My words run on like critters during a flood

It is funny how little “training” you do as an actor when you are not in a collegiate/workshop environment.

We did an exercise last night to get us corporeally aware of our character, after a mental exercise of self discovery with our character. And, what it did for myself and my character is a different matter, but it made me realize: no one gets to do this, or it’s a rarity that you do.

We played with different characteristics of movement. How heavy you are, how your body is moved through space, how you get to a target, things that we think about but I find are often not implemented enough in a lot of theatre that comes through this town and the next.

Actors will walk on stage uncomfortable in their bodies.

Uncertain about where to put their arms, because by their side feels wrong.

You can have the clear, precise voice of an angel, but if your clip-clopping around the playing space like a horse, you lose me quick.

We’re all guilty of it at some point, in some regard, and that’s fine.

But you know what is a sure fire cure for that.

Abstract and extreme physical movement and gestures.

What’s going on? Is it just people getting lazy with their art?

Is it modern entertainments fast paced style that makes us think we can put physical discovery on the back burner?

Do people think they don’t need it?

Is there a stigma against this type of creating?

To really create art, in theatre, as an actor though...this process is vital to our survival as a cutting edge form of art.

A play or musical may not have the budget of a film, but we can make abstract, creative choices that you couldn’t see in film because it isn’t “naturalistic”.

Even though we only did these exercises for the greater part of maybe an hour and a half, I felt metaphysically prepared. Mind/Body awareness, as another person. And with the physical perception being heightened, my mental perception was also affected.

I discovered for the first time in the rehearsal process.

Grass.

Clouds.

Rain.

Sun.

A giant cavernous hole

(that may look suspiciously like a water tower)

My words flow out like rain, sporadic and sometimes unnecessary but all I mean to say is:

Don’t disregard your training.

You learned it for a reason.

Am I right, or am I right?