The Great Acting Blog: “Why The Cynics Are Wrong”

The Great Acting Blog: “Why The Cynics Are Wrong”

A denial of acting technique is a denial that acting is an art and that actors are artists. Those who have no technique (many more actors than we might think) are on the make. They are obsessed with self-consciousness, that is, terrified of it, because a sudden self-awareness is a reminder that they do not know what they are doing. They spend their whole time trying to force themselves to “forget” that they are acting, a neurotic delusion of galactic proportions. But this is what technique-deniers believe acting is about.

Did Luciano Pavarotti try to make himself forget that he was singing when he was on stage? Did Elvis Presley? Did Rudolph Nureyev try to force himself to forget that what he was doing was dancing?

A concrete, repeatable technique of acting enables us to give shape to our work, to give it a form which is meaningful to the audience. Technique liberates all that we have to offer, it gives us creative options, it helps us to function gloriously in the moment. It means we can be organic actors, creating afresh each time we do the scene. Technique means we are never frightened of directors’ notes, we can alter our work to shifting circumstances. Technique gives us respect for our work and respect for ourselves (a most useful asset). Technique means we can enjoy our work, not fear it.

We don’t need yet another cynic going into acting, who only wants to take from it. We’ve already got plenty of those.

Take the time to find and practice a technique which works and makes sense to you. It will reward you endlessly, and offer you the possibility of being a true artist.

 

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