Updated 31 May 2021

So here are my favourite TV shows about acting. Some are wildly comical, others educational, but I recommend checking them out.

#1 Extras

Ricky Gervais is a comedy legend. The creator of The Office, Derek and of course Extras. Extras follows the life of Andy Millman, a struggling actor who can’t seem to do anything but extra work. This show is quintessentially British and captures Ricky Gervais’ signature awkward humour. With cameos from Patrick Stewart, Kate Winslet and Daniel Radcliffe, what more could you want? Sheer brilliance, that had to be featured at the top of this list.

Genre: British Comedy/Awkward Comedy

#2 Toast of London

I only recently stumbled on this gem on Netflix. It’s a bizarre look inside the world of Steven Toast, a mediocre, washed-up actor who believes himself to be anything but mediocre. Steve finds himself in a myriad of hilarious situations. At times the comedy goes too far and the musical interludes can be testing, but push past the first few episodes and you’ll see this show is absolute gold and a must-watch for actors.

The voice-over sections are definitely a highlight, and especially for anyone who has worked in the voice-over industry, you will die. We have a video below with some of the best clips.

Genre: British Comedy

#3 Inside the Actors Studio

This is an incredible show to help you become a better actor. James Lipton sits down with the greatest actors of our time and delves into their process and career. Some interviews are more captivating than others, but there’s always something to be garnered from these legendary creatives. This classic series is a must-watch for actors.

Genre: Interview series

#4 Master of None

Aziz Ansari has created a hilarious and moving TV show, based largely on his own life. Although a lot of the series delves into the complex world of dating, it also addresses the inherent struggles of being an ethnic, early-career actor, fast approaching 30. Dev’s desperate attempts to get his foot in the door are comedic genius, but the underlying message reminds us that stardom isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

#5 Curb your Enthusiasm

You’re right, Larry David isn’t an actor, he’s a writer. Well, he is acting in this show, but he’s playing himself, a writer. Still, this show is very much about the industry and features actors, writers and directors. This is one of the funniest shows around and I would binge all nine seasons if you haven’t already. Larry David wrote Seinfield and so if you love that type of humour, Curb your Enthusiasm is for you.

Genre: American Comedy

#6 The Come Back

If you love “Smelly Cat”, you’ll love The Come Back. It’s a fun look at the life of a sitcom actor. It has a very American feel, but is a great show.

Genre: American Comedy

#7 Entourage

You’ve probably already binged this one if you’re an actor. At times it yields to stereotypes and is very male-oriented, but it’s still good fun and inspiring for actors who are yet to head to LA. Just don’t take it too seriously!

Genre: Comedy

#8 Barry

This is a new addition to the list, but what an incredible show! Headed up by Bill Hader, who plays assassin turned actor, Barry. It’s one of my favourite shows at the moment and it’s hilarious. It also features plenty of action, which even though it’s a comedy, is done incredibly well. The acting teacher, played brilliantly by Henry Winkler, is shockingly similar to some acting gurus I have come across over the years.

Genre: Dark Comedy

#9 Call my Agent

This little gem is the only non-English speaking suggestion on the list. It’s also less oriented around actors, than agents. But it’s brilliant! We get to see in inner workings of one of Paris’ biggest acting agencies. It’s a great insight into the acting world, and absolutely hilarious. Created by Fanny Herrero, there are currently two seasons to binge on Netflix, and hopefully more to come in the next few years.

Genre: Comedy

#10 Schitt’s Creek

This final TV on our list is not centred around actors but features one of the best portrayals of an actor on screen I have seen in a long time, so I felt it deserved to be featured. Moira Rose, played by Catherine O’Hara is simply hilarious and her performance permeates the show so much that sometimes we do feel it is all about acting! It’s such a brilliant show that I had to add it to the list. Her acting career certainly features heavily in the show, and well if you haven’t watched it, just do it!

Genre: Sitcom

Conclusion

There are our favourite TV shows about acting, but we’re sure there’re a bunch more out there. Let us know in the comments if your favourite didn’t make the list!

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Macbeth a.k.a The Scottish Play

Never say the name of the Scottish play in a theatre. Just don’t do it. It is 100% hands down totally cursed. I am a totally rational, science-based guy. I don’t go in for ghosts or ghouls at all, with the exception of Macbeth. There is something about it that is offputting. Shakespeare’s Scottish drama centres around the prophecy of witches and the fate of the country. The superstition goes that the first actor to play the title role died during the first production of it, forcing Shakespeare himself to take the title role.

Others say that Shakespeare’s withes quote directly from books of black magic in their spells and incantations. Whatever the case I can assure you that if you say the name of the play inside the theatre, theatre people around you will have you either ejected from the space immediately where you will have to turn around three times and spit, or you will be quoting from A Midsummer Nights Dream faster than you can say Thane of Cawdor. If you do have to say it, the two main characters are Mac and Lady Mac and the play is referred to as The Scottish Play.

