Bella Merlin’s book, “Acting: The Basics,” presents a wonderfully straightforward view of the scope of acting techniques whilst also narrowing down some common points that define acting as a craft.
This insightful work explores various aspects of character acting and provides a solid foundation for those looking to develop their skills in characterisation in drama, including physical theatre techniques and drama movement.
In this book, the author presents a number of different acting practitioners who have had different techniques, theories, and methodologies.
Alongside this, she also offers recurring themes and clear guidance as to the specific skills one must develop to become an actor, including how to get into character, the importance of physical awareness in performance, and various types of physical theatre.
We can not only discover starting points for further study but also narrow down and define what it actually means to be an actor, making this a great book for any aspiring character actor at any stage of their career.
The book delves into various elements of acting, from physical theatre techniques to the more subtle aspects of expressiveness and viewpoints in performance, including the concept of starting from neutral and developing neutral physicality.
To give you a taste of what this book has to offer, here are the top three lessons that I took away from my experience of the book.
1. There is no one way to become a great actor.
If there’s one thing this book does well, it’s to present the many different philosophies of acting, how they can be useful to us, and how they’re all equally valid.
This includes various approaches to character creation and building a character, as well as different forms of exercise using physical techniques.
Sometimes, acting teachers – or people who want us to spend our money with them – tell us that their way is the only way. Or that their favourite practitioner is the one who was right.
This is not always malintentioned – they may have simply found that this particular practitioner works for them above all others.
However, Bella Merlin shows us in her book that all of these acting practitioners were in communication with each other, influenced by each other, and all had significant impacts on people who worked with them or saw their work.
While their work may take a different approach, or they may hold different values – they all have a common goal, and that’s to create impactful and meaningful acting work.
Covering practitioners including Stanislavski, Grotowski, Chekhov, Adler, Strasberg, Meisner, Jacques Lecoq, and more, this book presents the practitioners in chronological order, showing how they each took influence from each other.
Each practitioner offers unique insights into character acting and physical theatre techniques. For instance, Jacques Lecoq techniques, including the Jacques Lecoq 7 levels of tension, provide valuable tools for physical expression and character development.
All are presented as valid and important, and we may become better actors by learning from all of them. This includes understanding various elements of acting, such as Laban’s efforts and Michael Chekhov’s psychological gesture, which can greatly enhance our approach to characterisation in drama.
Additionally, movement practitioners like Étienne Decroux, who developed Corporeal Mime, offer valuable insights into the physical aspects of performance.
2. Acting is a spiritual and magical art form.
A seemingly vague, controversial and impractical statement – and perhaps an unpopular one too. Even Stanislavski was pressured to cut his yoga practice out of his writings due to pressure from the Soviet culture.
However, this shows to us that spirituality was part of acting technique from day one, it has just never been acknowledged as such.
Bella Merlin breaks this seemingly vague approach down into clear and sensible propositions, emphasizing the importance of movement in drama and physical theatre techniques.
This includes exploring the concept of a leading centre and how it influences character portrayal.
Why is acting a spiritual and magical art?
Because actors:
- Help us make sense of the universe
- Embody the forces of nature
- Devise rites and rituals
- Alter their states of consciousness
- May enter into a trance state
- Are moral educators
- Help us to find balance through catharsis
- Have an impact on social and political issues
Merlin lays all of this out in the introduction to her book, showing that this is at the core of what it means to be an actor.
This spiritual approach often involves starting from a neutral state and developing physical awareness, including an understanding of posture in drama and specific physical attributes that contribute to character portrayal.
What this means is simply that actors use techniques as old as time to embody the universe, the human spirit and to represent something larger than themselves.
This often involves exploring physicality in drama and various movement exercises, including animal work for physical transformation.
Whenever you’re working on script analysis or physicality or vocal technique, it is always worth remembering that actors are only of any real use when connected with a force or concept bigger than themselves and their individual experience.
This connection often manifests in the performer’s body of work over time.
How do we put this into practice?
Merlin says that the state of mind needed for this is of listening or presence. Other practitioners may call it concentration or awareness.
This often involves physical warm-up exercises and techniques to achieve a neutral body and neutral voice, which are fundamental aspects of many physical theatre definitions.
Check out my post on Why Concentration Is So Important For Actors to find out more.
