn’t choreographed, it’s instinctive. It might be a shift in energy, a sudden stillness, or a burst of movement you didn’t plan. That’s when the method is working best, because the performer isn’t illustrating the music, they’re genuinely responding to it.
Because no two shows are the same, how do you handle the vulnerability of not knowing exactly how a scene will play out physically?
This is a great question. That vulnerability is actually the point. The work asks performers to trust their training and their instincts rather than control every outcome. When you accept that you don’t know exactly how a moment will unfold, it forces you to stay present and responsive. That’s where the truth of the performance lives, and that's what makes this work so impactful. The journey of the soundtrack also comes into play here, as I've strategically placed the music in a certain order that no matter what happens within the journey of the show, the outcome is more or less the same, because once you've given yourself permission to feel everything, what you're usually left with is a profound sense of peace.
This is a great question. That vulnerability is actually the point. The work asks performers to trust their training and their instincts rather than control every outcome. When you accept that you don’t know exactly how a moment will unfold, it forces you to stay present and responsive. That’s where the truth of the performance lives, and that's what makes this work so impactful. The journey of the soundtrack also comes into play here, as I've strategically placed the music in a certain order that no matter what happens within the journey of the show, the outcome is more or less the same, because once you've given yourself permission to feel everything, what you're usually left with is a profound sense of peace.
This is also where the training within Meisner and the Response Movement Method is very important. It takes very mature, very self-aware, very compassionate, and very brave artists to do this work. These nine women are superheros.
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If the music feels different tonight than it did yesterday, how do you allow your body to change the choreography?
We approach choreography as a framework rather than a fixed result. The structure is there, but the emotional impulse behind it can change depending on how the music lands that day. If the music feels different, the timing, quality, and intention of the movement naturally shifts with it. And these artists are so well trained in this method that if something is different on the night, it will always be the most powerful and resonating version of what was meant to be, because it will be the truth. A famous Meisner quote is, 'Don't invent, but don't deny'. So if something changes within a performance, it's because something more truthful was present that night.
We approach choreography as a framework rather than a fixed result. The structure is there, but the emotional impulse behind it can change depending on how the music lands that day. If the music feels different, the timing, quality, and intention of the movement naturally shifts with it. And these artists are so well trained in this method that if something is different on the night, it will always be the most powerful and resonating version of what was meant to be, because it will be the truth. A famous Meisner quote is, 'Don't invent, but don't deny'. So if something changes within a performance, it's because something more truthful was present that night.
If choreography is your “text,” how do you avoid simply reciting steps?
Just like an actor doesn’t simply recite lines, we ask performers to focus on intention and response rather than the steps themselves. The choreography is there to support communication, not replace it. If the performer stays connected to the music and their circumstances, the movement becomes expressive rather than mechanical.
Just like an actor doesn’t simply recite lines, we ask performers to focus on intention and response rather than the steps themselves. The choreography is there to support communication, not replace it. If the performer stays connected to the music and their circumstances, the movement becomes expressive rather than mechanical.
If you could add one track to this mixtape that represents a pivotal moment in your own coming-of-age, what would it be and why?
You’ll find that most of the soundtrack in 'I Made You a Mixtape' is a reflection of my teenage years in the 90s, and almost every song carries a very specific nostalgic memory for me. That said, for whatever reason, Matchbox Twenty's "How Far We've Come" will always hit a little deeper than most. I couldn’t tell you exactly why. There’s just something about their music that feels like it understands my soul.
You’ll find that most of the soundtrack in 'I Made You a Mixtape' is a reflection of my teenage years in the 90s, and almost every song carries a very specific nostalgic memory for me. That said, for whatever reason, Matchbox Twenty's "How Far We've Come" will always hit a little deeper than most. I couldn’t tell you exactly why. There’s just something about their music that feels like it understands my soul.
In a chaotic dorm party setting, how do you balance being a main character while supporting the ensemble?
It’s very similar to how real parties work. Sometimes you’re at the centre of a moment, and sometimes you’re witnessing someone else’s. The performers stay aware of the ensemble energy at all times so the room always feels alive and interconnected. I've also designed the show so that each character has their own 'song' so to speak, where their character and experience is highlighted for that moment in time, interspersed with group routines to carry on the party atmosphere. It's much like the cast of 'Friends', where everyone has their own story, but it's when they come together that makes them magnetic.
