Willkommen. Bienvenue. Welcome.
Acting, to me, is about the incredible adventure of examining the landscape of human heart and soul. That’s basically what we do. ~ Glenn Close.
The latest offering in my rather-too-random poetry section. It seems like this is working to improve my memory, but very slowly.
Never seek to tell thy love
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind does move
Silently, invisibly.
I told my love, I told my love,
I told her all my heart,
Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears–
Ah, she doth depart.
Soon as she was gone from me
A traveller came by
Silently, invisibly -
He took her with a sigh.
- William Blake
What are poems you love to read? Don’t be shy, post a comment or tweet me.
Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the Verse Speaking category with the tag(s) poetry, skills.
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You have to love the characters you play, even if no one else does. ~ Glenn Close.
The latest poem in my quest to improve my memory.
Yes, yours, my love, is the right human face.
I in my mind had waited for this long,
Seeing the false and searching for the true,
Then found you as a traveller finds a place
Of welcome suddenly amid the wrong
Valleys and rocks and twisting roads. But you,
What shall I call you? A fountain in a waste,
A well of water in a country dry,
Or anything that’s honest and good, an eye
That makes the whole world bright. Your open heart,
Simple with giving, gives the primal deed,
The first good world, the blossom, the blowing seed,
The hearth, the steadfast land, the wandering sea.
Not beautiful or rare in every part.
But like yourself, as they were meant to be.
- Edwin Muir
Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the Verse Speaking category with the tag(s) poetry, skills.
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I don’t think anybody can be told how to act. I think you can give advice. But you have to find. ~ Dame Judi Dench.
I have decided to start memorising and studying poems in order to improve my skills in performance, dramatic interpretation, verse speaking and plain old memory. This is the first.
Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
Who told me time would ease me of my pain!
I miss him in the weeping of the rain;
I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
The old snows melt from every mountain-side,
And last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane;
But last year’s bitter loving must remain
Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide!
There are a hundred places where I fear
To go,–so with his memory they brim!
And entering with relief some quiet place
Where never fell his foot or shone his face
I say, “There is no memory of him here!”
And so stand stricken, so remembering him!
- Edna St. Vincent Millay
Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the Verse Speaking category with the tag(s) poetry, skills.
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We have to be vulnerable as actors, but we have to protect ourselves. ~ Glenn Close.
Recorded my recent voice work and listened to myself for the first time in far too many years. It has been, erm, instructive and has given me many things to work on. Most notabe are:
* I sound like a 10 year old. How/why is my voice so high?!
* I felt like I was using far too much intonation/vocal colour but on playback there isn’t nearly enough. Parts I thought sounded emotional or vibrant barely register. This could be as I’m using my PCs inbuilt mic but it’s more likely the result of my own inadequacies.
* Lack of verve/energy. Clearly not focused and energetic enough. Quite easy to rectify. I think.
* Less underbreathing than I expected. Good thing.
* Needs more variation in pacing. Again what I think I’m doing and what is heard are different. Can afford to go more OTT.
* Have a strong ‘S’ sound. Not quite a lisp but close enough to need work as it’s distracting.
* Desperately need good vocal technique. Throat should not hurt after only 30 mins of work. Breathing. Posture. Etc. At least, hope it’s technique I need and it’s not caused by anything more problematic.
* Have heard worse V/Os on TV.
Conclusion: Not as bad as I was expecting, lots of constructive things to work on.
Note to self: STOP HOLDING BACK! soma on sports arena blvd breast enhancement brava
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Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the Technique, Voice Work category with the tag(s) self-appraisal, skills.
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Good actors I’ve worked with all started out making faces in a mirror, and you keep making faces all your life. ~ Bette Davis.
An observation. Only been working on accents again for about a month and already I’m beginning to notice a change. Although I’m a long way off perfection, certainly I doubt I’ll ever be as good at mimicry as Michael Sheen, these past few days I’ve attempted dialects I’d never tried before and my efforts have been recognisible. 
At least, I’ve recognised them 
Lots more work needed, other people’s opinions being the acid test, I’m under no illusions. Still, it’s uplifting to see a little pay-off. This self-training thing may have some very large flaws but it seems to have some practical, workable areas too. Onwards!
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Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the Accents & Dialects, Voice Work category with the tag(s) self-appraisal, skills.
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Timing in comedy is like walking on a razor blade. ~ Michael Caine.
I’ve created a ’syllabus’ (oh OK, vague plan of attack) that I intend to follow here. What do you think of it? What have I missed?
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- Voice Work
- Accents & Dialects
- Phrasing
- Flexibility
- Phonetics
- Singing
- Breath Control
- Pitch
- Range
- Strength
- Physical Work
- Alexander Technique
- Dance
- Tumbling
- Stage Combat
- Other Work
- Make Up – character, age etc.
- Hair and Wigs – dressing etc.
- Costumes – wear and care.
- History of Theatre
- History of Cinema & TV
- History of Costume
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Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the General, Technique category with the tag(s) skills, syllabus.
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Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you’re playing through your own experience – so we’re all different. ~ Sir Ian McKellen.
I’ve compiled a list of extra-curricular skills that it would be a good idea for me to acquire. Those italicised you on do weight accutane lose coumadin reversal guidelines I can already do. A bit, anyway.
- Horse Riding
- Biking
- Swimming
- Fencing
- Driving
- Falling Over
- Roller Skating
- Speak another language
- Play a musical instrument
- Mime
What have I missed?
Spoken by Madame Arkadina in the General, Peripherals category with the tag(s) skills.
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