Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Things that are artsy and have nothing to do with acting

This is stuff that really irritates me and I have just run into it a couple of times today, "I can't relate to my character," or "this role will make me explore the dark side of myself". Yeah, right. Have these people never heard of 'acting?' Oh, well, maybe they have heard the word, but have no idea what it is all about. Relating to my character? Hello? Why do you have to do that? No one who plays Hamlet needs to 'relate' to him. Perhaps they are very happy with both parents alive and still married and they don't see ghosts, etc. How are they supposed to 'relate'? Well they are not. They are supposed to portray the role as Shakespeare presents it in the play. An actor is not the character. Any 'exploring the dark side?' Ha! Again, Hamlet contemplates suicide, commits accidental homicide and premeditated homicide. So is the actor supposed to do those things? No, of course not. He is supposed to represent the character. Statements about relating to characters or exploring one's personal dark side have nothing to do with what actors do. Actors react to stimuli in the imaginary circumstances of the play in a way honest to the time and playce and which communicates to an audience. They don't relate and they don't do psycholanalysis. They react. If there reactions are open and honest, they may reveal feelings that the actor generally does not care to reveal, but they do not do any harm. Let's cut the crap, people, and stick to what acting is about, not the artsy garbage of The Method and that sort of phony baloney/

1 comment:

  1. The Method way of acting is what I was mainly exposed to. I really agree with your point of view here. It makes more sense. I like what you said about the actor revealing feelings that they generally would not care to reveal. That's so true.

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