The Lomas Hall, Church Street, Stannington, S6 6BQ
The role of the actor is what everyone thinks of when they think about the theatre. In these pages we want to tell you a little bit about how truely hard work it really can be, and give you an appreciation of everything going into a production that you don't see when you turn up to see a performance.
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Acting is the most glamourous part of the Theatre - the actors are out there in full view of the audience, they get the applause when things go well and they're the often ones who get the stick when things don't go so well. In reality acting is hard work - there are months of preparation before a production hits the stage and all too often it seems to come to an end too soon.
If it's a large part there'll probably be about two hundred and fifty cues to learn - that could be between two and five thousand words! Don't worry though, there's usually only one or two parts like that in a production, so there is scope for building up gently!
All the actors commit to:
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Scroll down or click on the links to find out more about why!
Rehearsals are the most important part of acting - there's no way any actor, no matter how good, can make the best of a part if they don't understand how the other cast are interpretting their roles and the sense with which they're saying their lines. For Stannington Players, rehearsals start immediately after casting and run every Monday night from 7.30 p.m. until about 10.00 p.m. We usually start a second rehearsal up almost immediately that traditionally takes place at the director's house on another mutually convienient day - typically on a Wednesday or a Thursday.
Rehearsals go on for between three and five months. Not all the cast are required on every night though, and there is always an element of realism about who can attend what rehearsals. Actors are expected come to about 85-90% of them, and to advise the director of when they are unavailable to allow for ample planning to make sure that the time isn't wasted.
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Whether you have a big part or a small part, the most fundimental activity for any actor to do is learn their lines - without this it is impossible for the performance to go on, and the rehearsals cannot progress onto the finer aspects of characterisation and movement. It's easy to see why if you try it! Moving around the stage, facing other actors and characters is greatly impeded if you're holding a book. You can't project if you have to keep looking down and your hands aren't free to handle props, so the sooner you get off the book, the better!
Producers usually provide a rehearsal schedule that details when the book down dates are for each scene - in the main we try to target 95% familiarity of the whole play with a month to go. If you don't keep to this you can let the rest of the cast down as rehearsals where someone tries to receit lines they only half know can be difficult and frustrating for other cast members who have put the work in. They want to move the scenes on at dramatic pace, but instead have to wait for someone struggling to remember their lines while mumbling "No, don't tell me ... I'll have it in a minute!". Most people over the age of twelve have to work at this, so you won't be alone if you're struggling; also you'll probably find that Stannington Players are more supportive to actors learning their lines, than critical of them. If enough cast members are in agreement, we can get together at the start of a rehearsal schedule to do a recording of the whole play, so the cast can learn their lines from a CD, rather than a book. The live performances do have a prompt in charge of continuity, but it's generally accepted that there're for emergencies only!
The bottom line is it doesn't matter how you learn your lines, so long as you learn them!
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Characterisation is the next most important thing to acting once you've got your lines in the bag. Just imagine how any ways there are to project a single word like " ... why?". To act effectively you have to connect with each line your character is saying. You have to understand if they are confused, angry, happy, sad or whatever. Most characters are more than one dimensional. In order to portray them as anything other than stereotypes you have to understand what they're supposed to be thinking or feeling. The clues are in the script, but you have to read them - even if a line starts with the word ... (dismayed) ... you still have to get a feel for why if you're going to be able to sell it to the audience. Alec Guinness said he portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars without ever understanding what he was on about, and although he did it very well, most of us aren't that good so we have to work hard at it.
Understanding why your character is saying what they say in The script helps you to build a picture up of the kind of person they really are. This might seem like an exercise for tree hugging hippies, but there's a very real point to it. If the script breaks down on stage, (say if someone who really shouldn't be there is given a cue and comes on stage early), then if you understand the plot (i.e. you've learned your lines), and you understand your character, you can wing it. It might seem far fetched, but the first time it happens, you'll be glad you did it!
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If you study a role intensively, the chances are that you know more about the way it should be played than anyone else, so no good director is going to discount your input. As always, the bottom line is that the Director or Producer's word is final - you might be out there, but they carry the can. In return for accepting their direction you can expect courtesy and respect, and that they will be receptive to your ideas about their production.
Don't worry though - it's a very poor director who upsets the cast! It's very important that the relationship between Director and cast is maintained to get the best out of everybody. If any actors would like to Produce, they're welcome to give it a try ... but not in the same play they're acting in!
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This almost goes without saying - if you're a size 6 or you're 6'6" tall then the chances are you're the only one who has clothes that are going to fit you! Although this follows on naturally for modern plays, there's a surprising overlap for productions set in the past or future! Props are important too, as with all members of the production company, if the script calls for something obscure (such as a stuffed iguana), and you have one at home, then let properties know! The same goes for window- less glasses, boots, bow-ties, and so on. As an actor, you're also responsible for making yourself available for costume fittings, if the production requires that we hire an outfit - for example for a wedding.
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Stannington Players is a team. There are no roles, responsibilities or functions that can work in isolation, and it's important to remember that. The Actors are especially dependant on the Back Stage Crew for props, prompts and effects, and on the Front Stage Crew, without whom the the production could not go ahead for health and safety reasons.
In terms of time and commitment, acting is second only to producing, so many actors prefer to take a back seat when it comes to back stage work like set construction. While it's true that many actors get a feeling that all their months and months of rehearsals and unsung work at home, buys them some credit when it comes to back stage work, the reality is that when these jobs need doing, they need doing fast, and the people that do them need all the help they can get!
In return for pulling your weight when the Society really needs it, you can expect some gratitude from the rest of the team who all know you've got two jobs. Anyway, if you're still learning lines when the set's being built - you're in big trouble!
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