I have to memorize a 45 line monologue for my acting class, and well, lets face it !.!. not easy!. Any tricks of the trade I should know about before I make an idiot out of myself!? Thanks =)Www@QuestionHome@Com
| Question Home |
Position:Home>Theater & Acting> Any tricks to memorizing text?Question: Any tricks to memorizing text!? I have to memorize a 45 line monologue for my acting class, and well, lets face it !.!. not easy!. Any tricks of the trade I should know about before I make an idiot out of myself!? Thanks =)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: One thing I always do is make copies of the script, or print out the lines, and stick them in one of those sheet protectors they make for binders!.!.!. Then I tape the opening shut and stick it up on the wall of my shower!. I can say it to myself every morning! I really like doing this because then memorization doesn't interfere with time I need for other homework, and I can still spend time memorizing it every day!. There are three ways people learn things: by hearing/saying them, by reading them, and by writing them!. Visual, verbal, or motor!. Personally, I memorize the easiest by hearing something over and over again!. Which is why I know everyone else's lines in the play before I know my own!. ^^; THAT doesn't annoy people at ALL!. So you can try writing your lines out a bunch, which uses a lot of time and paper and may give your hand cramps!. Or you can try reading it a bunch, I would suggest aloud, which my shower technique is good for!. Or you can record yourself saying it and listen to it while you fall asleep or while you exercise, or in the car!. If you do anything that involves saying it aloud, think about how you say it before you say it!. Otherwise, you'll get used to saying it/hearing yourself say it pedantically, or like you're reading it off even when you're not, and it'll make acting it that much harder!. So go through the monologue and make all of your acting notes on the monologue (if it isn't double-spaced, you might want to print it out double-spaced so you have room to write between lines)!. If you record it, make sure the way you read it is the way you want to perform it!. That being said, it can be hard to work on the acting part before you memorize it, so don't worry if you have to change it!. If you want some advice on monologues, you can go to my Yahoo! 360o page, I just posted a blog about them!. ^_^ Break a leg!Www@QuestionHome@Com First I read the monologue to get a feel of my characters personality, and their feeling about what they are speaking about or to ( for example: madness, sadness, etc) Then after I have the details I begin reciting it out-loud, then I will add in my movements with the words!. (Some people say the movements make them remember the lines better!.!.!.the performance flow easier) Hope that helps you!!! :DWww@QuestionHome@Com first of all relax ,then read the the monologue a couple of times until you know the general idea of it eg what its about,the emotion you need ect, then any spare minute of the day read 10 lines or more (depending on your memory) do this for the entire monologue,keep reading it until you think you know it then say it to yourself out loud untill you get it right or get a friend or a family member to test you ,read it before you go to bed then as you fall asleep it will go around and around in your head hope this helpsWww@QuestionHome@Com My acting teacher told us to stand up and walk around when learning the text!. Even if you don't have blocking for the monologue just walk back and forth or something!. I tried this for the monologues in the class and it really did help!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The best and simple way;WR?TE DOWN :)Www@QuestionHome@Com contact me and I will send you my two page article on learning lines!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |