Learning lines?

Learning Lines. Well there's a problem that just never goes away. I believe that it is a matter of personal preference how one learns their lines as each of us have slightly different learning styles. These are my personal opinions...

I consider myself a more visual type of person who finds it easier to imagine the scene pictorially. I also find I can relate better if I can find an emotional thread to a scene. For many years I struggled with mainstream methods such as Line-reading sessions and rote memorisation. I certainly cannot listen to myself speak the lines as I often find myself evaulating the way I said things rather than the lines themselves.

Some time back, I came across a book which is now my acting bible. The title intrigued me - "How to Stop Acting" - by Harold Guskin. I opened it, read some of the introduction and opening chapter, then slapped out the credit card and took it home.

In it is a fantastic approach for character development as an entire process, not just a step-by-step method of learn the lines, then build the character. Mr Guskin outlines a process in which you learn the lines through the evolution of the character thus making for a more flexible and organic portrayal.

It is not a method or rigid structure like other techniques about. It is simply an approach to character development, that can be used in conjunction with other styles if you like. I have recommended this book to many co-actors and I am sure some of them are 'so-over' hearing me go on about it.

Beyond that, I do vary my approach depending on the type of play I am dealing with. If I am confronted with a lengthy monologue or similar, I do tend to tackle that first as you are not overly dependant on the reactions of others. It is purely you. Then you can build towards those moments with the rest of the cast.

The hardest lines to learn are those where you have a little bit to say here and there. You have to really be paying attention to the scene and I like to pick out "landmark" que points several lines before my line. The problem with relying on specific ques is that someone may forget to say them, so my ques are more the subject at hand rather than the actual words.

One could really get quite detailed with learning lines. At the end of the day, I believe it is a matter of working out techniques that play to your mental strengths. Think of the things you recall with ease and those you don't. For example, I am dreadful at remembering peoples names but I can quickly tell if I have seen a TV show or movie before just in the first few seconds of air-time. My wife on the other hand can remember names, birthdays, figures and so forth without any effort. We all have our particular strengths and should play to them.

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

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