Concentration . . . not to be confused with Mark's "moving" monologue on constipation as demonstrated above. : )
Now to the lesson . . .
(p. 5-10)
Richie asks "The creature" to perform something for him, and she makes the same mistake a lot of us do. She tries really hard, but it's just a bit too much. He says "You do not hesitate for a second before cursing heaven. Yet you are unable to speak these words simply and plainly, to show their inner meaning . . . You grimace, you mutilate the words of the poet and eternal emotion, and at the same time you do not possess the most elemental quality of a literate man--an ability to transmit the thoughts, feelings, and words of another logically . . . Let us try to create a small, but real artistic value according to your strength." (So it wasn't Marcus Buckinghm's original idea!)
What makes us want to draw out lines a little too much or make things a little bigger than needed? Two things:
1.) HABIT! Let's face it, many of us were in high school, college and community theatre, and all we heard was "I need more! Bigger! Louder!" That made perfect sense in a large auditorium with no wireless mics to hide in our costumes. But have you ever noticed that even the people in the front row of a service will sometimes be watching imag the entire time? It can be a pretty intimate medium and those mics pick up every sigh, every gasp, everything. We will also be doing more and more on camera acting now that we have the big screens, which as you know is incredibly intimate and adds the perpective of the camera into the storytelling mix.
2.) TENSION! Have you ever noticed that people can act really odd when they are on stage or camera in the tension of being watched? Do car salesman come at you in person like they do in their screaming commercials? Do the lawyers looks as uncomfortable and stilted in the courtroom as in their TV ads? Of course not, but there's this odd tension of needing to perform or entertain. That's where concentration comes in handy.
Question #1: What effects does tension have for you on stage?
(Example: For me, I tend to rush, while others might slow down and add even more pauses.)
Richie asks his pupil about her favorite actor John Barrymore (yep, Drew's grandpa) and what she noticed about him. She said "He paid no attention to me". He tells her this is important and reminds her "He was acting in his work as the pilot would, the scientist, or the architect--he was concentrating . . . .the quality which permits us to direct all our spiritual and intellectual forces toward one definite object and to continue as long as it pleases us to do so . . . This strength, this certainty of power of yourself, is the fundamental quality of every artist"
Stanislavski calls it "public solitude" and uses an exercise called "circles of attention". We'll talk about these at the September meeting.
I find concentration much more difficult with monologues than scenes. For instance, Kyle and I did a scene last year where a couple argued over money. I had concrete objects to concentrate on in the immediate vicinity (the bills, the checkbook, and Kyle) which made it easy to forget the audience was there and focus in on the moment.
Question #2: Do you have any tricks for getting rid of tension on stage or helping yourself focus in on the scene?
In a monologue, however, concentration can be more challenging, especially if you are addressing the audience. Scene assignments where we focus on the other relating asects of acting will come later, but monologues are a great exercise for concentration. Hence, assignment #2: you will be receiving e-mails from me with assigned monologues of characters that will stretch you. (We're stepping outside comfort zones for the greater good!) Many of these monologues include an exercise in concentration where there is an invisible person on the stage whom you are addressing about a certain tough issue. It will be up to you to decide who that person is and there will be a lot of blanks you have to fill in. Once you get your monologue via e-mail (no later than Tuesday the 11th), answer the questions below regarding your character, and bring them with you to the September meeting when we will perform these. Filling in these blanks helps the actor concentrate on the concrete and defined rather than trying to overcompensate for unanswered questions and awkwardness. Have fun, and keep those heroes stories coming in!
Characterization Questions:
1.) Who am I talking to? How do I feel about them?
2.) What happened right before I spoke? What will happen right after?
3.) What is my age? Family life? Status? Occupation?
4.) What am I trying to accomplish or obtain by what I am saying? What different tactics do I use throughout the monologue to achieve this objective?
5.) Create a sketch of the setting of your monolgue as if it would be in a film. (Placing objects in the room in your mind is a great trick that helps maintain your focus.)
Question #3: Any other questions you think are important to ask about your character?
(I'm sure Dalene has a million more. She is the characterization Queen!)
Thanks so much for the effort you guys are putting in. See you all Monday the 24th at 7!
