Method of physical acting

Method of Physical Action (MPA) requires an understanding of the significance of physical action, or more specifically, in the performance of physical action. It is based on an idea that emotional life is a kind of two-way street; further, that the only thing an actor will ever have control of in his life as regards himself is his body, nothing more. There is never a direct line to emotions in performance, only to the body. Emotions may be remembered and brought up via emotional memory, but Stanislavski generally considered this to be a rehearsal tool or technique of research, at best. There is, in the end, only the body.Therefore the actor and the director must work hard using the body, that is, the body's performance of physical action, as the primary material of creation. That is the subject of rehearsal, how to come to physical actions that affect the actor and bring the scene to life at the same time. So in one pass both emotional and aesthetic considerations are dealt with, and a way of working is given while the enormity (indeed, infinity) of options, the entire landscape of possibilities of performance, are sensed.The MPA is such a simple idea it comes very close to the default, to a kind of techniqueless technique. Figure out what to do: where is the technique in that? Two points must be made: first, that thorough physical training is always required, and second, an understanding of what a truly good physical action is, is also required. Both can take years of experience and reflection. The art of performance cannot be learned from literature but instead from action: from performance, and observation. Salaam Stanislavaski..................

"Caste away" by reservations

India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
But my country feels that my other caste brothers and sisters are better than me. That is why it does not hesitate to give me step – son treatment….

I shall always strive to be worthy of my country.
But may be the country believes I am unworthy of it.

To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion.
And I firmly believe that prosperity will come by treating every one equal.
I beg the people in higher echelons for my country to forgive me for being born in the caste that I have. I understand that education is not amongst my birth rights and I shall not strive to achieve the same.

(Progress comes not by giving some special rights and concessions but by giving everyone an Equal playing ground…though the term equal can be misinterpreted as it is being done now…)

@ Reacting

We were having a discussion yesterday… A few friends who had nothing better to do.. And as we neither drink/ smoke/ etc…(sad existence). we have nothing better to do in life than talk. So the topic as usual was theatre.( Now a days this is the only topic I talk about…). And the question we were asking each other was what is acting? Do we need to “act” on Stage? I believe (and I know nobody cares what I believe, but still this is my blog so I can write), I believe actors don’t act. They just react. You cant expect people to say their lines verbatim and expect the audience to enjoy it. Stanislavski says the actor’s responsibility towards the audience is to be believed… to convey the author’s message in a believable manner, using the available resources, his body, his voice, the props on stage, the lights… everything that he can lay his hands on, on the stage. Words don’t just flow out… The dialogues are not to be said, there has to be the process of feeling before speaking. The characters in “The rest is silence” are not everyday people. They have had some different experiences which may be the actors who will be acting in the play cannot correlate to. Acting starts with an IF. An actor asks 'If I were there, what would I be thinking?' and then later 'If I were my character, what would I be thinking?'. This brings realism on stage. Stanislavski did not require actors to be the part, as is a popular misconception, but he did demand that they lived the part with the magic if. The actor must believe in the given circumstances and appreciate it as the truth. They must accept the play's narrative, its facts, events, epoch, time and setting, conditions of life, interpretation by the actor and director, the costumes, sound, lights etc..
Anyways more on this the next time… And there are defiantly better people to speak about this than me………

The rest is silence

The rest is silence: Hamlet's last words.
And the last words of Riya... Love this play (inspite of the previous flop performance
!!!!!!). This has been jinxed since I finished writing it.......... Changed the cast now.
Started practising again with a new cast. Hopefully will be able to reach out to the people better this time.
Practicing for two hours presently daily. Working on the interpretation of the actors and voice modulations. Hopeful of performing on 29 April.