Simplicity

Last evening, Philip and Karli and I went to Tramway in Glasgow’s South Side to see the legendary director Peter Brook’s latest production called 11 & 12. It was a very simple story, simply told and the acting by the mulitinational ensemble was exquisitely effortless. Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t the best production I’ve ever seen, but for once I didn’t want my money back because I had enjoyed it. It was simple.

Simplicity is very important and we forget that. As artists we want to be rich and complex, but simplicity is key. Too much to think about while we act leaves us vague and general. Instead we need a very basic thing, a path to follow, a thing to do. We might call it a task, an action, an intention, objective or motivation, something which at once summons us, something which calls us to action.

Action is pure, it is immediate and it is simple. Stillness is simple too.

Work to be simple, work to make difficult things simple to you. Try to find simple things to do on stage or on the set, engage your mind and body in simple tasks or deeds.

It is never complex things which make your job difficult, it is always something fundamental or basic.

Problems in your work should always be approached simply, almost naively.

Start from the simplest point, understand the basics of the scene. Work from them.

When you have no work, fill your days with simple things. This will keep you free to work.

Reject the complex in favour of the simple. Seek Occam’s Razor. Always the simple way.