THE CONVERSATION EXERCISE

The Advance Workshop is focused on LISTENING skills and finding the IMPULSE to speak.  Here is an example of one of the exercises from this class.  It has been adapted from exercises developed by American acting teacher Sanford Meisner.

It is an exercise for two actors. 

It’s called ‘The Conversation Exercise”.

The rules are simple but strict …

1. Relax
2. Drop in a ‘need’ (for more see THE REHEARSAL ROOM VERBS LIST)
3. Wait until there’s an impulse to say something conversational to the other character.
4. As soon as one person speaks, that dialogue becomes the text and those exact words are ALL THAT CAN BE SAID BY EITHER CHARACTER.
5. Personal pronouns are the ONLY words that can change – ‘I’, ‘Me’, ‘You’, ‘They’, ‘Us’ etc – can be changed if desired.
6. Each character MUST take it in turns to speak.
7. The characters MUST HAVE A CONVERSATION,

Standard Rehearsal Room assessments apply.  The conversation must be believable and it must deliver a story – that’s the ultimate goal.

NOW HAVE A LOOK AT TWO ACTORS TRYING THIS EXERCISE IN A CLASS.

The actors are TIM CLARKE and CECILY HEARN.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT THE WAY TIM AND CECILY DO THIS EXERCISE?

1. They are happy to wait.  Neither actor rushes to speak for the sake of speaking.   They both wait for an impulse generated by really wanting to say something.
2. I LIKE the fact that TIM engages with CECILY to find a reason.
3. I LOVE the fact that CECILY’S character is amused that the topic of conversation is TIM’S neck.  (She allows her personal view of life to affect her choices).  She seems to be saying, “Are we really going to talk about this?”
4. I LIKE that TIM’S character sticks to the chosen path and confirms that he really wants to talk about his neck.
5. I LOVE that CECILY, despite the fact she is bemused by the topic, tries to politely participate
6. I LOVE that TIM’S character is suddenly hopeful she is going to participate in his conversation about necks.
7. AND I LOVE that CECILY’S character then realizes this topic isn’t relevant to her.  She therefore doesn’t really want to keep talking about it.
8. AND I ALSO LOVE that TIM’S character hears her refusal to continue as a comment on his choice of conversation topic OR a reflection of a not very comfortable relationship OR disinterest in his neck.  It is hard for him to decide which of these options might be the right one – but none of them are good for him.
9. I LOVE the fact that TIM’S character then reflects fleetingly on the condition of his neck.
10. I LOVE the fact that CECILY’S character continues to assess the circumstances and her choices, coming to the conclusion that there was no other choice but to stop this boring conversation.
11. I LOVE that CECILY’S character reconsiders whether her choice was reasonable – and decides she was right – there is no reason to continue this conversation.
12. I LOVE the fact that this is a believable conversation with an INSTIGATOR, a RESPONDER and a clearly landed ENDING.

(REMEMBER: Actors have to learn to do exercises.  The best plan is to learn the exercise first and once that is achieved see what has been discovered about acting process.)

YOU CAN NOW RE-VIEW THE SAME EXERCISE WITH NOTES ADDED …

IF YOU LIKE YOU CAN NOW VIEW TIM & CECILY RECREATING THE IMPROVISATION THEY HAVE JUST PERFORMED.

THIS IS THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS EXERCISE -

PHASE 1:          Improvise a ‘conversation’ that has a clear purpose and a clear ending

PHASE 2:          Re-create the conversation.  This doesn’t mean copy the detail but it does mean that:

• the purpose of the conversation should be re-     ignited
• similar decisions should be made
• and the same outcome should be arrived at.

COPING WITH A RUMBLING STOMACH

TIM and CECILY managed this exercise extremely well.  In the middle of the scene Tim’s stomach unexpectedly announced its presence in a rather rowdy way.

Usually, actors would drop out of the scene laughing loudly at a time like this but these two included the rumbling tummy in their conversation.  Both actors realistically allowed this interruption to divert them for a moment but neither allowed this event to change the planned outcome of the conversation.   Very impressive work.

See what you think!

Actors need to be able to turn the unexpected into a bonus without it changing the story outcome.  It is moments like this that can be magical – for these opportunities give the actor the opportunity to be as close to ‘real’ as they can ever be.  The moment of the rumbling tummy can never ever happen exactly like that again.  Any actor that passes up the chance to include the unexpected in a scene is missing a great opportunity to shine.

TIM and CECILY have done a great job with this exercise.

They have –

• Listened really well to everything that was transpiring
• Constantly assessed meaning and made decisions
• Allowed events to unfold but always returned to their purpose in the conversation
• Trusted the impulses that result from an open and honest listening process and not forced things to happen
• Understood when the conversation had come to an end.

Any actor who can include all those elements in their performance will look good.

IF YOU WISH TO WATCH THE SCENE AGAIN, IN THIS VERSION, SOME NOTES HAVE BEEN ADDED.

ACTORS WHO MASTER THIS EXERCISE BECOME MUCH MORE RELAXED ABOUT THEIR ACTING – THEY ALSO BECOME MUCH MORE CONSISTENT AND BELIEVABLE.

THE EXERCISE IS DEVELOPED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THROUGHOUT THE ADVANCED WORKSHOP.  IT IS APPLIED TO SCRIPTED SCENES AND  IN TIME BECOMES AN INVALUABLE TOOL FOR THE ACTOR.

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