What Is Good Acting? What Is Bad Acting?

WHAT IS GOOD ACTING?

I believe that good acting is when you can take on a role and try to relate it to yourself and your own experiences. By doing this, you will be able to create a connection with your character which will make your performance more realistic and believable. Also, I believe good acting is when you let yourself go and allow the character you are playing to take control over you. You shouldn't dictate how the character is supposed to be played just to satisfy what you want, you need to let the character dictate you as if the character is a real person.

Furthermore, you have to be open to different things and things you have never experienced in order to develop as a performer. By doing this, you will be able to take on various different roles which will make your acting more diverse.

Good acting is not only taking on a role and then performing it to others, it's believing your role and being able to connect to the audience. Some people in the audience might be able to relate to your character that you play! For example, Les Miserables I think is a very moving piece of theatre that tells real life events which can be very touching to it's audience.

Stanislavski was an actor but also a director. He was almost like " The King of Acting ". He created a formula for acting which many actors and actresses could learn from today.

Most importantly, good acting comes from the body, not the mind. Don't overthink your role too much. Yes, develop it - analyse every aspect of your character! However, when acting, let your body tell the character's story, not your mind.

WHAT IS BAD ACTING?


I believe bad acting is when you are not confident in not only yourself but also the character you are playing. It's when you adjust the features of the character to suit what you want instead of putting your heart and soul into your character and being open minded.

When you forget to learn your lines, act cowardly or behave as if you're not open to new things, it doesn't only affect you as a performer but also the people you might be working with. When performing a piece of theatre with a group of people, you all need to rely on each other to make the play a success. By not doing what you are suppose to do to make your play outstanding, you are letting down everyone else.

Do NOT disrespect the people you are working with. Find out their boundaries because they might not have the same boundaries as you. Don't just think about yourself, think about others too. Without trust between the people you act with, you won't be able to grow as a performer socially.

Not being open to criticism is bad acting. Also, when you keep on repeating the same mistakes your director might have informed you on. Re-hear-all, not repeat-all.

SKILLS AUDIT

I believe that I am very open minded to new things, confident in my speech and like to explore and develop different characters. However, back in my old school, I was mainly given male roles when it came to acting because of my height. I went to an all girls school called La Retraite where if they needed to cast people for male roles, they'd automatically ask the tall girls. Who am I to oblige? I loved acting! I didn't care what role I was given as long as I got to perform! Although, I feel that now I need to focus more on female roles to develop more as an actress.

When acting, I need to remember to articulate my words and say my lines at a slower pase as I tend to talk fast in real life. I need to learn my lines accurately and cold, and be more sagacious! I also need to improve in my flexibility in order to be able to stretch properly during a warm up. 

Not a single actor/actress starts off perfect. I know this. It takes time, effort and practice to grow and progress into a wonderful performer! One actor I really admire is Johnny Depp. His acting is so versatile and different because he has played so many different roles! He can be comical yet serious, hilarious yet pensive! This is why I truly adore Johnny Depp's acting skills. I hope to one day become an actress like him!

SELF-ASSESSMENT: P1

At first, I thought I deserved a M1 for my first theatre lesson at the Brit School. However, I came to realise that I need to first be familiar with the basics of theatre before I can get a merit! I'm still developing as a young actress; I'm still getting familiar with different theatrical terminology and doing things in theatre I have never done before! I know I won't get things straight away without a few hiccups here and there. Truthfully, I need guidance. I need the guidance and support from the great theatre teachers that Brit School have! That's why I'm here. That's why I am here at The Brit School - to develop in acting! Yes I believe my first theatre lesson went well and I worked really hard. However, I know there is still always room for improvement and I do need help to gain a strong M1 and D1! Because of this, I have given myself a P1 to begin with. Like I said: there is always room for improvement.



                 -    Lara Grace Arogundade