Introduction to Acting - Part I – description.

We take a mixture of beginners and experienced actors, it keeps the class fresh and moving at a good pace. Lee Strasberg also employed this philosophy, he believed it kept the experienced actors on their toes, reminding them of the basics and it was also beneficial for beginners as they can learn quickly from watching the experienced actors.

James is a teacher that jumps straight into exercises. The course starts with fundamentals, ice breakers and games. It then moves specifically into exercises that will focus on Improvisation, Physicality of a character, Voice & speech, movement and Techniques. Using the Stanislavskian based techniques of Strasberg, Meisner, Chekhov, Adler and Mamet you will explore acting technique.

The course finishes with rehearsals and performance of a scene.

He will also build the following skills:

• A strong clear voice.
• A strong supple body.
• The ability to analyse a scene correctly.
• Memorisation by rote.
• The ability to work off another person.
• The ability to act on your impulses.
• The ability to concentrate on the task at hand.
• Bravery.
• Will.
• Common sense.

By the end of the course students will have learnt:

• To decode the clues within text for performance and to make appropriate choices in order to theatrically realise a written character.
• To understand that different genres of play demand differing acting and rehearsal techniques.
• To have access to a range of techniques that can be practiced and applied to text, improvisation, character work, voice and speech, movement.
• To be empowered and professional.