Good Luck!

This one is pretty well known, you never say good luck to anyone who works in the theatre. It is always “break a leg” or in Australia and the U.K. “Chookas”. Why not good luck? Well, a couple of theories here – firstly, that the theatre is inhabited by malevolent spirits who want to do the opposite of whatever you say. By saying break a leg, you’re pulling a bit of the ol’ reverse psychology on them getting them to do the opposite of breaking your legs, getting more legs? I’m not sure. But whatever.

Secondly – in vaudeville times in the States, the leg of the stage was the base of the curtain. By breaking the leg, you strode onto stage and into the limelight. Finally, way back in Shakespeares time, you would break the audiences line of sight to your leg to pick up the food that people had thrown at you and therefore get a dinner. This leads us nicely to chookas, which colloquially means that if you go out there and do well, you will be able to buy chicken for dinner. It’s nice to know that actors have always been poor even way back in Shakespeares time!

No Whistling

This one is actually a very practical point although now it is pretty irrelevant. Back in the day, off duty sailors used to man the ropes and pulleys that controlled the set pieces and backdrops of big theatres. They would communicate using the series of coded whistles they used on the big ships. So if an actor strode onstage whistling dixie, they could quickly find a giant piece of scenic art dropping on their head!

Obviously with the modern OH&S requirements this is pretty unlikely for us, but I would still avoid whistling in the theatre just in case!

Bad Dress = Great show!

This one is some hopeful thinking from a bunch of producers I reckon. The idea is that if your last rehearsal before you go up absolutely stinks, well that means that opening night is going to be a cracker! Personally I have had both possible experiences here, an absolute ripper of a final dress then a brilliant opening! I’ve also experienced the opposite of that. So all I am saying is, I am not sure I completely buy this one – however many out there in the theatre world do and it’s something to be aware of.

Always leave a light on

The ghost light never goes out in a theatre. In big old theatres, cast or crew walking onstage in the dark could fall down trap doors, or into orchestra pits. Additionally, those same mischievous fairies from the Scottish play above were bound to play tricks on unsuspecting humans strolling through a darkened theatre. The ghost light never goes out in the theatre, and if one does – call the police, or ghostbusters. Whatever seems more appropriate!

No money, mirrors or peacock feathers

These are tricky ones. Firstly the peacock feather, peacock feathers have a deep blue circle at the end which to early theatre practitioners looked like the ‘evil-eye.’ They were thought to bring unsettling evil spirits to a production. Additionally, they were favoured by the Mongol hordes pillaging Europe which didn’t bode well for Western European theatre-makers.

The mirrors thing was largely tied up in the long-running mirror superstition of breaking them resulting in seven years bad luck. Combined with the other bad luck options in this list that could be catastrophic.

However, I have a theory that all of these come from producers and theatre owners who didn’t want any theft backstage so created superstitions around real money and also wanted to keep costs down so did the same with expensive mirrors and exotic bird feathers! Whichever way it goes, keep these items outside the theatre!

Turn off your phones

A modern one, but a good one. Maybe even less of a superstition and more of an instruction. There is nothing more embarrassing than performing your heart out of a scene on stage, giving it your all, having your concentration broken by an obnoxious ringtone, only to realise it is your ringtone, coming from the dressing room. So, massively distinctly not good. Don’t risk it folks, turn those phones off!

Any we missed?
Why not comment or share this article to let us know your favourite theatre superstitions!

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Yesterday I was coaching one of my students. She was stressed, agonising over how to write an accurate backstory, and find the perfect scene objective. Seeing her in that way, was like seeing myself every day at drama school. There was so much that I didn’t understand and I desperately wanted to make sense of it all.  Actors universally have this desire to master the process and “get things right”. We want to be able to dice up any scene or monologue, put it through a clever little system, and pop out a perfect performance at the end. The issue is, even if you find the perfect scene objective, a detailed backstory, and learn every possible thing about your character, if you have found it through stress, you will perform it with stress.

It’s actors like James Dean and Jennifer Laurence, who live truthfully in the moment, and constantly surprise us, that we fall in love with.

For years my script analysis was cobbled together from everything I learnt at drama school. 12 Steps of Ivana Chubbuck, muddled together with Uta Hagen’s Given Circumstances, and why not throw in 20 transitive verbs from my actor’s thesaurus while I’m at it? This work ethic was admirable, but the intention was not. All I cared about was getting it right! But a desire to get something right is simply a desire to be in control. And words like control, accurate, and safe are not what we look for in great performances. In fact, what gets us salivating, is danger! It’s actors like James Dean and Jennifer Laurence, who live truthfully in the moment, and constantly surprise us, that we fall in love with. We want performances that are built on impulse and spontaneity. It’s the goal of actors  to “put a mirror up to nature” and genuinely show us something truthful, honest and compelling about ourselves.

