Performance and Acting

 

Performance and Acting

(How different approaches to performance relate to different styles of acting)

 

How different approaches to performance relate with different styles of acting

Diverse acting styles are influenced by the diversity of approaches to performance. It has been noted that individuals acting in diverse acting styles have the capability of becoming successful and excellent actors or performers. Individuals are expected to have first hand information on different styles. Dramatic style is refined through a mixture of non-realistic acting and through realistic acting, a model that contributes to the actor being taken serious by the adjudicators and the audience; other acting styles identify with commedia del’ Arte, Epic theatre, Improvisation and Absurdist.

Naturalistic drama is another term used to refer to realistic acting developed by Stanislavski; realistic acting is a form of drama that replicates shows and real life in bringing out the realistic version of the play. Actors become psychologically and emotionally involved in the individual or team roles in the theatre (Stanislavski, 2007). The model is applied in creating a realistic and convincing performance. Naturalistic dramas are characterized with actors allocating lengthy time bringing out the aspect of ‘Live’ in the individual roles played by each and every member of the team. The main essence of being live is pegged on creating a performance that is convincing (Boleslavsky, 2013).

It has been noted that some of the characters in the drama talk and act as real people do. The reality is emulated in the aspects of modern and real scenarios like in workplaces and homes among others. The subject matter in most cases reflects on political issues, real events and social issues. The work of Ibsen is an example of Realistic playwrights.

Non-realistic acting focuses on presentation, content or both the content and the presentation aspects of the drama; in most cases, non realistic acting brings out fidelity and life appearances on the outside. Non realistic acting is also referred as the non naturalism acting in theatre. The model is used in portraying and bringing out something that is unrealistic (Boleslavsky, 2013). An example is the work done by Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter and Edward Albee among others.

Epic theater acting style is also known as the theater of alienation or dialectical theater. The epic theater is a form of theatre or scatting style focusing on the live performance principle in gaining political and social commentary. The actors must make sure that emotion and melodrama do not take over the attention of the audience. Actors in most cases engage music and comic songs in relaying relevant emotional details (Meisner & Longwell, 2007). Surveys have indicated that epic theatre can cause irritating and harsh sounds to an audience that is not used to dialectical theater. An example is the work done by Berhold Brecht, Caryl Churchill and Dario Fo among others.

Absurdist fiction is applied in plays, poems and novels focusing on the experiences of the characters in finding inherent purpose attached to life. Absurdist fiction is staged by meaningless events and actions. It has been noted that common elements engaged by Absurdist fiction identify with dark humor, satire, absenteeism of reason, incongruity and the controversy of ‘nothing’ (Brestoff, 2006). Absurdist fiction reflects on nihilistic and agnostic topics.

Absurdist fiction in most cases is irrational and humorous in nature, where the behaviors of human beings express the circumstances considered fantasy or realistic that appears to be philosophically absurd and purposeless in nature depending on context (Stanislavski, 2009). Absurdist fiction in most cases does not judge the actions of the characters and that the task is left to the audiences. Themes and moral interpretation in most cases are ambiguous and open to diverse interpretations.

Improvisations happen when the characters create actions on the stage that had not been pre-planned. Improvisation is common when a group or individuals are dancing, acting, talking, playing musical instruments, problem solving, creating artworks or reacting to the prevailing environment. Improvisation is also influenced by the inner feelings of the character basing on the intervention of new practices, new thought patterns, new symbols, new structures and new ways of expressing the message to the target audience.

Improvisation is characterized with sudden inventiveness, spontaneous actions that are off the cuff and on the spot thoughts. Sudden actions are experienced in the body, mind and in the spirit of the character in acting as an inspiration (Brestoff, 2006). Improvisation does not require training and preparation as it happens spontaneously depending on the context. Improvisation is engaged as a model of enhancing creative behaviors in different styles of acting and performance (Stanislavski, 2009). The character engages own intuitive and some of the technical understanding of the concerns and skills applied to the stage.

Commedia dell’arte engages masked types supporting improvised performances and actress on diverse scenarios and sketches. Arte is used to signify artisans according to the Italian interpretation of the concept (Cohen, 2007). Professional theater in Italy in the early times focused on theater as a model of responding to economic and political issues, although the concept has greatly changed with modernization.

Different approaches to performance relates to the different styles engaged in acting. The two concepts interrelate in bringing out the best on the stage. Different approaches to performance and different styles of acting are engaged in bringing out a particular message to the audience. It has been noted that the two concepts naturally come into play in realizing the desired goals and objectives of the characters; and also in meeting the expectations of the audience.

References

Boleslavsky, R. (2013). Acting; The First Six Lessons. Eastford, Connecticut: Martino Fine Books.

Brestoff, R. (2006). The Great Acting Teachers and Their Methods. New York: Smith & Kraus.

Cohen, R. (2007). Acting One/Acting Two. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Meisner, S. & Longwell, D. (2007). Sanford Meisner on Acting. New York: Vintage.

Stanislavski, C. (2007). An Actor Prepares. London: Routledge.

Stanislavski, C. (2009). Building A Character . London: Routledge.

 

 

 

 

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