The Acting Blog

I’m sorry dude, but these adverbs are dangerous. For an actor to use it in acting, well, the result might come out pretty hammy indeed. It’s not about being careful if they will put you in a state, it’s about not using them at all.

I agree mate, adverbs can be dangerous, but I stress the ‘can’. I think if the actor is struggling to find the quality for a particular part of a scene, sometimes it can help get a tone. Clearly, one should avoid playing the state, which is why it’s essential for them to be qualities given the connected tactics. I rarely use them, but telling an actor that they should ‘gently mock’ might get them closer to the scene than simply giving them the tactic ‘mock’. I’m not a big fan of adverbs, but I insist they can be used delicately to give tactics a quality. The insistence that they MUST create hammy acting is rather generalised because that’s not true either, I’ve given them as direction to actors to give them a level of intensity with which to work with a tactic/action and seen beautiful, spontaneous and truthful results. I will agree with you though mate, in untrained hands, they should be avoided.

Adverbs such as gently or casually might work since they imply a physical element to them. But how can adverbs such as eagerly and disgustedly be used without an actor hamming it up? It seems pretty clear to me that those are two very distinct categories of adverbs we’re dealing with.

In any case, how can the monologue be flat if the imaginary partner’s repsonses keep changing, and furthermore, wouldn’t the tactics need to change in order to pursue the objective if previous tactics didn’t work? Also, I think elements such as blocking and vocal choices would be enough to “color” any monotone tactic.

I’d go as far as saying I agree with you 95%. However, I think actors may need a tiny nudge if they’re struggling with the imaginary partner. It can give them a clue as to how that chunk of the monologue needs to be played, as long as it doesn’t become set in stone. The adverb can simply indicate to the actor a better understanding of the size and speed required for that portion of the monologue, or give them a better idea of what the character is trying to do. It could influence their behaviour without them having to play the state.

I understand your concern, but honestly don’t see hammy responses when I’m directing or teaching, and I’m not new to this.

I take your point that the physical ones are stronger and lead to less tendency for awful acting, but I think combined with a tactic and by not allowing the actor to play the adverb, just to let it influence them, you don’t get a chunk of ham.

I must admit, adverbs do worry me though.