The Great Acting Blog: “Great Performances Need Curation”

The Great Acting Blog: “Great Performances Need Curation”

The actor’s contribution to a production appears to get less credit these days because the human being can seem so unimpressive when set against the melee of special effects and set design, certainly the nuance of performance can be lost. Yes, acting is a subtle art, it’s the actor’s job to render his magic imperceptible, he is required to make it look as though what he does is effortless, that he’s not actually doing anything at all. Therein lies the rub: if an actor draws attention to his work then he shatters the illusion that is his job to create. One might say that actors get plenty of attention and accolades; just look at the Cannes Film Festival or the Oscars with their red carpets, champagne and haute couture. To wit the argument must surely be that those feted ceremonies are only for the few, not for the many, and in any case, the calibre of an actor’s work cannot necessarily be measured in this way. The truth is, too much great work goes unnoticed and uncelebrated while absurd rewards are lavished on mediocrity.

Unless great performances are pointed to and curated, this culture of acting could very well die.

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