Some Assorted Thoughts on Acting
Legs and Spine
Actors spend hours standing. The legs, the pelvis, the hips, the spine, the head, we must spend a great deal of time working on helping them cope with the demands of all that standing. They are so essential, they cannot be ignored. Supple and strong legs are essential, as is a supple, relaxed and lengthened spine.
Kid’s Games
We were all taught a lot of fun nonsense as children, the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy AND that acting was about pretending to do things. For children play pretend is a game, it’s a child’s game, for adults, it’s completely unhelpful to learning how to act.
We teach children about the theatre, about acting and performance through their imaginations, through pretend because their imaginations can make it real for them. We teach adults about acting and performance by asking them to tell the truth, because their imaginations make them miss the truth of the moment.
Mark Westbrook is a Professional Acting Coach and runs Acting Coach Scotland, a private acting studio offering acting classes in Glasgow, masterclasses, workshops and audition coaching for actors at all levels. His acting studio is based in Glasgow, Scotland, although he teaches all across the United Kingdom. All Blog Posts © Mark Westbrook 2009
2 Comments to Some Assorted Thoughts on Acting
“We teach children about the theatre, about acting and performance through their imaginations, through pretend because their imaginations can make it real for them. We teach adults about acting and performance by asking them to tell the truth, because their imaginations make them miss the truth of the moment.”
So at what age do you draw the line?
You know, I would say it was very individually. From my own experience of teaching actors of all ages at a conservatory, they become able to cope with the idea of ‘truthful’ play around the age of 15-16, but it very much depends on the individual. The essence is to keep the idea of ‘play’ constant throughout the training. As we get older, we tend to lose our belief in the imaginary, it’s a shame, but it happens. By keeping the actor focused on ‘play’, I’ve found that introducing elements of truth into imaginative games and exercises prepares them for making the transition. As long as they retain a sense of play as they grow, they should not lose their sense of creative freedom that they held as children using their powerful pretend skills.
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23/10/2009