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The first thing about acting is to learn to really listen to the actors on stage with you, and to listen in character, in the same way that the character would listen in a real situation.

Many people think that acting is mainly about learning the lines, blocking the moves and figuring out what costumes to wear, but these things are not the most important things about acting.

For many actors the most difficult times on stage or screen are the times when they have no lines at all. It is quite common to see amateur actors with no lines standing on stage looking awkward, as if they have no idea what to do. Even worse are the actors who spend their non-speaking time on stage looking at the audience!

The best way to look real on stage is to really listen to what the other actors are saying and to think about what they're saying. In this way you will never need to worry about what to do when you have no lines, any more than you worry about what to do when you are in a group conversation in real life. In real life, you listen to what's being said, and that's what you do on stage too.

Your thoughts show on your face every time, and if you are thinking about what's being said, that will show. If you are thinking about something else (the audience or your next line for example) that will also show on your face and the audience will see that you are not really in the scene.

Of course, you need to listen 'in character'. And you need to have given a great deal of thought to the script before you get to performance stage. Acting is not just a matter of learning lines, it's about learning emotional responses.

Think about how your character would respond when the other characters say whatever they say. How would it make you feel? What would you be thinking in that situation? If you can think the right thoughts, your face and body will do the right things. Good actors never think about how they will look angry, upset or whatever. Instead, they think of what thoughts they would have in that situation. The thoughts give them the look they need, and the thoughts come in response to really listening to what is being said.

Really listening has another benefit if you're doing live theatre. Things can go wrong on stage, and if you're not really listening you may not realize that things have gone awry. If you have given no thought to the other characters' dialogue, you can really get stuck if things go wrong.

For example, in one play I did a lead actress was supposed to come on stage and deliver a speech to myself and two others. Her monologue was over a page long. One day (about our 15th performance) she came on stage with a totally blank look that swiftly turned to terror. She had no idea what she was supposed to say, and instead of a page of monologue all she said was: "Well. What have you got to tell me?"

As an actor you have to be prepared for the unexpected, and the best way to be prepared is to listen intently to what is going on, both during the rehearsals and in the performances. Listening leads to awareness of what is happening, and it leads to thoughts that your character would have. Thoughts lead to body language and facial expressions that look real and not "slapped on" over an empty mind.

Learn more about this author, Lin Edwards.
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