acting is being... not acting

I had a couple of thoughts to share this week. I'll keep it simple given that’s my theme this year.
 

Be aware strong car mechanic metaphors ahead!

Acting is about 'being' not acting. For me our craft is about just being – being present, being available and being open. If we can achieve that simplicity, we are in a good place. We are positioned to service good work. To that end, keeping any instrument running efficiently it needs to remain highly tuned.

My observation over the last 30 years of many acting students has been they stop learning upon graduation. Certainly, in Australia anyway. In my opinion graduation it is just the beginning of true investigation of education and a deeper learning.

What I am trying to achieve in my movement drop-in classes might therefore be better thought of as a garage. A place to bring your instrument in and get a serious diagnostic and tune up. Then using the information from the diagnostic to inform your personalised development with a view to create a more biomechanical, functional and economical instrument. Moreover, helping you with gaining agency over the way in which you continue to build on that knowledge over the years to come. The drop-ins are there for you to keep tinkering on areas that need work.

It’s not until you put the car up on the hoist and really look under the chassis and or under the hood do you really see where the problems are. A lot of cars look nice and shiny and have great paint work but doesn’t mean it is running well.

I would invite you to take part in the drop-ins for you to start really taking an honest look at your instrument. I will be there to aid you in your self-improvement. After all I’m still learning too after all these years.

To be continued no doubt!