PERFORMANCE PERSPECTIVES

"Iris"

INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL VALUES

The debate about internally focused or externally focused performance is one that sometimes confuses. A new entry on the Bulletin Board raises the issue suggesting that in fact it is not such an important factor but rather it is being 'truthful' which is the most essential ingredient to master.

Being truthful is indeed an essential ingredient and one that excites no debate. Everyone agrees that this is essential. But it is harder to explain and sometimes harder for the actor to understand the value of the externally focused performance particularly as an internally focused performance feels so good to the inexperienced actor.

It is in this light that JUDI DENCH'S performance in "Iris" is particularly interesting. Here undoubtedly is one of the world's greatest actors. JUDI'S performances are always richly complex, beautifully focused and absolutely truthful. She has many awards to her name. Her level of technical skill is only eclipsed by her total trust of her intuitive powers. She has produced a vast range of characters, diverse in colour, nature and background. And all have been thoroughly believable. What is more her performances are always wonderfully active and appropriately dramatic because in the view of The Rehearsal Room she IS ALWAYS externally focused.

Iris is an interesting character to create for she is eccentric, intelligent, challenging and unique. Both KATE WINSLET and JUDI DENCH who play the different phases of Iris Murdoch's life wonderfully portray all this. But this is the story of a person who becomes disabled by Alzheimer's disease and so it is inevitable that JUDI DENCH is ultimately faced with the challenge of playing a character who is entirely cut off from the stimulus of the world around her. Iris becomes the ultimate of 'internally focused' characters, played superbly by the ultimate of actors and so the outcome is fascinating to watch.

The outcome of this performance is interesting to explore…

Is it truthful? … Absolutely.

Is it readable? … Without question.

Is it complex? … It's as richly complex as the circumstances will allow.

Is it dramatic? … Here, despite the great talent of JUDI DENCH and an equally matched performance from JIM BROADBENT the answer is that by the time the Alzheimer's disease is in it's advanced stage the dramatic content of the story has diminished significantly for there is no more chance of conflict from an internally focused performance. Once the performance is internally focus the drama potential becomes inert.

Go and See JUDY DENCH in "Iris"
If you are at all interested in this debate around internal and externally focused performance process you should assess the outcome of JUDI DENCH'S performance yourself. It may clarify or change your views on the issue.

The Rehearsal Room View.
The first casualty when a performance is internally focused is the dramatic content of the story and the performance. It is the audiences desire to see the "need" which exists between the characters fulfilled, that keeps the audience engaged in the action being played out by the characters. In simple terms this "need" has to be a desire that one character has of another and therefore to achieve this goal each actor must be focused externally on the other one.

• If a character believes there is a chance of achieving their desires then there is hope.
• If a character sees no chance of achieving their goals then there is disappointment and/or conflict.

These are the basic foundations of dramatic performance. What happens in "Iris" is that as JUDI DENCH'S Iris is consumed by the Alzheimer's disease her external "need" diminishes ultimately to zero and the consequent drama diminishes by at least 50%. The remaining 50% contributed by JIM BROADBENT is also considerably diminished because without conflicting needs the outcome is predictable and therefore not particularly dramatic.

This has nothing to do with either of these actor's capabilities. THESE ARE TWO FINE PERFORMANCES. But it is the direct outcome of a story that by its nature removes the externally focused "need" from one of its characters.

The same outcome will result from any actor's choice to deliver an internally focused performance. The longer an actor stays internally pre-occupied the less drama will ultimately eventuate.

Also see Performance Perspectives on "The Croupier" and "The Contender".

March 2002

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