Actor Trap – Hiding Behind Process2

Several years ago, a man and woman, who we will call Joe and Mary, were rehearsing a scene in my theatre (Ionica Theatre) in Times Sq.  It was your typical courting scene … man trying to date a woman, with the woman very interested but slightly playing hard to get.  The scene went on for about five or so minutes at minimal success.

After they finished, I asked what I always ask:  ”What was your process?”

Joe and Mary looked at each other, with Joe nodding for Mary to go first.   Mary started to talk: “I worked for my college boyfriend.  I used Sense Memory, Endowments and Evocative Words, and I also worked for a sexy skirt I wear when I’m in that party mood because it makes me feel sexy. I worked for that skirt using two Choice Approaches: Sense Memory, and Objects That Come Into Contact With The Body.”

I just looked at her and then looked at Joe.  ”I worked for my ex.  At first I was using Sense Memory, then I went to Sensory Suggestion because I needed to be seduced in a specific way that she, my ex, would do so well just by the way she would look at me and fix her hair.”

I looked at both of them … and just asked Joe, “Do you find Mary attractive?”

Joe tuned red. “Mary?”

“Yes, Mary, who else are you working with?”

Embarrassed, Joe just looked down at the floor, making sure he was making no eye contact with anyone in the theatre, especially Mary. “Um, yes.”

The class laughed.

“Mary, do you find Joe attractive?”

Mary also turned red.  ”Yes. … I mean yes … uh uh. Yeah.”

Looking back at Joe, “Would you like to go out with Mary?”

“Anthony!” he replied.

“I’m just asking you: If you could, would you like to entertain the idea?”

“Sure.”

The class laughed again.  Mary tried to hide.  ”Mary, don’t hide. Do you find Joe sexually attractive?”

“This is horrible.  How can you…? Yes. Okay?  God, are you trying to hook us up or something?”

“Well, for the next five minutes when you do this scene, yes. Joe, try to ask Mary out on a date in the hopes and prayers that, maybe, if you’re lucky you can get her to go to bed with you.  Mary, Joe is going to try date you … actually, he’s going to try to get you to go to bed with him. [The class laughed again.] Okay guys, forget about the scene for now, just court each other.  The stimuli is directly in front of you … don’t create it, just react to it.”

Quick qualifier: When I speak this way in class, everyone knows the idea is to not actually have sex with, kill, rob, stab, or punch the other person.  The goal is to create the need and desire to do so.

So, back to the scene: It was a horribly awkward but authentic and honest courting moment.   It was very exciting to watch … the stakes were very high.  So much could be lost. It was wonderful … simply wonderful.

At one point I said to the actors, “Now just go back into the scene and don’t change a thing … not a thing,” and they started the lines of the scene with a real sense of wanting each other, learning about each other, caring about each other. Oh, and they were listening to every nuance and with great courage and risk.  It was one of the best courting scenes I’ve scene in a very long time.

Now, the question is why does all this happen?  It happens for two main reasons: The first is bad training.   Somewhere, somehow, someplace actors are being taught to “Be the character” and try to date the other “character” … which when you think about it, it makes absolutely no sense because you are totally denying reality.  No, let me correct myself: you’re not denying reality; you’re putting a mountain in front of reality.   The second main reason is that, there are times actors really do not want to expose themselves in such a raw, honest way.  It hurts a lot more when you’re rejected and it feels more “professional” … (I don’t know exactly why I just put quotes around professional but it feels right) because you’re applying your CRAFT!  That’s nonsense … that’s not craft, that’s hiding from truth.  All these Choice Approaches Mary and Joe talked about are wonderful and great when what’s in front of you is giving you 2 cents out of your dollar.

When in doubt, keep it simple.  Use as much as you can with what’s in front of you.  Most of the time the answer is directly in front of your nose … as long as know to open your eyes, look, listen, and receive.

AVB