If you’ve ever been in a great rehearsal room, where you are collaborating with the director, it’s an incredible experience. Both of you are throwing ideas at each other, and exploring the possibilities of the scene and the character. This is play. Whenever a director creates this kind of rehearsal environment, the culture lives on into performance. Yes we formulate blocking, and create structure, but our performances remain playful and spontaneous. Conversely, if you’ve ever worked with an autocratic director, where you are simply a pawn in their ego driven vision, you will understand how feeling limited, controlled and afraid leads to stilted and monotonous performances. This environment stifles our creative impulses.

So we understand this when it comes to working with directors, but how are we directing ourselves? Most of us play the role of the second director when we are working on our own projects. We begrudge the process and eagerly demand a perfect end product. Whether it’s an audition, or a performance, we are judgmental and controlling of how the work should be:”ok, I have to cry here” or “this just isn’t working!!!”. These outcome oriented approaches drench us in stress. We search for a scene objective, and instead of saying, “yes that could really help unlock the scene” we say “maybe that’s not the right scene objective”.

Always remember that there are no right answers. Even experienced teachers will squabble over objectives for the same scene. That’s because we all see scenes differently and what inspires something in me might not work for you.

It becomes more like doing maths homework, than playing in the sandpit.

Remember acting techniques are all designed to help you. We often forget this, and so the whole process becomes unhelpful. It becomes more like doing maths homework, than playing in the sandpit.

You only turn to an acting methodology when you need help. Don’t force it upon every scene! If you have a scene that you instantly connect with, why force it through your stressful process. Trust that you have it and don’t over prepare. However, if you pick up a scene and it just isn’t working, take a look in your toolkit and see what can help. Maybe you don’t understand the character: well, you need to read the play again and maybe look at Uta Hagen’s given circumstances. Don’t understand the structure of the scene? Time to turn to units, or beats, to breakdown the scene into manageable sections. Your toolkit is there to help when you need it.

If you do force a scene through the same old process it becomes an intellectual pursuit. We all understand the notion of feeling “in our head” or disconnected. If you keep telling yourself to get something right again and again, how do you expect to have a free and open mindset in performance? We censor ourselves whilst performing, because we don’t want to get it wrong. But the only way to be great is to give up the agenda of being great.

The other issue with approaching our work in a stressful/outcome oriented way is that it makes acting miserable. As actors, we spend more time prepping and rehearsing than we do performing, so why not start trying to enjoy that process. If your process has become like this, I recommend finding teachers and coaches that make acting fun again. Seek out teachers who love the craft. The same goes with acting methodologies. Which techniques and practitioners excite you? When you start to enjoy the process of being a detective and unlocking scenes, your script analysis work will improve massively.

Most of our hours as actors are spent alone: learning, practicing and rehearsing. Isn’t it potentially a liberating thought that making your rehearsal process more enjoyable, not only makes your life as an actor rewarding, but it could also lead to more impulsive, creative and present work. It is never about getting it right, instead focus on what actually helps you tell the story. For some, strictly following Ivana Chubbuck’s 12 steps will be the key, for others it will be shouting your lines to the ocean, or singing them in the shower.

The post How you Rehearse, is how you Perform appeared first on StageMilk.

Memory

It frustrates us when people ask the perennial question “great work, how did you learn all those lines?” Don’t they realise how much more work there is into putting a play on a stage! But learning lines is a challenge. And a big one. It can be a huge cause of stress, and if you can’t confidently learn your lines, it can lead to mechanical, disconnected acting.

For me the solution is time, and planning. I have never been good at learning lines, but I am good at planning. I set dates when I want to be off book, and I make sure I get there. If you know it takes you 3 weeks to learn lines, then give yourself 3 weeks! If it only takes you a few days, then give yourself a few days.

I also make sure that I am never just learning the lines. If you truly understand your script, and the words you are saying, it will inherently be easier to learn those lines. This is why so many students struggle to learn Shakespeare monologues. They don’t fully understand the script and then it is like learning a safety manual, in Spanish! You’ll learn your lines much quicker if you do the preparation on your script first. Make sure you understand the intentions behind the lines, because if you can learn the thoughts, you can learn the lines.

For more on learning lines.

Fears

You could get on stage a 100 times, but if you always fall back to what you know and feel comfortable with, then that won’t get you anywhere.

If there was one thing that would lead to an actors improvement more than anything else, it would be overcoming fears. It is our fears that hold us back from every element of great acting. Whether it is inhibiting our emotions, or stopping us from connecting with the other actor, or forcing us to be superficial and safe in our performances. For some, their fears might not require a bucket before every audition, but it can still be inhibiting their potential as actors. Either way we must try to abate these fears as best we can. Or in the very least, learn to accept and work with them – instead of against them.

