We have begun developing our performance and are focusing on the aspects of love and how that’s rooted in reality, and not what is seen on the cinema screen. We are focusing this ‘reality’ on stories we tell ourselves and that have affected us. However, this is an issue when it comes to emotionally performing as these characters.

“Diderot claimed that actors themselves should not feel any emotions whatsoever in order to able to evoke a maximum of emotions to their audiences” (Konjin, 2000, 146). This is known as Detachment Theory. Opposed to this theory is Involvement Theory “Which asserts that actors must indeed experience the emotions they portray in their characters; otherwise the performance will not be believable and will fail to move the audience” (Konjin, 2000, 146).

The Actors Dilemma, or perhaps in my case The Directors Dilemma.

As a director I fall under the involvement theory, believing that if an actor physically and mentally feels the emotions they are ‘portraying’ the audience will believe it. However I need to ask myself;

‘Are there dangers of being too emotionally invested in a performance?’

‘How much should actors become involved?’

These questions are incredibly difficult to answer and a definite answer does not exist. I need to tread lightly as I Direct my actors in a performance built on reality and true stories that have affected the performers in their own lives.

References:

Konjin, E. (2000) Acting Emotions. Amsterdam: University Press.

New York Method Acting (2014) What is Method Acting? [image]. Available from: http://newyork.methodactingstrasberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/WhatisMethodActing.jpg [Accessed 08 March 2017].