The Layers of Performance

At the base layer of an actor’s performance is the story of the play/screenplay, entwined with the plot structure. This provides the macro level direction to the actor’s performance, the spine of the performance.

The next level is skeleton of the performance, which is created as a score of (psychophysical) essential action. This is analysed and formed on the strength of our analysis. It provides a score, just like a musical score, which the actors can ‘play’ just like notes. Actions are not just plain activities, they are psychologically imbued, motivated actions, living objectives, not just something you want, but the combination of want and action, action with intention.

At the next layer, we must take action and practice accomplishing that action/intention. Working off your scene partners. Using them as the fuel for your scene. This gives us a chance to embody the bones of the scene.

At the next level we add the word, unadulterated, let it happen and get out of it’s way. Go for your action, let the words work for you.

Then there’s the director shaping the performance. Hopefully, without spoiling.

Lastly, there’s the moment, the seat of immediacy, the final guide to how you should behave. Here is something you can’t rehearse, you can practice, we prepare, as Mamet says, to improvise.

Here in the spontaneous moment, is the test of your preparation.