The relationship between the actor and the text

Taking the long road to relating to the words will serve you best

Robert David Duncan at a table reading (photo by Engelbert Romero)

At the Stella Adler Studio in New York, where I did a lot of my acting training, words were given a position of huge importance. By the way, did you know that the word huge also means limitless? Stella Adler alumni will get this inside joke, since we were commanded to bring a dictionary to class with us every day. When working with text, we would often get challenged on the meaning of words, and it was amazing how often our understanding of a particular word was wrong, or at least off-base. We also got to learn more about the history of a word, how it evolved over time, and what it meant at the time the text was written. This process of verifying our understanding of text led to some positive enduring habits that still serve us today.

In script interpretation class, we were trained to not just consider the words of a script or play, but also the whole social, political and historical context of the work. We also worked line by line through the text, to check our understanding of each of the characters and what was going on in a scene. This was amazing, because when you begin to develop that level of relationship with the words, you can suddenly see a vastness and richness that can be built upon as a performer, in service of the audience. Unfortunately, the work of modern film and TV can make us a bit sloppy as actors, a bit content to do the minimum and just memorize lines. It's not entirely our fault, because we often only get "sides" rather than context, and frequently have little time to do more than memorize. But memorization is only entry-level performing. If all you have done is focus on your own lines, then you are likely to be too worried about getting your lines right and waiting to hear cues from your partner. That's not really being there, for your partner or for the audience.

One of my favorite exercises, that I have adapted for use in my own teaching, is one that Stella Adler herself used. Fellow Stella Adler alumni will recognize this as the "Gibran exercise." This work involves developing a deep understanding of a piece of text, and then freeing yourself up from its constraints. The text in question is the book "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran. This is a beautiful collection of essays that considers the important aspects of life, deep topics such as love, marriage, reason and passion, crime and punishment, joy and sorrow, and so on.  The ideas in "The Prophet" are timeless and universal, even to a non-religious type like me. I've done this exercise several times myself over the years. Here's how it works, and how it can make you a better actor.

1. Get a copy of "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran from your library or find a rights-cleared PDF copy online at a site like Project Gutenberg.
2. Read the entire collection of essays (it's not a lengthy book), absorb the content and let it reach you. Do your research homework on the book, the author, the period it was written, reactions to the book. Gain a wider context on the text.
3. Pick an essay that really resonates for you, conjures strong feelings, perhaps even moves you to tears. Don't over think your choice. Interestingly, I have done this exercise as a student several times over the years, and different essays will resonate for you at different life stages or in periods of change or crisis.
   
4. Read your chosen essay over and over until it becomes a part of your DNA. Reflect on it, and let its messages sink in. Use your dictionary! :)
   
5. Paraphrase your chosen essay in writing. I prefer pen or pencil and paper, so I can scratch at it, make changes and refine my paraphrasing. Remember, you are summarizing your understanding of Gibran's words at this point, not relating your own. Keep working at this until you feel you could deliver it out loud in front of people.
   
6.  Deliver your paraphrased version of your essay, "script" in hand, to a group of people (fellow acting classmates or people you trust).  Then drop your script. Seriously, DROP it!
   
7. Now speak on the topic of the essay from your own heart, without having rehearsed or prepared what you will say. Feel free to ramble on at will, and don't self-censor.
   

As an audience member, the change that happens in the unscripted rendering is often completely riveting. There is a palpable transformation from an actor doing a good job with a script, into a deeply affected and connected performer  working from the heart and soul. If you think like a cinematographer, you will want to move right in on the eyes, the lips, the silences, the breathing. So why is this? What has happened? Perhaps it is the intertwining of a well-worked text with the actor’s genuine heart and soul. And this is where you want to be for the audience! Once you have experienced this difference first-hand, you will want to work to find ways of relating very deeply to the text, but also bring your heart and soul to the words. I really hope you have the chance to work with this exercise in a class, or with people you trust. It is a great experience that will make you a better actor. Enjoy!

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