The answer is practice. Like with anything, the more we work on stage or on screen, the more it becomes second nature. Our experience becomes a foundation for us to work from. I could encourage hypnotherapy, acupuncture and mantras, but the simple answer is you have to do it more. But here is the caveat: you can’t keep playing it safe. You could get on stage a 100 times, but if you always fall back to what you know and feel comfortable with then that won’t get you anywhere. Keep pushing yourself, work on challenging scripts, and explore characters outside your comfort zone. The more we stretch ourselves the less fearful we become.

Given Circumstances

I was watching two wonderful actors work on a scene from Revolutionary Road in class the other day. There was a line where Frank’s character (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) references two friends who are waiting outside: Shep and Milly. But who the hell are these people! The teacher worked with the students to detail up those two names, getting them to substitute someone in their real life for Shep and Milly. And it worked. All of a sudden these two names that the actor had previously rushed over, came to life and had meaning.

This is one of the keys to great acting! We have to do the work in order to bring people, places, events and objects to life, when in reality – they are completely imaginary, and may mean nothing to us. Whether it’s endowing a prop, or falling in love with your scene partner, it is imperative to connect with the given circumstances of any scene.

Acting teachers have been trying to solve this since Stanislavsky first formulated his acting method. For some teachers like Ivana Chubbuck the solve is substitution. For others like Stella Adler and Declan Donnellan it is the imagination, and finding ways to connect with the reality of the script. Whichever way you go, nothing can be rushed over and ignored. You must connect truthfully to your given circumstances and that is the key to an authentic and compelling performance.

For more on Given Circumstances.

Emotion

Emotion comes up more than anything else when actors reach out to me. How do I connect with emotion? How do I cry? How can I be more emotional? And the funniest thing is that most of the major acting methodologies put little to no emphasis on emotion. Emotion is the by-product of going after what you want in the scene.

Whilst we want to be open to our emotions, they are not the objective. There are countless examples of people experiencing tragedy and feeling completely numb, or pragmatic, or angry. Our emotions are unpredictable, and they should be that way in our acting. When we focus on achieving certain emotions we become self indulgent, and the story is lost.

The solution is to spend your time discovering the writers intention. If you are working with a director or other actors, work with them. Investigate the scene and why it is part of the story. Once you discover that and can work out what you want in the scene and why you continue to be there, you will be able to play the scene truthfully.

If you understand the scene and relax enough – the feelings will come.

Technical Issues

We’ve all met actors who hate theatre because it’s not “real.” They feel they have to project, or use stagecraft and they are all about “realism” and being “truthful”. Well, first of all let me tell you that there is no medium that allows an actor to work without craft. Film and TV acting relies heavily on blocking, hitting marks, and having appropriate eye lines – just to name a few. What I find even more funny, is when actors hate theatre because it feels fake. In modern filmmaking, you are so often in big studios, working with green screens, and fake eyelines – that you often have even less to work with, than in theatre. The imagination has once again come to the forefront of acting!

So yes, technical issues will always be part of your work as an actor. The question then is; how do you marry technical proficiency, will being truthful? Practice.

Stage craft or screen craft, comes with time. The only way you can make hitting your mark feel natural is to practice hitting your marks. The same is true for finding your thoughts on the fourth wall in theatre. These things feel unnatural. And just getting angry at that won’t help.

In all the mediums, if you can’t be seen or heard then being real won’t count for anything. If you do the greatest acting ever and are out of focus you won’t make the edit. If you aren’t heard on stage, your tears won’t mitigate the annoyance of the audience who can’t hear the story!

Understand the technical aspects of the medium you are working with and then practice them. Acting is a craft as much as it is an art.

Believability

One of the biggest challenges for actors is to be believable and truthful. In fact, for most actors this is all that they are after. And it is a noble goal.

For any story to come to life, it must be believable, we must “hold a mirror up to nature”, and audiences are very good at seeing fakes. The answer is multifaceted…

First of all you need to relax. And yes nothing is more relaxing than someone just telling you to relax. But if you are comfortable and relaxed, for the most part, that solves the problem. Most actors, even early career actors, innately know when they are faking it. The problem is fear causes us to not commit, and to do weird stuff. The best way to find this relaxation is once again practice. The more you work on scenes and monologues the better you get. Especially if you can get on stage or screen and work in some environments that push you outside your comfort zone.

Second, you have to truly understand the world you’re in. Once again this comes back to that relationship you have with the writer. Being able to understand and interpret the writer’s intention is paramount to your success as an actor. If you can understand that intention, and connect with the given circumstances of the scene, you will be well on your way.

Finally, you have to let go of your ego. You could be relaxed, and have total understanding of the scene, but still be like a pantomime actor. “Big acting” or “fake acting” often comes from trying to impress an audience, or compensate for a lack of preparation. The key to believable acting is connection with your scene partner (or the audience in rare cases like a Shakespearean soliloquy). If you can let go of the desire to be liked and adored, and instead focus on the reality of the moment – your acting will be believable. We know what it is to be human, because we are one. All we have to do is understand the story, relax, and let go of trying to do anything other than connect with the other actor’s.

