There are times when even the best of actors working with solid material encounter a role to which they cannot connect. If you find yourself in a situation where you lack an intuitive feeling for your role (always optimal), you’ll have to resort to exacting analysis and serious rehearsal to engineer a credible performance.
1. Find a prototype. Descriptions of the character may be scant, but think about whether there’s a prototype for this kind of character, and if you’ve ever seen a good actor playing this kind of thing successfully. What were they doing? Every basic examination of a part, of course, includes an investigation of how the character responds to events and what objectives they seem to be seeking.
2. Search for a hook. You may be able to find a hook—an aspect of the character’s behavior on which to hang your performance. It might be a way of walking or talking, or the way they handle a prop or relate to an aspect of wardrobe. It could be they’re always looking for a mysterious clue or one perfect soul. Do they carry themselves with their energy concentrated in the head, heart, or low belly? Are they inward or outward?
3. Use the dialogue as a way in. Paraphrasing the
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