Essential Acting: A Practical Handbook for Actors, Teachers and Directors

Introduction: What is acting and how do you do it? Part One Acting exercises 1. Notes for the teacher of the acting exercises 2. Making a good start 3. Experiencing the Three Essentials 4. The Magic `If¿ 5. Exercises in immediate response 6. Developing the physical skills of acting Part Two Acting is behaving 7. Status* 8. Eye-gaze* 9. Confidence, poise and balance Part Three The rehearsal process 10. Meeting the play 11. Bringing the text to life 12. Breathing, speaking and learning lines 13. The actor¿s work on a character Part Four Directing a play 14. Solving common problems in acting 15. Playing the space 16. For the director Part Five An introduction to playing Shakespeare 17. Shakespeare¿s language 18. Handling Shakespeare¿s language Part Six Developing the physical skills of acting: Laban workshops for actors 19 .The Four Elements 20. Flow 21. Space 22. Time 23. Force 24. Laban for the speaking voice 25. The Eight Laban Effort Actions Appendix: Some suggestions to help with drama-school auditions Appendix II: Links to videos of exercises