Conclusion

Acting is hard. And these are just a few of the challenges we face as actors.  But as you can see from this article there is hope. And mostly it comes back to two thing: practice, and understanding scripts. The issue is it’s tricky for actors to practice, especially when you aren’t working, or even auditioning. It can also be hard to find motivation to read more plays, and break down scenes. This is why created our online scene club. It’s a place to work on scenes and monologues every month. You also get access to over 2500 plays, and many that you can watch (if you are particularly lazy). If you need some accountability to practice your acting, check out StageMilk Drama Club and join hundreds of likeminded actors who are getting better at their craft as each day goes by.

The post The Challenges of Acting appeared first on StageMilk.

This kind of mythomania, is what actors are inculcated with from day one. The idea that fame and success is always just one opportunity away. One chance meeting, one audition, one roll of the dice. Success we hear again and again is about being in the right place at the right time.

And the problem is it’s true.

LUCK. 

All the above stories are at least somewhat true. And every day actors are rightly, or wrongly, getting big breaks out of sheer luck, or nepotism.

But here’s the rub. Even if you are plucked out of oblivion, or your uncle happens to be a Hollywood producer, you still have to impress. That good fortune only takes you so far.

There is certainly a chance that you can walk into an acting career, but can you sustain it?

I tell my students that opportunities will always come. And that’s because I believe they will. They won’t always be Hollywood films but if you commit to acting for long enough you will get chances. As I write this article my roommate is running his lines, about to go into a recall for one of the biggest TV shows of the next 5 years. If he gets it, life changes so drastically it’s hard to fathom. These chances don’t come around every week, or at least they don’t for most of us, but if you persevere you will get opportunities. And potentially very big ones.

You will occasionally be the one to walk past an audition notice just at the right time, or happen to look exactly like the lead character in an upcoming biopic, or be friends with a director who has to cast a role in the next 24 hours and you happen to be at her house playing Scrabble! But whatever luck comes your way, it will always come back to that mark on the floor with the camera pointed at you, and what you can do with that script.

TALENT. 

Like luck, talent is a contentious word in acting circles. And again I’m sorry to say that it exists…

But I went to drama school, this is so unfair!

There are certain people who have no acting experience that can pick up a script and bring it to life. They bring an ease, an inner life, and a charm to anything they touch. It’s a natural connection that the likes of a 4 year drama school graduate envy, and perhaps will never have.

You might have never even done an acting class in your life and you could be more compelling than someone who has worked at their acting for decades. We see examples of this in the stunning performances by young kids in major films such as Keisha Castle-Hughes in the 2003 film “Whale Rider” or Tye Sheridan in “Mud” playing opposite Matthew McConaughey.

So is there any point in acting training?

Of course.

That exceptional young actor, or expectational untrained actor, is just that. Exceptional. And their talent has been cultivated on set with some of the best in the business. Working on a great set is a training ground. In fact it’s one of the best training experiences you can have as an actor.

But had that same talented actor not been given the opportunity to work on a major film production at 9, 14, or 17 I believe they would have sought out some acting training.

Do you know why? Because if you’re a natural storyteller, if you have the insight to pick up a script and bring it to life, if you’re drawn to film, TV and theatre, you want to learn as much as you can about every element of the process. Like any craftsman you desire to master your craft.

You want to find great teachers and continue to learn. And it’s not always because we are trying to get 90% better, but because we’re trying to get 10% better. Great actors desire to hone their craft and allow that gift to see its full potential. We owe it to our talent to see how far it can go. To see how much colour and detail we can bring to a scene, to see how much range and flexibility is in our voices, to see how much stamina we can bring a great theatre role like Hamlet, or Hedda Gabler.

I say all this because I hear from so many actors who simply want to be famous, or want to be on their favourite Netflix show. These goals, are unachievable if your only tactic is relying on luck (or emailing me for the answers!). Though many actors are discovered in fortunate circumstances, they’ve typically worked in bars, and coffee shops for 15 years prior to that one moment. Like Harrison, they’ve turned to woodwork as the only way to pay the bills, but my god are they ready to pick up a script whenever a George Lucas is around to offer an opportunity to audition.

Keep learning, keep seeking, and if you do think you have the natural talent, foster it. There’s no use in sitting at home doing nothing for your acting dreams but wishing they would come true. Go out there and start building, brick by brick. If you are looking to hone your craft and don’t know where to start or what to do next, I would love to work with you. Take a look at our online scene club. It’s a great place to do just that – refine your skills and become a better actor.

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What you’re not understanding, Sydney, is that real is good. Interesting is better.

Yesterday I was listening to the latest episode of Off Camera, a great podcast where Sam Jones (photographer and director) interviews actors and creatives. In the episode Sam talks with Hollywood superstar Matt Damon. Matt said something in the interview that I found really interesting and I wanted to share with you: it’s not just about being real or believable, but also about offering interesting choices.

