Acting Revolution

A New Understanding of Acting

How to deliver the story is not a topic that is addressed within any acting literature.  Yet, getting the story right is important because the story is the vehicle that engages the audience’s attention. Story is where the real priorities lie.

Relationship Carries Story

Every story is ultimately about relationship. It is the relationship and the circumstances that engage the audience not the dialogue. Actors shouldn't be focusing on the drama that is in the dialogue. Their focus must be on the effect the dialogue has on the relationship.

The Value of Simplicity

Simple things are easy to do, complicated processes invite failure . The powerful simplicity of these techniques frees the actor to confidently deliver outstanding performances. Actors who initially think this approach to acting is too basic, quickly change their minds. 

How Conversation Form Works

Every conversation has a form that gives it shape and structure. The form doesn't dictate how to say a line but it does guide the reasons that determine how to say a line. it guides the purpose of the conversation producing consistent choices that make a performance lifelike. 

Changing is a Key Acting Skill

Every actor should be relaxed and confident about listening to a director's notes, whether they are asking for subtle or huge changes. The ability to take direction is an essential acting skill. Rehearsing, for example, is an ongoing adjustment process. Making changes.should be a fun part of the actor's job. 

This is How a Conversation Works

Simple realities such as how a conversation actually works are important for an actor to understand. Those fundamentals of ordinary behaviour are often ignored by actors. Understanding them makes acting easier and easier.

Acting Shouldn't Be Complicated

Many people talk a lot about acting but actually say very little. That is because the traditional terminology is rather complicated and it takes a lot of explaining. So, it became apparent that actor's needed a new  vocabulary. That's what The Rehearsal Room process does really well. 

Effectively Manage Your Intuition

Intuitive impulses are the foundation of a good performance. Freely spontaneous performances result from clear, simple and logical choices. An actor's intuition can flourish when they are confident that the planning process is logical and will work
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Creating a Range of Characters

Creating a wide range of character's is the natural outcome of these very practical techniques. Whether playing the bully antagonist or the romantic lead, Ellmir was able to switch between these diverse character types with confidence. He has had a lot of fun using those skills and is regularly hired.

Perfection is the Actor's Enemy

Striving for perfection is another major destroyer of performance. An actor should never be striving to get it right. A much more productive ploy is to have fun enjoying being adventurous.

Surprises are the Cream on the Cake

Every big name actor plays brilliant surprises. They achieve those results because their experience and instincts guide them how to do it. This simple description of the biological and psychological mechanics of surprises enables every actor to play great surprises.

Valuing Yourself is the Key

"Good actors are people who are skilled at allowing themselves to be seen," that is Glenn Quinn's view. The actor's skill he believes, is to place yourself in the circumstances and the relationships of the story and then trust your listening. Your life experience and humanity will then do the rest.

Simplicity - a Mind Management Skill

Our minds and associated anxieties are very good at trapping us into over complicating our choices. It is no different for the actor. The path to good acting outcomes is to first make simple choices. This process is focused on de-cluttering understandings to enable simple practical choices to follow.

Preparing a Difficult Scene

A difficult scene is one where the circumstances are complicated, the feelings/emotions are strong, and the drama is high. These scenes are easy to over complicate. A specific process is required for the actor to find a simple path  to a rich and engaging performance. This video explains this technique.

A very useful formula

Subjective assessments of your own performance are erratic and often wildly of the mark. This is another area where a simple practical formula is the perfect option. This thoroughly tested formula produces a very accurate assessment of your performance outcomes. It also helps with what to change.

An acting process with many uses

Kyahl Anderson joined The Rehearsal Room on a quest for an acting technique that made sense. His rapid growth in understanding resulted in him quickly becoming an expert. As a result he was soon contributing to developments of the technique itself. Now he not only teaches it but uses the process as the foundation of his professional directing career.

Making More Complex Choices

It is easy for actors to get locked into the choice that feels the best. Once a process choice is firmly set the natural complexities are likely to drop off, rapidly. Being open to testing opposite concepts can create a freer and more open performance.

Proof of the Pudding

This production of The Memory of Water was a success with audiences and critics. The performances were different every night. That kept the actors on their toes, their choices fresh and the audiences engaged.