CHAPTER 25

Session Fifteen

In this session: • Imagery exercises • Next assignment

Coach: We’ll begin today with more of the imagery exercises. Let’s give everyone who hasn’t done the exercise a chance to try it. Remember exactly how it works. The actor first speaks the monologue. Then she lies on the floor and listens for the images, raising her hand when she hears one. She captures the image thoroughly, then lowers her hand. The reader continues until the speech is completed. The actor then stands and speaks the monologue again, working to help us see the images she sees. We listen to the changes that happen in the monologue after the images are added. So let’s begin. (The next two actors, Alicia and Amber, do the imagery exercise.)

Does anyone think this exercise is a gimmick, or artificial?

Alex: I may not see exactly what she sees, but I’m captivated.

Emily: I like the tempo—the actor working to find the image.

Amber: I understood so many things in the monologues that I barely even heard before. So the actor must be helping the audience understand the speech, because I certainly understood more.

Coach: Yes. This is no gimmick. But a problem with this exercise is that it takes so long. If you’re crunched for time, it’s almost impossible to do this as a group, or to have an entire cast try it. If you have a three-month rehearsal period and actors who know the play well, you can spend two days on this and reap the benefits—for, as you can see, there are huge benefits. And this is another reason why you need a long rehearsal period to do this kind of theatre. Anything less and you are right away putting limits on what you’re going to achieve. Of course, finances often dictate the rehearsal period. It’s hard to do these exercises on your own, but if the director, or another actor, teaches everyone the exercise, maybe they can practice it in small groups.

Amber: One thing I did was force myself not to continue with the speech until the image had resolved itself. That forced me to slow down. It really worked for me.

Alicia: It also helps to remove attitude. I’m having that problem, but I see that concentrating on the images removes attitude.

Coach: Good. Break time.

Coach: (After the break.) The imagery exercise is a discovery exercise. You work to discover what else is in a speech—what else after you have completed your analysis. After imagery, the speech is pretty much yours, and you are in a position to hear any direction and let your character try anything without stumbling over the language. We’re about ready to start talking character. But let’s finish up. Who’s next? (The next actor, Maggie, works the imagery exercise. We discuss all of the discoveries we hear.)

Something else you may have noticed. When you’re concentrating on using the images, you stop trying to “perform” the monologue. Other exercises have also helped with that, and this one certainly contributes.

Alicia: I felt weird doing this exercise. It was like I actually went someplace else.

Coach: You’re all doing very well on this exercise. Any questions? See you next time, when we’ll finish up imagery and move on to “moving the language forward.”