As a young actor his core goal, like most of us, was to be believable. To be real. And this is still and always will be an admirable goal. But as he said, it’s not enough. In the interview he told an anecdote about Stanley Kubrick…

Kubrick was directing legendary actor Sydney Pollock in Eyes Wide Shut. Sydney was working on a scene and on take 78 he lost it! He turned to Kubrick irate at the amount of takes. He reeled off about all the research he’d done and demanded that what he did WAS REAL. “THAT WAS REAL!”

And Stanley said, “what you’re not understanding Sydney is that real is good. Interesting is better.”

I wrestle constantly with the idea of “good acting”. And the first thing that always comes to mind is “be real”. Even as far back as Shakespeare in his well known advice to the players he says, “hold a mirror up to nature” and encourages actors to imitate the truth found in real life. But I watch many actors who are so so real, but for some reason the work is un-engaging.

I believe this is because it doesn’t captivate us. The actor might be real, but they didn’t make any choices. They didn’t use their creativity. They didn’t have an opinion on the work and so prioritised “real”, which often means being small and understated, instead of being brave and making interesting choices.

Now I feared writing this, that it would send you all back into high school drama, competing to be the most bizarre and outlandish student possible. A space where we were lauded for grand characters and high energy choices. However, interesting doesn’t go hand in hand with being over the top, though it sometimes can be. Interesting is following instincts that come to you as you work. And being brave enough to trust yourself rather than doing what you think other people would want.

That feeling when a super random, fun and wonderful idea comes to you as you’re reading the script or in the middle of rehearsal or even a take – say “yes!!!” Don’t allow that negative voice in your head that says, “nope, that choice isn’t natural, it’s crazy and will make you look like an idiot.” You need to fight against what you think is “right” for the scene and trust your instinctual interpretation of the script. Everyone is unique, so your own interpretation of the script is already inherently interesting. Work with dispelling that evil voice that tells you “no”, and practice listening to the one that says “yes!” Don’t be afraid to try something new and different, you’ve got nothing to lose. It might not work in the final product, but it could lead you to another discovery, and then another, and then another!

So there you have it, always focus on being real, and believable, but don’t forget that you have to make choices as well. You have to use your imagination and trust your instincts if you want Kubrick to be happy.

The post Matt Damon’s Acting Advice appeared first on StageMilk.

Late one evening I was pondering this phenomenon. I wondered how they had managed to persevere in the face of such obvious adversity. How could they have ignored the clear signs of their lack of craft? How could they not know that they kind of suck?

Then it dawned on me that all actors live in an echo-chamber. In the same way your Facebook algorithm is giving you more of what you want, the people around you are always telling you want you want to hear. Most actors are surrounded by supportive friends and family who do nothing but encourage you. A truthful, perhaps harsh voice, is almost never present.

I know actors who gloat about their ability to praise a show they’ve hated. They are able to look their friends in the eyes and tell them without a shred of guilt that they “adored the show”, or perhaps more diplomatically: “the show wasn’t the best, but you were great!”.

As I was thinking about this I realised that people have always liked my shows. Or they have at least liked my performance in the show. I stopped, took a convincing gulp of wine, and realised it was very possible I too was a terrible actor.

I began to fall into a daydream…

I’m at my opening night, the show has ended in riotous applause, I put on my favourite shirt backstage, get handed a Sav blanc and begin to circulate the foyer. Happy smiles are all around. Always “great show”, always “you were wonderful”. I look them in the eyes and search for the possibility of lies, but their smiles are impenetrable.

And then I wake up… I will never know the truth.

How can anyone tell if they are good at acting?

Acting teachers want us to keep taking their classes, so they butter us up with compliments, friends are all too encouraging, the internet keeps sprouting motivational quotes (we’re guilty of that) and celebrities keep telling us to work hard and stay in the game. Even if you get a few scathing reviews these can be written off as exceptions; “but everyone I spoke to loved the show.”

As I reeled from this acting crisis, empty glass before me, I realised I had two options: fall into crippling self doubt, or simply don’t give a damn. I said at the start of this article that I know some actors I think are terrible, we all do. But guess what? Someone else loves them. Someone else thinks they are interesting, and captivating and talented. Some of them have better careers than me, some of them develop, some of them find their strengths after a few years adrift, some of them just need the right teacher or mentor. And to make matters worse, the best actors I know all think they suck. At the end of the day the only person you can trust is yourself.

The post Am I Any Good at Acting? (or has everyone been lying?) appeared first on StageMilk.

They say that an acting degree is equivalent to about 10 years in the industry. And I think that’s a fair statement. Trying to get ahead in the industry without the backing of a decent acting course is tough going. It can take years to make contacts and especially if you’re trying to work in theatre, leading theatre companies just won’t take you seriously without a formal training behind you.

So why am I telling you to forget your acting training?

