Film and Television Acting, 2nd Edition

 

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The Evolving Play versus the Frozen Film

 

 

 

Although they might deny it, actors who perform in long-running plays perform by rote at times. Rex Harrison once confessed that during the run of My Fair Lady there were times in the second act when he wondered what he was going to have for supper after the performance. The intrinsic nature of a stage play creates an atmosphere wherein a variety of things can happen in performance depending on the reaction of the audience. The actors often say, “it was a good audience tonight” when everything seems to click.

I have never heard a stage actor say, “It was a good performance because our rehearsal and preparation made it possible.” Now you realize the rehearsal was done weeks before, so everything, ...