1. AS AN ACTOR…. WHAT CAN I TALK ABOUT?
Use of voice and movement
The relationship between the spoken text and physical movement or gesture
Actor/ audience relationship
Use of costume/make- up/set/props
Characterisation
Acting techniques
Acting style
Stage proxemics
Interaction between characters

2. PRACTITIONERS (IE. STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM, MEYERHOLD, BRECHT, GROTOWSKI…)
VOICE & MOVEMENT
Articulation
Fluency
Intonation
Register
Clarity
Pause
Pitch
Accent
Pace
Timing
Tone
Volume
Emphasis
Stance
Balance
Body Language
Gesture
Facial Expression
Mime
Posture
Slow Motion
Blocking
Masking
Use of levels
Use of space
Rhythm
ACTING STYLE
THERE ARE ONLY TWO TO CHOOSE FROM…
NATURALISTIC OR
STYLISED
ACTING TECHNIQUES
(MORE SPECIFIC THAN JUST VOICE AND MOVEMENT)
PRACTITIONERS (IE. STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM, MEYERHOLD, BRECHT, GROTOWSKI…)
METHOD ACTING
SYMBOLISM
CHARACTERISATION
MANNERISMS
BEHAVIOUR
HABITS
GESTURES
INTERACTION BETWEEN CHARACTERS
EYE CONTACT
DIALOGUE
SUBTEXT
MIRRORING
SUGGESTION
ACTOR/AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP
Aware of audience or not.
Impact – emotion – dramatic effect – thought provoking
STAGE PROXEMICS
Use of space to
create distance that can represent a relationship
SPOKEN TEXT VS PHYSICAL MOVEMENT
Consider subtext and how to convey this physically

3. There are two ways of conveying information about a character:
CHARACTERISATION
the concept of creating characters 
There are two ways of conveying information about a character:
Direct or explicit;
The writer literally tells the audience/actor what a character is like. This may be done via the narrator, another character or by the character him or herself. You may therefore, as an actor, make use of textual references.
Indirect or implicit;
The actor must infer for themselves what the character is like through the character’s thoughts, actions, speech (choice of words, way of talking), looks and interaction with other characters, including other characters’ reactions to that particular person. This is the process of character development.

4. ACTOR/AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP
Presentational acting:
Refers to a relationship that acknowledges the audience.
Can be direct such as addressing them in a monologue or aside.
Can also be indirect such as general attitude or use of language/looks/gestures. Either way, it indicates that the character or actor is aware of the audience's presence.
Representational acting:
Refers to a relationship in which the audience is studiously ignored. Actors remain in-character and absorbed in the dramatic action whilst the audience simply look on and ‘spy’.
The actor behaves as if a fourth wall was present, which maintains a divide of dramatic fiction from reality.

5. ACTING STYLE NATURALISTIC
Or realistic; drama which replicates real life. 
See Stanislavski System – a system for encouraging actors to become emotionally and psychologically involved with their roles, in order to create a convincing, realistic performance.
Some characteristics are; characters who act and talk like real people, settings that are real and from modern times like homes, workplaces, bars and restaurants, and the subject matter deals with real events and social/political issues.
NON - NATURALISTIC
Or stylised; distinctly removed from truth, describing and portraying something that isn't necessarily there.
Some characteristics could be playing with space, time or object.
Non-realistic acting means that the actor in no way acts as he would do in real life. See Antonin Artaud for inspiration.

6. ACTING TECHNIQUES
STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM; Aims to replicate real life, encouraging you to be ‘in the moment’ but always staying one step away from complete belief. Draws on personal emotion to portray character realistically.
Here’s a reminder of what we did in class;
We used ‘Belief’ to care for the ‘bird’
We used ‘The Magic If’ to put ourselves in Pru’s shoes with the Corbies
We practiced ‘cooking’ with or without ‘The Given Circumstances’
MEYERHOLD; mixing psychological response with gestures and movement to express emotion. Physical movements should elicit emotion in you rather than the other way round.
We choreographed a fight scene and evaluated the ‘action’.
We then improvised a fight scene on the spot and evaluated the natural ‘reactions’
Consider a moment where you might be spontaneous in your character and describe how you might do this.