The problem with drama school is that you will most likely graduate an entitled twat. You feel invincible. You’ve got 3 years of training behind you, you’ve discovered the mystery of acting, and you’ll probably land an agent on the night of your showcase. It will feel like your dreams are coming true, and relatively easily. But every year another cohort of young, talented students are added into the glut of actors in your city.

The sooner you can forget your drama school degree the better.

As soon as you walk out of those doors, think about starting from scratch. Even if you land a great agent and all the advantages that come with it, start working from the ground up and let go of any idea that you are owed professional acting work. Because the industry doesn’t owe you anything!

Every actor I graduated with, no matter how initially successful they were, has had long periods of unemployment. They’ve all inevitably worked in independent theatre or on unpaid productions. And so have I. Because no matter how much professional work you get after drama school, you will invariably end up working on projects with friends, and creatives, with little to no financial compensation.

Like any other profession, just because you have a degree, doesn’t mean the industry will provide you with a steady stream of paid work. For actors, we have to carve out our own path. There’s a lot more actors than there are projects, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can get on with it.

Do Indie Theatre

Indie theatre is how you build a professional theatre career. It’s a stepping stone, it will hone your skills, it will inspire you and make you a better actor. You also have more creative freedom, and the opportunity to take big risks, and fail gloriously. So get moving straight away, leave your ego at the door, and do whatever it takes to get involved in a few Indie theatre shows. Send out some emails, make some theatre friends, write your own work, create your own company, learn how to be a Stage Manager – you’re going to need to take initiative and be persistent. It’s a lot of fun, it’s an opportunity to practice your craft and it’s a sure fire way to get noticed by agents, directors and professional theatre companies.

Take Unpaid Film Work

The same goes for film and TV. No actor ever missed out on work because they had too many short films under their belt. Every project you do, every character you play, is a learning experience. Even though it’s hard work, long hours, and little to no financial reward, you become a better actor every time you put your acting muscles to work.

You’ll also make invaluable contacts and show the industry that you are passionate and keen to work. Working on a variety of roles, with different people will not only stretch you, but also help you find clarity around the kind of work you love making and give you guidance and direction for future roles.

You Don’t Have to Choose

Some actors think that taking smaller or unpaid gigs will take them out of the running for the big stuff. They prefer to be in the lottery, auditioning for major projects every now and then, rather than working on their craft every chance they get. The truth is, you don’t have to choose one or the other. You can keep auditioning even while you’re working on smaller projects. As long as you’re organised, flexible and pleasant to work with, an unpaid project will never stand in the way of professional work. The industry is very understanding of this.

There is also a school of thought that taking unpaid work, will dilute your brand as an actor. I think it’s simply about choosing the right projects, and finding a good balance. Don’t go nuts and sign up for 12 student films a year, you cannot possibly be right for every one of those roles. Curate your own career – choose projects that are well-written, that you connect with and believe in. Challenge yourself, and have fun. It’s only fellow actors who like to belittle each other for doing work that is supposedly beneath them. But in reality they too wish they were bold enough to follow their artistic heart rather than their ego.

Most of my actor friends juggle both worlds: one week they are working with a top theatre company, and the next shooting a friends short film. Follow work that inspires you, not the paycheque.

Your agent will also appreciate you seeking out your own work. They’re used to actors sitting on their backsides, and complaining they’re not getting enough auditions. Your agent can use the work you are getting to help pitch you for other professional projects. You and your agent are a team, and if you combine forces, you are doubling your opportunities to work in the industry.

Conclusion

If you can head into the industry with the backing of a drama school degree, but the attitude of a 10 year hustler, I think you can really start a formidable acting career. You become someone that directors, producers and other actors want to work with. You don’t have that “recent grad” ego you’re focused and you work hard. It’s an empowering approach and will give you some comfort when mourning financial stability.

The post Forget you Went to Acting School (Immediately) appeared first on StageMilk.

Yet nearly all actors get inevitably fixated with how they can “make it”.

Instead they pursue recognition – leave lesser-known stories in the wayside, writing them off as an acceptable price for money and notoriety and forgetting their duty as an actor. Consequently the same stories habitually rule our stages.

Duty? This varies depending who you ask: to surprise and excite an audience, to know your lines, to create compelling and believable characters. These are all means to a bigger purpose, which hinges on an actor’s privileged position to tell stories as a mirror to the world.

Fresh pieces or forgotten relicts offer world-changing insights that cannot found in well-worn classics. They emerge from the backrooms of drama schools, or from the clutter of independent and community theatres carried almost always by little (unpaid) people trying to tell big stories. Dorothy Hewett, a fire-cracker of a woman, was undeservedly unrenowned in her pursuit to create big stories about little people. A serial slashie: playwright/poet/ writer/feminist/communist/founder of the Australia Council’s Women in the Arts.

