The other day actor KF wrote, “We had our first read-through on Monday and I feel as though I was jumping to conclusions much too early and trying too hard to grasp some part of the character. How can I ease my nerves and work towards creating the role one piece at a time?”
Just remember, KF, that June 21 is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. So slow down, pay attention to what’s going on around you, and use the rehearsal time to carefully create that role.
Stop worrying about the acting and reread the script looking for the given circumstances and clues about your character. What do other characters say about you? What do you say about yourself? By reading slowly and carefully, you should begin to see certain responses that will help you define the character.
You also need to take some time to imagine your character in his world. How does he move and sound? What is his profession and what does that say about him? What is the world he lives in like and how does he respond to it?
The real challenge for every actor is to find a doorway into the script and character. I believe that if we read scripts carefully, we will be guided toward an entrance. It might be a barely visible rabbit hole or a big gaudy entrance but once found, we have to begin working it and easing ourselves into the script.
Finally, while the summer solstice may remind us to slow down it is also a reminder than when we are working on a creative problem, the solution might be revealed by some everyday event, something that has no connection to the problem. So keep your eyes, ears, and minds open because as Bob Dylan suggested, the answer might be “blowing in the wind” or it could hiding in the shadows on the longest day of the year.
© Eric Barr. All rights reserved
