As an actor I am often asked, what do you start with to get into a role? With different actors it is different things. I cannot divulge other professionals techniques, but I can say there are certain actors of note who start with the socks. Socks say so much about a person. Colour, pattern, length. Which goes to show why his appearing as Gandalf was such a disaster. another performer I know tends to go by underwear, and on more than one occasion has been caught rummaging through the underwear drawer of strangers for character research.
I have tried both these techniques and many more; it is a question of what works for the individual. My own method - which I give at great personal and professional risk is how a character picks their nose. Of course all the great roles have mysteriously abdicated on this trait, so it's obviously something that the writers of reknown have shied away from. So I have to improvise. For Sherlock Holmes, a jab of the finger, pin point accuracy, gone. King Lear, a majestic sweep of the arm, cloak billowing until entry achieved, then a royal flicking. And Satre, which requires a deck chair.
No comments:
Post a Comment