3. There is a combination of technique and artistry that runs through all methodologies.
To be great actors we must have a balance of technique and artistry, and it seems that every single acting practitioner agreed on this.
This balance is crucial in character acting and is a key aspect of how to get into character effectively. It’s also essential in creating a rhythmical stage act that captivates audiences.
But how do we define or describe these two terms?
- Technique:
- Definition: Technique refers to the systematic or skillful application of methods, tools, or processes in the creation of a work of art or any other creative endeavor.
- Focus: It emphasizes the proficiency, precision, and mastery of specific skills, methods, or technical aspects required within a particular discipline, including physical theatre techniques and movement in drama.
- Role: Technique serves as the foundation for creating art and allows artists to execute their ideas effectively. It involves knowledge of materials, tools, and methods used in the creative process, including various elements of acting practice such as the Alexander Technique and the Suzuki method.
- Artistry:
- Definition: Artistry involves the creative and imaginative aspects of the artistic process. It encompasses the expression, originality, and unique interpretation that an actor brings to their work.
- Focus: Artistry is centered around the personal touch, creativity, and the ability to convey emotions, ideas, or concepts through the chosen medium. It is about the actor’s unique voice and perspective, often expressed through viewpoints and expressiveness.
- Role: While technique provides the necessary skills to execute a work, artistry distinguishes one actor from another. It adds a personal and subjective dimension to the creation, making it an expression of the actor’s vision and creativity.
Combining Technique and Artistry
Any great actor must have a combination of these two things. They must have a technique, a system of which to work on their craft and make intelligent and meaningful decisions behind what they do.
This includes mastering physical theatre techniques, understanding the principles of characterisation in drama, and exploring various movement techniques such as Lecoq’s undulations.
They must also bring their own self to the role, their own perspective, ideas, and voice.
Sometimes, when we’re practicing a craft, it can be really easy to get caught up in just doing technique.
Sometimes we follow the steps, a to-do list, without ever considering our artistic and creative side.
Have you ever found yourself, analysing a script, making decisions about movement or creating a backstory without ever considering what you want to say or how it makes you feel?
On the other hand, sometimes we focus so much on our dedication to the part that we lose all sense of technique.
Perhaps you’ve found yourself so wrapped up in the emotions of a part it was hard to control your performance. Perhaps you find technique boring so you only make imaginative decisions based on how you feel.
One of these ways leads to wooden and uninspiring performances. The other leads to vague, self-absorbed and sometimes even dangerous performances. We don’t want either of those.
To be great actors we must find a balance between both, and always include each in every role we play. This balance is crucial in building a character and mastering the art of character acting.
It’s also essential in understanding and applying different approaches, such as Grotowski’s approach to physical theatre and character creation.
Do An Acting: The Basics Deep Dive
If you want to know even more about this amazing book, check out this video deep dive into the book’s contents.
Key take aways from Acting: The Basics by Bella Merlin
This may be called “Acting: The Basics,” however it feels very far from the basics as we may think of it – as a place to start for beginners. It delves into complex concepts such as Jacques Lecoq techniques and the importance of physicality in drama.
This is certainly a fantastic place for beginners to start, so if you’re interested in acting then make sure to pick up a copy.
It provides a solid foundation in character development and various physical theatre techniques, including an introduction to different types of physical theatre.
However, there is lots to learn here for advanced actors too. “Basics” here doesn’t seem to refer to beginners’ steps but to the fundamental concepts and tools for acting.
It can be helpful to remind ourselves of the fundamentals sometimes. It can be easier than you’d think to forget them the further on your acting journey you go!
Not only that, but this can be a great way for more advanced actors to read more about practitioners they may not have worked much with yet and find new fields of study to answer their questions and improve their work.
This includes exploring different elements of acting, from movement exercises to the subtleties of expressiveness in performance.
Overall, I feel that any actor who wants to become more specific in their work and broaden their field of study would find inspiration, direction, and practical advice in this book.
It offers valuable insights into how to get into character, the importance of starting from neutral, and various aspects of physical awareness in acting.
By exploring these concepts and techniques, actors can continue to develop their craft and expand their performers body of work.
The Ultimate Actor’s reading list
This book is included right at the top of my Ultimate Actor’s Reading List. If you’re looking for your next acting book, check out the list to find the perfect one for you.
Thank you very much for reading, and happy acting!
