Acting: How to impel truthful behaviour

#MeisnerTechnique #ActingExercise #DirectableAuthenticity
REPETITION EXERCISE WITHIN AN INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY

Despite all myths, difficulty can ground us in the moment, impelling truthful behaviour, while we maintain the connection with our partner.

In this early stage of the exercise, the only parameters used by Edgar here were
an activity (sewing a sock)
doing it for real (the sock has holes needing sewing)
to be difficult to do

Despite no sense of urgency nor even a reason to do the activity yet (which are the other parameters to set up an activity), once these 2 connect honestly on an instinctual guts level, it brings a variety of behaviour.

Can it escalate out of control?
Acting can require to bring chaotic dramatic situations to life but it needs to be done in a safe manner.

It can seem like a Catch 22: If I try to control myself, I become self-conscious & drift away from the moment, which is death on camera (eyes glazing, tensions, habits limiting my behaviour, etc…) So how can I let go, give up control but keep it in check?

Awareness not self-consciousness is the key. And that's what the Repetition Exercise does.



Self-consciousness cuts our awareness from the world around us. So the training starts by using our ability to switch our attention onto our partner, creating a strong bond, committed to one another.
It not only safely maintains both actors in the zone, each one responsible for the other like a trapeze duet but it is also the only way to ensure our own individual instinctive responsiveness in the moment.

Yes, give up control by giving it over to your partner who watches over you & reciprocate. Deal with my behaviour while I am dealing with yours in an open, honest manner, so you are free to react, in connection with me & can let go, still alert & present.

This super outward awareness creates a strong connection in the zone, self-regulated moment to moment by the Repetition Exercise.



And then, when adding text to the behaviour produced, the illusion is complete, seamless & affective!! Magic can happen for the audience once actors know how to safely freely play