On Acting: Interviews with Actors (Paperback)

by Mary Luckhurst (Editor), Chloe Veltman (Editor) "Annabel Arden was born in London in 1959..." (more)
Key Phrases: most useful critics, rehearsal conditions, mainstream theatre, New York, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Wooster Group (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Twenty performers -- including Willem Dafoe, William H. Macy, and Eve Ensler -- consider the question of how an actor creates a character on stage.

A seemingly simple question -- "How do actors prepare for their roles?" -- reveals a surprising diversity of opinions about dramatic training. Should it be more institutionalized or more individualized? Has the film industry helped or hindered actors in their quest to portray characters convincingly? Can a person learn to act well, or is acting a talent one can only be born with? From Luba Kadison, who was on stage during World War I, to Aysan Celik, who was born in the mid-1970s, the actors interviewed by Mary Luckhurst and Chloe Veltman discuss the origins and uses of a wide range of physical and psychological approaches to acting. Some actors pour their energies into researching the era and circumstances of a character's life, some expand their versatility through work with ensemble groups or experimental companies, still others prefer to depend on traditional rigorous academic instruction. And sometimes inspiration comes from beyond the proscenium -- The Who, Martha Graham, opera singer Jessye Norman, and Pablo Picasso are just a few of the artists who have had a profound influence on the actors interviewed here.

With its dynamic approach and engaging style, On Acting is an invaluable collection of insights into the theory and practice of acting for the stage or the screen.


From the Publisher

Twenty performers -- including Willem Dafoe, William H. Macy, and Eve Ensler -- consider the question of how an actor creates a character on stage.

A seemingly simple question -- "How do actors prepare for their roles?" -- reveals a surprising diversity of opinions about dramatic training. Should it be more institutionalized or more individualized? Has the film industry helped or hindered actors in their quest to portray characters convincingly? Can a person learn to act well, or is acting a talent one can only be born with? From Luba Kadison, who was on stage during World War I, to Aysan Celik, who was born in the mid-1970s, the actors interviewed by Mary Luckhurst and Chloe Veltman discuss the origins and uses of a wide range of physical and psychological approaches to acting. Some actors pour their energies into researching the era and circumstances of a character's life, some expand their versatility through work with ensemble groups or experimental companies, still others prefer to depend on traditional rigorous academic instruction. And sometimes inspiration comes from beyond the proscenium -- The Who, Martha Graham, opera singer Jessye Norman, and Pablo Picasso are just a few of the artists who have had a profound influence on the actors interviewed here.

With its dynamic approach and engaging style, On Acting is an invaluable collection of insights into the theory and practice of acting for the stage or the screen.

Mary Luckhurst is a playwright, translator, and lecturer in modern drama at York University (U.K.). Chloe Veltman is a theater critic and a researcher and reporter in The Daily Telegraph's New York bureau.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Faber & Faber (June 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0571206565
• ISBN-13: 978-0571206568
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,459,647 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right From The Heart, July 10, 2002

By	"thespian58" ([URL]) - See all my reviews

A fond melancholy runs throughout On Acting as twenty actors from both stage and screen re-visit their grass root beginnings in the world of performing arts. Sharing their diversified techniques on getting the character right, interviewees answer such questions as: How does an actor prepare for a role? How does an actor relate to their directors? and, Is there such a thing as a natural genius? On Acting is truly a "must have" actors book whether you are a seasoned pro or just starting out. The cover to cover interviews will leave you begging for a second compilation.

3.0 out of 5 stars Heard a lot of this before, July 31, 2004

By	Bethanie Frank "book dreamer" (Coffeyville, KS United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is interesting to know how actors prepare. But each and every actor must discover that process on their own. I think a person not very familiar with the process would find this book enlightening and intriguing. However, people in the field are familiar with homework techniques, different methods, and various training schools. So, if you're in the field - this is probably something you've already heard before.

5.0 out of 5 stars Have your ever wondered what it takes to act?, November 20, 2003

By	Norman Goldman "Editor of Bookpleasures.com" (Montreal) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Have your ever wondered what it takes to act? What kind of training must an actor pursue?
How does the actor go about creating the illusions of different characters?
Many of us never stop to ponder about the craft of acting. We attend a stage performance or view a movie without giving any thought to the art behind the performance.
In fact, some of us may even believe that you are born to be an actor. No matter how diligently you train, unless you have this innate acting ability, you will never succeed.

These and many more queries are addressed in a compact book entitled "On Acting: Interviews With Actors", edited by Mary Luckhurst and Chloe Veltman.
The principal objective of the book is to unravel some of the mystique about the art of acting.
In order to attain some intelligent understanding of acting, the reader is introduced to a survey of twenty British and American actors who respond to a series of questions. Unlike many of the celebrity interviews we are accustomed to, the conversations presented in the book avoid intruding on an actor's private life or the commercial aspects of their latest project.
It is to be further noted and as indicated in the introduction, "the book focuses on actors whose roots lie in the theatre, though many also have a profile in film."

Although many of the actors interviewed may not be household names, nevertheless, reading these interviews definitely provides us with an excellent overview of various perspectives of the acting profession.

For example, when the question of how does an actor develop a relationship with the audience, we notice a variety of responses.

Aysan Celik asserted: "the audience is the final element; the performers are the bridge between the story and the audience." He goes on to explain that whether the actors are performing something completely recognizable to them or something very abstract, "as long as we, the actors, are engaged, I think the audience will be too. Whatever we do, we must not alienate them."

Another topic that was frequently broached was the amount of preparation and research undertaken before a performance.

According to Anna Deavere Smith "acting is creating a fiction to illuminate a truth-and I think it is- then my preparation calls for my being aware of all aspects of the creation of that fiction."
Smith goes to explain that she must be "intimately involved in all aspects of gathering information, putting it into a show, knowing what the stage world of the show is (mise en scène) and ultimately delivering the show, each night, to an audience-some of whom may know the people I am portraying.

Overall, "On Acting: Interviews With Actors" is an illuminating read and will definitely provide much food for thought for actors as well as non-actors.

This review first appeared on reviewer's own site