The stage is filled with objects like lava lamps and camcorders. How do they become part of your history rather than just props?
We treat the environment as part of the world of the story rather than decoration. The objects represent shared memories, the kinds of things that instantly transport people back to their own past. The goal is for the audience to recognise those objects and feel like they’ve stepped into a memory rather than a set.
We treat the environment as part of the world of the story rather than decoration. The objects represent shared memories, the kinds of things that instantly transport people back to their own past. The goal is for the audience to recognise those objects and feel like they’ve stepped into a memory rather than a set.
If an improvised moment goes off the rails during a live show, how do you keep the truth of the scene alive?
It’s an excellent question because the honest answer is that if something goes “off the rails,” it’s usually because it is the truth, not despite it. The brilliance of Meisner, and therefore the Response Movement Method, is that your instinctual behaviour is generated within you, but it’s always because of something outside of you: the music, the environment, or the other performers. It requires a real lack of ego to work this way, because you can’t self-direct or simply do what you feel like doing. You’re constantly responding to what’s actually happening around you. Because the performers are always searching for that truthful response, it’s almost impossible for something to truly go off the rails because the work is built on your hunt and desire for the truth.
It’s an excellent question because the honest answer is that if something goes “off the rails,” it’s usually because it is the truth, not despite it. The brilliance of Meisner, and therefore the Response Movement Method, is that your instinctual behaviour is generated within you, but it’s always because of something outside of you: the music, the environment, or the other performers. It requires a real lack of ego to work this way, because you can’t self-direct or simply do what you feel like doing. You’re constantly responding to what’s actually happening around you. Because the performers are always searching for that truthful response, it’s almost impossible for something to truly go off the rails because the work is built on your hunt and desire for the truth.
The show moves from joy to heartbreak very quickly. How do performers transition between those states?
Because the performers receive their circumstances moments before going on stage, the emotional shift begins internally before the audience even sees it. When the performer is truly connected to their 'given circumstances', the physical and emotional transition happens naturally. And the less planned their reaction is, the more truthful and seamless it is.
Because the performers receive their circumstances moments before going on stage, the emotional shift begins internally before the audience even sees it. When the performer is truly connected to their 'given circumstances', the physical and emotional transition happens naturally. And the less planned their reaction is, the more truthful and seamless it is.
The show explores growing up and growing apart. How does that theme affect the performance?
Most people can remember a moment when a chapter of their life was ending, like the last night with friends before everything changed. That shared experience is something the performers draw on deeply, because it’s universal. It's also something rooted into this company, as many of the company members are international, have come from various backgrounds, and know that sharing a stage together in this capacity won't last forever. In that way, it becomes very easy to connect to that innate feeling of, "this won't last forever."
Most people can remember a moment when a chapter of their life was ending, like the last night with friends before everything changed. That shared experience is something the performers draw on deeply, because it’s universal. It's also something rooted into this company, as many of the company members are international, have come from various backgrounds, and know that sharing a stage together in this capacity won't last forever. In that way, it becomes very easy to connect to that innate feeling of, "this won't last forever."
What would you hope an audience member takes away from seeing 'I Made You a Mixtape'?
I hope audiences leave feeling more connected, to the music that we all grew up with, to the people who were part of those memories, to the artists onstage, but most importantly, to themselves. At its heart, this show is about the now. It’s an invitation to remember what it felt like to be completely in the moment with the people around you.
I hope audiences leave feeling more connected, to the music that we all grew up with, to the people who were part of those memories, to the artists onstage, but most importantly, to themselves. At its heart, this show is about the now. It’s an invitation to remember what it felt like to be completely in the moment with the people around you.
I Made You A Mixtape runs at The Cockpit Theatre in London on Monday 6th April at 7.30pm and Tuesday 7th April at 3pm and 7.30pm. Tickets are available from https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/i_made_you_a_mixtape
The show also runs at The Cockpit from 12th to 14th June.
You can find out more about Response Theatre Company by visiting https://www.responsetheatrecompany.com/company
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