SORRY – the Least Useful Word for an Actor
Don’t Say SORRY, the word SORRY is abhorrent to me.
Firstly, let’s start off by saying that if you commit some kind of malfeasance, you should naturally apologise. We should apologise if we waste someone’s time, do something that causes them pain or distress whether we meant to or not. HOWEVER, the word SORRY isn’ t the correct word to use.
If you have been asked to learn your lines on the first day of rehearsal and you don’t know them, then SORRY will not fix the problem. SORRY is simply an attempt to make YOU feel better. Please don’ t be mad at me, for I can wash away sin with the word ‘SORRY’ and you should then forgive me.
SORRY is a useless word. It does not help the person that you burden it with. If you are late for rehearsal and you say SORRY, do you think that excuses you? By no means! If you bus was late, you enter the rehearsal room and state:
“Apologies everyone, my bus was late, I’ll get an earlier one tomorrow.”
There, you have both apologised, given an excuse and suggested a way to ensure that it will never happen again.
Sorry, the bus was late – that sound like you are making an excuse.
For even an excuse is a reason and a reason an excuse.
I see sorry everywhere, you are trying to buy yourself time, you are trying to spare your blushes and misdirect the heat of attention, but sorry just doesn’t cut it. SORRY is disruptive. If you’re playing a warm up game and you keep messing it up, surely that’s part of the game. DON’T be sorry. No one WANTS TO HEAR it you’re SORRY, they want you to keep playing and improve as you practice. Stop trying to let yourself off the hook by thinking that a kind word (SORRY!) will help you out when things get tough.
You may WELL be sorry, but I implore you not to use it, it is a whiny, sniveling little weasel of word that attempts to get you excused for something, to win or curry favour, to be forgiven your misdemeanour.
If you break the Stage Manager’ s favourite pencil, do you say SORRY? SORRY does not bring the pencil back. No sooner than wishing can bring back the dead. SORRY is your excuse made into a word.
Instead, you go out and find an identical or equal pencil and give it to them with a real apology.
You forget a bit of blocking and you hear the director shout ‘˜YOU’RE IN THE WRONG PLACE’ . DO NOT SHOUT ‘“SORRY-. Confirm where you should be and then bloody be there! Nothing is worse than having to tell an actor something twice or give the same note more than once.
Before you let this shitty little word out of your mouth, think about the value of your sorry, if you use it frequently, it has NO currency. If you use it a little, it means more.
Don’t be SORRY. Because SORRY is an invitation to EXPLAIN YOUR EXCUSE. SORRY, yes, I wasn’t feeling well and I got confused about where I was supposed to be standing and then Jackie confused me by lifting her broom up early AND
You are wasting EVERYONE’ S FUCKING TIME with your snivelling drivel.
APOLOGISE and make it right..
ACTIONS will help you convince
Do you prefer the lover who tells you that they love you, or the one that SHOWS you? I’d say if the lover TOLD you but never showed you, you would be less and less inclined to believe them.
It’s the same with SORRY.
Don’ t be bloody SORRY.
And don’t say you’ ll TRY HARDER next time.
If you’ re only going to TRY, then don’ t bother.
As Mamet says ‘I’ll Try’ is preparing to FAIL.
Would you marry someone who told you that they’d TRY to be faithful?
OF COURSE YOU WOULDN’T.
EITHER
Give it your best shot.
Or
Go Home.