Find it in the Other Actor

Find it in the other actor – Feeling off? Lost any connection you had with the text? Gain inspiration from the person opposite you. Listen to what they are saying and discover new meaning, often these nights are the best performances because you are being pushed to uncover new ideas and insights. Find strength in one another and fuel each other’s imagination to re-ignite the flame.

Even the most prolific actors lose their mojo on stage, they feel stale and run on autopilot. When you’re on the road performing a show for months at a time, it’s not unusual to feel like you’re simply going through the motions, its expected of you. Stage and screen actor Ewan McGregor was asked if he ever felt dead on stage and how he dealt with it: ‘All the time. We all do. You will find it in the other person. Look into their eyes and it’ll come.’

Trying to re-create a feeling or a moment will never work. We’ve all come off stage feeling that we nailed a scene or line, and the danger is we try to emulate this the next night, and for some reason it’s never quite the same. The most powerful moments on stage come from new discovery and spontaneity, keep finding deeper meaning in what you and your fellow actors are saying, your response will stay true and absorb audiences. The most captivating performers are the generous ones, keep it fresh and use each other to unearth further meaning.