7. BRECHTIAN TECHNIQUES Voice:
Narration:
Parts of the play are narrated rather than acting them. Most of Brecht's plays made use of a screen or large notices which gave the audience information about the play, introduced scenes or commented on the action, hammering home the message of the play. Where video projection is not available placards are used. Actors come on to stage carrying placards that announce the time and place of the action or any other information. These signs keep the audience removed from the action.
Voice:
Brecht made enormous vocal demands on his actors: they were required to sing, chant, use mechanical and strange sounding voices, produce disconnected and non-human sounds and speak in a range of dialects and class accents. These techniques are used to produce alienation.
The Actor:
Brecht required his actors to demonstrate what happened, what words were said, and demonstrate the actions of the character. They must not try and become any of the characters they portray. The actor or the audience should not identify with the character.
Gesture:
Brecht was influenced by Japanese and Chinese Theatre. He admired the way they used movement to tell a story in a stylised unemotional way. He encouraged his actors to learn the formal gestures of Chinese Theatre where a gesture that shows the character is crying is moving the finger up and down in front of the eyes. Brecht did not want his actors to actually weep tears.
Use of Song:
Characters frequently and suddenly burst into song or formal commentary. They sing a song that is nothing to do with the emotion of action and everything to do with the intellectual message . Characters often become grotesque and unreal, performing in a dehumanised robotic manner.
The songs broke the mood of the scene to remind the audience that they were watching a play that had a message. Sometimes the actors actually stepped out of character and sang songs directly to the audience.
Different endings:
Actors retell the story of the play with several different endings. If the audience is shown a tragic ending, a happy ending and maybe even an absurd ending then the point that different outcomes are possible is made. The ending does not have to be inevitable and there is a possibility for social change.

8. BRECHTIAN TECHNIQUES The Actor: PRUDENCIA’S INABILITY TO BE HERSELF
SWAPPING IN AND OUT OF ROLES AS ENSEMBLE (CORBIES)
Voice: LINKS TO PRU - ALIENATION!!!
Gesture: LINKS TO
ENSEMBLE
CORBIES, LACK OF EMPATHY TOWARDS PRUDENCIA?
Narration: LINKS TO THE WHOLE PLAY!
Use of Song: LINKS TO;
COLIN FORCING MODERN MUSIC ON PRU, WHO PREFERS TRADITION.
BREAKING TENSE MOMENTS – FOR EXAMPLE…
HIGHLIGHTING THEME (TRADITION VS MODERN)
Different endings: LINKS TO FINAL SCENE;
- WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
- STYLISED AND OPEN TO INTERPRETATION
- EXPERIMENT WITH A VARIETY OF ENDINGS TO FIND THE TRUE MEANING – FOR YOU

9. MEISNER; To react truthfully rather than by manipulation.
ACTING TECHNIQUES
Try doing some research on these styles and see if you can apply them to your own work as an actor
STRASBERG; Researching every aspect of your character, especially your backstory and personal life before the narrative of the show begins. You should become so familiar with your characters' lives, the characters would be just as constant as your own life.
BRECHT; the theory that plays should not cause the audience to react emotionally with characters but to provoke self-reflection and critical views in the audience member themselves.
MEISNER; To react truthfully rather than by manipulation.
METHOD ACTING; Living day to day as your character. Complete belief in who you are and what you are doing.
SYMBOLISM; implies a greater meaning than the literal suggestion and is usually used to represent something other than what it is at face value. Completely stylised.

10. SPOKEN WORD VS PHYSICAL MOVEMENT
Spoken word is the language used, or the performance of the words themselves. Consider dynamics, rhythm, repetition, pause, emphasis, slang or rhyme.
In class we;
Physical movement is non-verbal communication - use of the body to communicate particular messages. Consider facial expression, gesture, posture, body language and eye contact.
Improvised a scene where Colin and Pru fell out
We exaggerated dialogue first then removed the words to focus only on the physical movement and emotions conveyed

11. SUBTEXT
Subtext is content underneath the dialogue; it is what happens when spoken text and physical movement contrast, where other emotions are implied. Subtext is the unspoken thoughts and motives of characters - what they really think and believe.
In class we;
Acted as Pru and Colin within a variety of different contexts using only the phrase ‘Hello, how are you’ – ‘I’m fine thank you very much’ to experimented with the underlying subtext by considering use of voice and movement to imply something deeper

12. REMEMBER TO LINK IT TO THE QUESTION –
IN THIS CASE…
How would the actor use voice or movement to show strength/weakness? How would the actor interact with other characters to show strength/weakness? How would the actor interact with the audience to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use the space to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use their costume to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use props to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use make-up to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use props to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use the set to show strength/weakness?

13. NAT 5 VOCAB STILL APPLIES! VOICE Articulation Fluency Intonation
CONVENTIONS
alternative ways of presenting all or parts of a presentation
Slow motion
Tableau (C) / Frozen Picture (F)
Freeze Frame –action frozen in time
Soliloquy
Flashback/flash forward
Narration
Voice Over( recorded speech played during a drama)/
Voice in Head (recall words said by others about a character or situation)
Mime
Monologue
soliloquy
OTHER ACTING TECHNIQUES
Aside- to audience only
Stage whisper
Masks
stereotype
VOICE
Articulation
Fluency
Intonation
Register
Clarity
Pause
Pitch
Accent
Pace
Timing
Tone
Volume
Emphasis
MOVEMENT
Stance
Balance
Body Language
Gesture
Facial Expression
Mime
Posture
Pace
Timing
Slow Motion
Blocking
Masking
CHARACTERISATION
- the process of developing a character fully
Character
Role Play
-exploring attitudes and beliefs
Thought Tracking
- when prompted the character says their thoughts out loud
Voice in the Head
Writing in Role
Hot Seating
Thought Tunnel
-character walks past other characters.
Those other characters speak their thoughts outloud
usually about the character walking past.

14. Lighting Follow Spot Profile Spot Fresnel Flood Light (gauze)
Set
Back cloth
Cyclorama
Gauze
Flies
Door Flats
Window Flats
Flats
Scenery
Trapdoor
Rostra
Treads
Truck
Wings
Backstage
Lighting
Follow Spot
Profile Spot
Fresnel
Flood Light
(gauze)
Barn Doors
Gobo
Gel
Pyrotechnics
Focusing (the lights)
Black out
Slow fade
Cross fade
Snap-to
Props
objects used by actors
Personal Prop
Set prop
Costume
Period Costume
Write in super detail for full marks
Staging
Venue
Thrust
Theatre in the round
End on
Proscenium Arch
Avenue
Auditorium
Revolving Stage
Ground plan
Key
Rake
Enter/exit
Audience
Sight lines
Stage Directions
Stalls, balcony, dress circle
Make Up
liners
Wax/nose putty
Crepe hair
Fake blood
Latex
Spirit gum
Makeup pallets
Stipple sponge
Scarring
Skull cap
Tooth varnish
Sound
Sound cue
Cross fade
Recorded voice over

15. HIGHER WORDS TO USE TO SOUND COOLER THAN YOU REALLY ARE
Central Character
Complex Character
Important Character
Minor Character
Main Character
Pivotal Character
Characterisation
Character Behaviour
Character Motivation
Character Development
Character Interaction
Relationships between Character A
Acting Style
Actor/Audience Relationship B
BLOCKING D
Design Concepts
Dialogue
Drama Media
(aka projections, video, sound scapes)
Drama Process
Dramatic Feature
Dramatic Tension
Points of Tension
Moments of Tension
Dramatic Irony
Duologue E
Episodic Structure F
Focus G
Given Circumstances
Ground Plans K
Key Scene
Key Moment

16. 1616 M P T S V U Message Mood Performance Analysis
Set
Setting
Site Specific Theatre
Special Effects
Textual Evidence
Traditional Theatre
Stage Imagery
Status
Stimulus
Subtext
Symbols and Imagery P
Performance Analysis
Performance Concepts
Pre-Show
Plot
Protagonist/Antagonist
Plot Twists
Purpose
Stage Proxemics
Positioning T
Textual Evidence
Traditional Theatre
Target Audience
Tension
Textual Analysis
Theatrical Background
Themes and Issues
Time period
Passage of Time
Shifts in Time V
Venue U
Use of levels