ON-CUE - Amateur Theatre - Acting articles

INSTANT ACTING

Jeremy Whelan's Tape Technique

Jeremy Whelan, author of the ABC's of Acting, has written another interesting book called 'Instant Acting'.
This book contains Jeremy's revolutionary acting, rehearsal and audition method for actors from beginners to professionals.
Stanislavski says "Analyse first, block later", and most directors tend to follow his principles. The problem as Jeremy sees it however, is that the character you read may be very different from the character you meet once you get on your feet.
He has therefore devised a method which he calls 'The Whelan Tape Technique'.
To begin using this method you start by getting your actors round a table to read a scene from the script. While they are reading they must absorb facts about the characters, such as one may be neurotic, another suffer from gout, or have a German accent.
Once they have got the sense of the script, then a tape recorder is introduced and they read the script again, this time audiotaping the reading.
When this is finished the actors immediately get on their feet and act out the scene to the playback of the tape, without speaking or even moving their lips. Experiencing as they do this, all the emotional, physical and intellectual facets of the character and the script.

BASIC RULES OF THE WHELAN TAPE TECHNIQUE

(1) Blot out all stage directions from your script - they are in the past and refer to another director, another cast, another stage. It's your part now, so do it your way.
(2) Put the tape recorder close enough to the actors to get a clear recording - and play it back so it can be heard clearly from every part of the acting area. If the venue has an in-house sound system, then use that.
(3) Do a sound check - record 3 or 4 times and playback to check you are doing a clear recording. Technical cock-ups can waste an awful lot of time. Check everytime you tape.
(4) Do only one take - if someone messes up a line, just keep going, if you stop and go back, then you'll find that someone else wants to do their lines over and you'll waste an awful lot of time. Try not to fluff and put everything as you see the character into your recording.
(5) Don't rush the reading - it is the natural tendency to rush through a reading. Rushing is the major cause of frustration later, so slow down and keep it as natural as possible.
(6) Stay with the script - don't try to make eye contact with the other actors during the reading. If there's an unfamiliar word in the script, look it up and ensure you pronounce it properly and make sense of the script.
(7) Don't try to act - don't force anything. Just let it happen.
(8) NEVER use the same recording twice - always use a freh recording for each run-through, because whether you realise it or not, you will have grown further into the part during the previous run-through.

THE FIRST RUN-THROUGH

After you've taped the scene you are ready for the first run-through. Make some attempt to fake the set and some props. (Ideally, do this before the recording.) Some props are easy to arrange, ie bottles and glasses, cups and saucers as they are often handy. Telephones and guns,etc., for example, use anything to hand such as a small cardboard box and a stick, it doesn't have to be realistic, just so you know what it's supposed to be.
Keep in mind that there are three basic moves that an actor can make in response to a line.
The emotional content will move you:

Away from - repelled
Towards - impelled
Remain - compelled
The author goes into more detail of these basic movements.

THE BASIC RULES OF THE RUN-THROUGH

(1) Don't perform - you are not to consider what you are doing as being important to anyone, except yourself and the other actor(s). Don't force, deny, or work for anything.
(2) Don't move your lips - whatever you do, or you will kill it. You'll start worrying about lip synching, sooner or later and that's fatal. It takes your mind away from focussing on your character and your relationship with the other characters.
(3) Don't try to remember what you're going to say next - stay in the moment.
(4) Don't negate any impulse unless it makes another actor bleed or walk funny - How far spontaneity can go is something you'll have to discuss with the director before you start.
(5) Don't put any obligation on yourself, other than responding to the emotional stimulus of the script, from as much of the character as you have gleaned up to this point - this means that on the very first reading you get some immediate ideas about the character. This is bound to happen and is all you have to start with, but be aware that this conception is superficial as you've only met the character a short time. Once you start acting with the tape recorder, contact with the other characters may change your view of your character's emotions from your original concept. In other words the character you read may be very different from the character you meet.
Guard you concentration and go with your emotions when you meet, look at or touch the other characters. Stay in the moment.
(6) Don't stop yourself from eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum, or anything else which would stop you talking at this point - remember however, that if you are drinking or eating in character while the tape is playing; once you start running with dialogue, you can't eat or drink at the same time as you are saying your lines.
(7) Maintain contact with other characters eyes, hands, feet, props (e.g.: light a cigarette, pour a drink, etc.), set (eg: look out of the window, sit down, switch on a lamp etc.) - all normal everyday actions.
(8) Don't be too literal in expressing the repel-impel-compel. - Let them explode. Impulse is art. Follow it blindly at rehearsal and with discipline in performance - but never negate it. Negating creative impulses takes so much energy you will appear spastic!
What is meant by non-literal Repel - Impel - Compel?
Let's imagine you're playing a shy individual who gets invited to the flat of the woman of his dreams. All of a sudden you get the impulse to laugh, shout and bounce off the settee and embrace her. Do it! The fact that the character's personality would only respond by taking a few halting steps in her direction is what defines his character. If however you fulfil the impulse, physically and emotionally, letting it take over completely - later when the more dominant aspects of the character start to control the 'style' of his movements, the audience will see behind those few halting steps, the tension of denied desire.
(9) Focus on your emotions - How do you feel saying the line? How do you feel hearing other characters talking to you? Let the emotion move you. Impel - Repel - Compel.
(10) Guard you concentration - With all this newfound freedom you might get tempted to think about what you did instead of what you are feeling at the moment. Don't!
(11) Do make hand and body gestures, verbal sounds without speech. - Feel free to laugh, cry, grunt, stick your tongue out, whistle or scream. But don't get so loud you can't hear the taped dialogue.
(12) Don't stop for any reason once you start the tape. - Stay in character and remember to follow your impulses blindly.

BETWEEN RECORDINGS

Whether you're acting or watching the run-through, a few major advantages of this technique should be immediately obvious to you
For example, contact should be constant. Eye contact is possible all the way through. Physical contact is increased because hands are not holding books and are free to touch, caress, fight or handle props. This allows the emotional content to flow more freely.
Every time actors use the technique they make major connections to the character. They get a stronger 'Repel - Impel - Compel' from the character and the action, but don't analyse this connection to death. Just do it again.
Don't fall in love with the way you said something, or you did something the first time. Your character will grow every time you use the technique. Growth means change! When you remember how you did or said something, it is because you believe you can't do better. There are no limits to your creativity. Go deeper, there is better in you!

This article was based on the book 'Instant Acting' by Jeremy Whelan, published by Betterway Books in their Theatre, Performing Arts series. It gives you an insight into this fascinating technique and if you want to know more then buy the book. You won't be disappointed.
The book is also available on loan from the Wareham branch of Dorset Libraries.

INSTANT ACTING - There are lots of Directors and Actors out there - I would welcome your opinion of the concept behind this technique. Ray Smith