Different Every Night: Freeing the Actor

by Mike Alfreds

Overview

A top-ranking director sets out his rehearsal techniques in this invaluable handbook for actors and directors.

Different Every Night is the culmination of a lifetime of work in the theatre, the most complete rehearsal methodology in print since Stanislavsky. It offers a vital masterclass for actors and directors, full of sound practical advice and guidance, and is packed with techniques for bringing the text to life and keeping it alive - both in rehearsal and performance.

'Most of what I am as an actress I owe to Mike Alfreds. He gave me the language and the tools I needed for my craft' Pam Ferris, from her Foreword

'If I was allowed to train again to be an actor, but I was only allowed one teacher, it would have to be Mike Alfreds. To me he is a genius when it comes to acting and storytelling' Mark Rylance

'an illuminating and inspiring book... based in rich experience and acute observation of actors at work (and play)... essential reading for actors and directors' Rogues & Vagabonds

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780010335
Publisher:	Hern, Nick Books
Publication date:	08/21/2014
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	12 Years

Table of Contents

Foreword   Pam Ferris     xi
A Practical Guide     xvii
Health and Safety Warnings     xxi
Introductions
Curriculum Vitae     3
The Primacy of the Actor     12
Permanent Training     27
Concepts
Process v. Results     37
Want! Do! Feel!     42
Want: Objectives     48
Scene Objectives     49
Through-Lines     56
Super-Objectives     58
Counter-Objectives     63
Do: Actions     64
Beats     78
Obstacles     84
The Hierarchy of Actions and Objectives     86
Feel: Emotion     91
Given Circumstances     104
Preparation
The Purpose of Preparation     111
Preparing the Text     112
Deconstructing the Text     120
Titling the Acts     121
Sections     124
Units     125
Actions     133
A Pyramid of Titles     139
Preparing the Rehearsals     141
Casting     150
The Work: Rehearsal, Production, Performance
Rehearsal: Some Basic Principles     157
The Text     163
Actioning     164
Text - No Text - Text     175
Feeding-In     178
Points of Concentration     183
Logic Text     196
Character
The Starting Point     203
The Character Lists     206
Character Development     224
Techniques Towards Characterisation     229
The Actor and the Role     241
The World of the Play
Discovering New Worlds     245
Starting Points     249
Self-Blocking     261
Practice: A Handful of Dust; Marriage     265
Bringing the Strands Together     279
Production     286
Performance     295
Unclogging the Work
Clearing the Decks for Action     303
Bad Behaviour     304
Actors and Directors     313
Actors' Fears     319
Directors' Fears     329
Rigour     335
Coda: Summing Up
Recapitulation     343
Glossary     347
Further Reading     359