CHAPTER 23

Session Thirteen

In this session: • Running the monologues • Applying structure and text analysis • Next assignment

Coach: Today let’s run all of the monologues without much comment, but with an observation of how structure and analysis of the speeches have been applied, and how new information might have improved the speech. I’ll record so you can hear what you do. This will take the entire session. Next time we’ll move on to imagery.

The actors run their monologues twice. After the first time we point out very briefly how each has applied the new skills. We record the second time through, then listen to the monologues and give more extensive notes. Each actor listens to his or her own usage of the skills. The monologues are getting quite strong—only two are lagging behind.

It has been my experience that in a group of ten or twelve experienced actors, or student-actors, about six will truly learn the material, three will learn it but immediately forget it, and the others will never learn it satisfactorily and will “fall behind.” Sometimes those who can’t learn it simply haven’t the ear to hear the skills in use, but I’m afraid that more often the problem is laziness or indifference. The latter attitude seems to stem from the belief that an actor’s “natural” talent is sufficient.

In community workshops, I’ve taught these skills to people of all ages—including children as young as seven or eight—who have no experienced ear for dialogue but can rapidly learn the material and read it beautifully. When an experienced actor cannot or will not learn the material, his or her Shakespeare remains ponderous and unclear—and terribly boring.

Coach: Great growth today, as you can hear. I love what some of you have discovered and are able to use. That will really help you make the language your own when you get to character choices. Next time we’ll apply imagery and you’ll be amazed at what happens. See you then.