(Bilde via Indiwire)
Practical Aesthetics is an acting technique originally conceived by the American playwright David Mamet (b. 1947) and the American actor William H. Macy (b. 1950), based on the teachings of Stanislavsky, Sanford Meisner, and the Stoic philosopher Epictetus.
Kilde: A Practical Handbook for the Actor. Skrevet av Bruder, Cohn, Olnek, Pollack, Previto, og Zigler. Utgitt Vintage Books, New York. 1986
Ren’s personal shorthand for the technique: “PLAY the action, don’t ACT the feelings”.
“Never direct another actor.”
The authors of The Practical Handbook for the Actor.
Tools of the craft:
- A strong clear voice
- Good clear speech
- A strong supple body
- The ability to analyze a scene correctly*
- Semantics – the ability to use words specifically in order to choose good action
- Memorization by rote
- The ability to work off the other person (samspill)
- The ability to act before you think (på impulse)
- The ability to concentrate
- Bravery
- Will
- Common sense
You are not in control of feelings, therefor focus as an actor on the truth of the action of the moment and the feelings will arise (or not) in a truthful manner.
“A physical action (fysisk handling) must:
- be physically capable of being done
- be fun to do
- be specific
- have its test in the other person
- not be an errand (må ha en viss risiko)
- not presuppose any physical or emotional state
- not be manipulative
- have a “cap” (må ha en slutt – mål blir vunnet/tapt/forsvinner osv)
- be in line with the intentions of the playwright “
*Scene analyse:
- What is the character literally doing?
- What is the essential action of what the character is doing in this scene?
- What is the action like to me? It’s as if…
For bruk i mine timer, tolker jeg dette som
- Fysiske handling
- Overordne eller delmål
- “Magiske hvis”
Sceniske arbeid:
Skuespiller oppføre seg i øyeblikket med å jobbe innen rammen: handlingen og “moment” (delmål/ønske/intensjon), samt gitt omstendigheter. Men her regnes ikke bare alderen, lokale, utdanning osv, men også regi instruks som gitt omstendigheter.
Bruk adjektiver som langsomt, fort, osv. Men ikke adjektiver som er følelsesladet som kjærlig. Fokus på oppførsel, ikke følelser.
Skuespillerens profesjonelle oppførsel:
- beskjedenhet
- generøsitet
- omtenksomhet
- takt (diplomatiske oppførsel, språk)