The most precious acting tool in your toolbox is you
Photo by David Pisnoy on Unsplash
Acting is a trade. When we step out onto the stage to present our product to rows of paying customers we have delved into our toolbox of training, tips and tricks to get us there. We have worked as a team to shape the raw material of words and ideas into a polished public performance.
We require no van or tool bag, no spanner or spade; just a space to perform and someone to perform to. We carry our tools with us: our heads, our hearts, our voices, our gestures, our bodies. These are the tools of our trade and we need to look after them. Creativity isn’t something that just happens. It’s hard work and we must constantly practise and replenish our skills to stay ahead of the game.
However, as an actor friend recently said, you can learn all the tricks and techniques you like but at the end of the day, when you have just four weeks to rehearse a play, and a varied ensemble of backgrounds and experiences, the director is not going to indulge each actor in their method. The director leads the process, and you must follow. You may well draw upon processes you’ve picked up along the way as part of your preparatory work at home along with learning the lines. Your toolkit is your safety net, to help you through those moments of struggle and insecurity, when you can’t see how you’ll ever get from A to B, when you can’t quite pin the character down or hit the subtext of a line.
Drama school is a great place for building your acting toolkit, but it’s an option that’s become increasingly out of reach for many as a route into the industry. For those who don’t have this luxury, you need to be like a magpie, stealing and borrowing what you can from other sources. The internet is awash with valuable information, from dedicated Facebook network groups to masterclasses with actors. The downside is it can sometimes seem an impossible task seeking that shiny, valuable nugget of advice in amongst the rubbish. And what if you don’t know what to look for? If there’s no drama school or college course tick-list of things to know and do, where do you start?
First, don’t reinvent the wheel. There are organisations out there who have already done the groundwork in pulling together various useful bits of information. They’ve done the work, so you don’t have to. Second, ask someone. Speak to actors working in the industry; most love the opportunity to talk about themselves. Third, be selective. You can’t take on board every bit of advice you’re given. Choose the tools that feel right for you, that chime with your own way of working. Fourth, network with people in the same boat as you, not just those steaming ahead of you. Learning from peers is as important as learning from our idols. Finally, take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Your mind and body need nurturing. Drink in plays and performances, soak up art and culture; feed your creativity with creative experiences.
No one actor works in the same way as anyone else. Everyone is unique and so are you. Embrace what it is that makes you unique and make sure you sharpen those tools.
ARDENT RESOURCES is a collection of workshop notes, interviews, guidance and tips about working in Theatre. Click HERE to check it out.