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Question: Training to abort the pregnant pause!?
There are a lot of Theatre Sport activities that get young actors thinking on their feet!. I am not looking for that type of improvising techniques!.
More than that, I want to cure the pregnant pause!.
During a recent performance I saw, the young caste stuck to their scripts and waited for the audio tech to cue them with the music / sound effect / or whatever !.!.!. it was so obvious to the audience!.
Other times, a prop would not behave itself to come onstage and the caste were again left waiting!.
During these times, actors should feel free to respond while keeping in character!.
I know some of you run workshops on the other side of the planet that address some of these problems!. Do you have anything you can share to help abort the pregnant pause!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
There are a few games to sort of warm up the "justification muscle," which is what would come into play when things don't go as planned!.
One is a kind of gaggy game, but I look at it as brain calisthenics: new choice!. An improvised scene is performed, and from time to time, a bell is rung, and the actor must make a different choice!. The bell can be rung several times on one new choice!.
For example:
Harriet, come in!. I have the papers for you to sign!. (ding!) Would you like some coffee!? (ding!) Quick, sit on the floor!.
This trains the brain to be adaptive!.
Another we call "slips" (though it has different names)!. Get a large number of slips of paper, and on each write some line of dialogue--a statement, question, exclamation, etc!. Then during the scene, from time to time an actor will turn over a slip, read the line, and then justify it in the context of the scene!.
Another one to help them be in the moment is a Keith Johnstone exercise called What Comes Next!. In training, the actor asks "what comes next!?" and someone else responds!. They complete the action, then ask again!. Example:
What comes next!? You walk to the sink!.
What comes next!? You turn on the water!.
What comes next!? You grab the soap!.
etc!.
This reminds actors that each action is broken down into very tiny steps (and also helps them slow down)!.
For scripted work, this is helpful for those moments when things go awry!. The actor can just ask him/herself "what comes next!?" It might be "sit on the couch" or "walk to my scene partner" or "paraphrase what I just said!."
Hope these helpWww@QuestionHome@Com