What Makes a Good Actor? Physical Actions on Stage

In the first part of this series, we addressed the concept of emotional memory. We now move on to physical actions on stage. Stanislavski said, "The first fact is that the elements of the human soul and the particles of a human body are indivisible."

Internal experiences and their physical expression are unbreakably united. Whether it is through a facial expression or the tapping of a foot, everything a human experiences psychologically is displayed through physical means. This is termed a psycho-physical union.

On stage, if an actor experiences only internal feelings or only physical actions, then the performance is dead. The reasoning behind this goes back to the union of the psychological and physical -- the two go hand-in-hand. For an actor to portray a character employing one aspect of the union without the other is to perform incompletely.

Stanislavski developed a technique he called "the method of physical actions" to solve the dilemma of spontaneity in a created environment (stage or film set). In this technique, the actor would perform a physical motion to create the desired emotional response. For instance, if an actor needed to tear up, he could sigh and hold his head in his hands, a physical action that many who are crying instinctively do.

The correct physical action does not come automatically for any psychological response. Many times, actors need to experiment until they determine what best works for them and for the character they are trying to portray. The best way to experiment in this many is through improvisation, and the best improvisers are those who can intuitively act and behave as though in a real situation.

Through his work, Stanislavski reversed the human reaction system in which an emotion allocates an action. Method actors use actions to control their emotions. The best actors are those who "live" in silences and not only in words. Reacting is essentially emoting and includes allowing the body to outwardly express what the mind is inwardly experiencing.

One of the greatest performances of the psycho-physical union on stage is that of Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects. Study this film and the methods Spacey employs in the beginning of the film for one part of his character, especially the physical transformation that takes place in the film's final scene. Upon viewing the scene with physicality in mind, you will notice how great Spacey is at embodying the union in his character.

To practice the method of physical actions, try the following exercises:

1. Read a book for leisure. Read a book to study.
2. Write a letter to a friend. Write a letter of complaint.
3. Walk to an important appointment. Walk to the store down the road.

Remember to keep an objective in mind and be conscious of a three-step thinking in which you begin, you develop, and you end your thoughts and actions.

Stay tuned for the next episode in this series -- imagination.