BBC Radio 4 reminded us of the importance of improvisation when they played an excerpt of a sermon from 2007 by Tony Crockett, then Bishop of Bangor. He must have been an outstanding speaker, As well as a lover of jazz.
He talked about the great musicians, such as George Shearer. He noted their willingness to play with a theme, to improvise and see where it goes, letting the rhythm take them. Improvisation he suggested was an exciting way to engage with life Continue reading
Watching the World Cup, there are, it seems to me, two winning ingredients. One is the truly world class performer, a Messi or a Suarez. The other is intensity, or as many South American coaches in particular cultivate it, ‘relentless intensity.’
Spain have lost it. England never had it, unlike ‘tiny’ Uruguay- who had intensity and Suarez. Even footballing minnows Iran held out with intensity against the much superior Argentina until the 91st minute when fatigue, and world class Messi, made the difference Continue reading
For the experienced, confident presenter or speaker the pause becomes natural. For the less experienced it’s more difficult and yet mastering it can be the surest way to improved performance.
In music as Claude Debussy once said: :”Music happens in the space between the notes.” The pause – for dramatic effect – is equally vital to acting. This is what I learned from one actor answering these questions.
How important is the pause to the actor?
It is everything, the difference between the ordinary and the exceptional performance. It should be part of an actor’s DNA.
How do you know when to pause?
Sometimes the author tells you by writing PAUSE in the script, or SILENCE when a major interruption is called for. The director will usually ensure the instructions are followed.
Most times however it is instinctive.A recognising of the sub-text, a sense of the moment, feeling for the response you seek.
It is everything that cannot be said with words. A look. A breath. A moment of connection. The most intimate and profound moments can happen in silence, when the emotional weight of something is too much to express through verbal language.
“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.” – Sir Ralph Richardson
“Thou weigh‘st thy words before thou givest them breath.” William Shakespeare, Othello
In any pitch, presentation or interview before an audience the way you come across matters, usually more than what you actually say. You need to perform, something actors do for a living. This is what I learnt from one actress, Imogen Sage, when asked about dealing with an audience.
How do you handle nerves facing a live a audience?
Preparation is everything. Through constant repetition in rehearsal you become so familiar and so comfortable in the role that knowing your lines will be no problem, even if you are nervous. This means you can enjoy, rather than fear, the sense of occasion. This is something that actors live for.
How do you respond to a difficult or disappointingly small audience?
You do your job and give it 100%. You give everything and expect nothing in return.
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How does the audience effect the performance?
Perfomances do not exist in the absence of an audience. There is two way exchange of energy, with a shared sense of anticipation. As an actor you tap into this to be ‘in the moment’ and tune in to what kind of audience they are. As much as they are listening to you, you are listening to them.
“The theatre is the involuntary reflex of the ideas of the crowd”.
Sarah Bernhardt
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Some weeks ago, (for what turned out to be a very minor problem) I needed to attend the walk-in dermatology clinic at the Hammersmith Hospital. Managing to lose myself in endless corridors, I arrived late to find I was number 43 in the queue of other patients.
Not surprisingly, since illness is not defined by age or background or country of origin or demographics, the patients were a diverse group and, I assume, equally diverse as ‘patients’ -easy, difficult, resistant, uncommunicative (many not speaking English).
They shared, again I assume, some level of concern ranging from mild to extreme and fearful.
This is where an astonishing demonstration of the perfect bedside manner came in.
As my number was called out, I realised that there was a single consultant only and that I was the 43rd of her diverse patients towards the end of a long day. In the ten minutes or so of consultation, I experienced something akin to a pitch, a good one.
In the first moments, she somehow ‘read’ me as an individual making the all important connection on introduction that reassured me about what might follow. In ancient rhetoric this is the appeal of ethos.
Her professional skill and expertise, her reasoning- logos- solved the practical problem.
But it was her emotional quality, the appeal of pathos, that even in the restraints of a ten minute doctor/patient meeting, inspired as well reassured this patient.