The up-and-coming performance of her rarely-seen play “This Old Man Goes Rolling Home” at NIDA’s Playhouse is a haunting betrayal of a working class family in Cold War Sydney. It’s revival is a reminder of the duty of an actor. A duty where the reward doesn’t include money, but requires investing time, and maybe blood, sweat and tears into giving a story worth-knowing a platform over one that is well-known.

Its characters are embezzled from real people from 1950s Redfern (where Hewett lived part of her life) and her own ridiculous and fascinating life. Deeply nuanced, the play hasn’t seen a stage light for 5 years, and hasn’t seen Sydney for 34. A disservice to the story of a woman named “one of Australia’s best-loved and most respected writers”.

Its performance next week (15-19 May) is akin to restoring a historical painting. Reviving Hewett’s play has presented its cast of (unpaid) actors the opportunity to give a Sydney audience a rare window into a disregarded era. Telling a story – for the importance of it.

Finding your next meal as an actor has become such a struggle it’s transformed into a cliché. But giving a voice to the little people and the little things give something money simply cannot buy – both for the audience and the actor.

Caitlin Adler plays Laurie Dockety in the upcoming New South Wales University Theatrical Society’s (read: Unpaid) performance of Dorothy Hewett’s This Old Man Goes Rolling Home, at NIDA’s playhouse theatre 15-19 May.

• Dates: 15th-19th May
• Times: Tuesday – Friday 7:30pm, Saturday – 6:00pm
• Venue: Nida Playhouse Theatre

The post For the love of it: An Actor’s Duty appeared first on StageMilk.

This is a line acting teachers (including myself) have been peddling for years. And it’s a line that I totally understand. One of the most exciting aspects of the work is that feeling of total transcendence when you are in connection with another actor, living truthfully in the moment.

However, if you’re like me, the second you find yourself in that “in the moment” state all of a sudden you realise you’re acting, become aware of the audience, and you completely snap out of it. Your inner monologue is shouting “stop acting, and go back to the moment!” And the more you shout, the more you start moving and talking like a piece of cardboard.

Living in the moment is the goal, but thinking about it never helps. So here are my thoughts on being a more present, moment to moment actor, without actually panicking about being in the moment.

Meditation

Meditation is the secret weapon of many successful artists. It’s the practice of accepting and calming those negative or outlandish thoughts that are all too familiar for actors. Getting into a daily mediation practice (even just 5-10 mins a day) will start to smooth out those frantic thoughts. Meditating before a show and focusing on your breath helps to relax and centre you, which in turn allows you to be more present with your fellow actors.

Listen

Focus on the other actor. It shouldn’t be your turn, my turn, tennis-match acting of the scene, it’s a conversation between two characters. One technique is to underline the word the other actor says that inspires you to speak. Shifting your focus to the other actor’s words and actions will help you to actively listen, and therefore naturally respond.

Breathe

You’d be surprised by how often you hold your breath on stage. Make sure you are breathing. Breath is the key to feeling grounded and calm. Like most things, it’s a habit, and it should begin in rehearsals – not during previews, or on your first day on set. It also comes with experience, the more you put yourself in challenging situations, the more you get up and do the work, and breathe through it, the less you’ll have to think about it.

Prepare

Golden rule: the more preparation you do, the more freedom you will find in your work. If your lines are solid, you can then experiment and play. If you know the character’s in the play, you can trust that the work is there and you don’t have to push or demonstrate any relationships. We all have our own process, so whatever that is, do it, and the more detailed and specific it is, the easier ‘being in the moment’ becomes.

Note: work doesn’t have to mean written, intellectual work. It can mean thorough rehearsal and imaginative work about your character and the play.

Forget the work

You’ve done a tonne of acting prep. Scene breakdowns, inner monologues, objectives, super objectives, backstory, emotional exercises, actions, tactics, vocal technique, physicality. Now all you want to do is show the audience or the camera all of that wonderful work you’ve done. The problem is that turns you a mechanical bull actor. You have to let go. The work should ignite your imagination and give clarity to your relationships in the scene. But holding onto that work will take you into your head and out of the moment.

Stop trying to be a good actor

We all have that nagging little voice in our head that is monitoring our every word and gesture (geez, why did you do that). Unfortunately, that voice isn’t going anywhere, so don’t waste your energy trying to make it stop. Simply become more forgiving of your work and stop trying to deliver the perfect performance, whatever that is. There is no such thing as a perfect performance, there is only your absolute best. So if you’ve done the work, and you let go of it, you will certainly do your best. And be proud of that.

The present moment is a beautiful place. It’s warm, exhilarating and all actors want to live there every single day. But the more we desire it the more elusive it becomes. Instead, we should focus on listening and engaging with our fellow actors. If we feel flat, disengaged, tired, crap, stuck or despondent – embrace it. There are enough critics out there, don’t make one out of yourself. The aim is to tell stories and share experiences, so fall in love with that, instead of end results and the rewards.

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