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Understanding a character's motivation should drive acting. By clearly defining what a character wants at any given moment in a play, allows the actor to find something similar within themselves. The commitment to that motivation is considered vulnerability. An actor who commits fully to a character's motivation creates a wonderful performance. A lack of vulnerability creates a mediocre performance.
Exercise 1
Pair with a partner and designate an "A" and a "B". Learn the following lines.
A: Can I see you on Monday?
B: How about Tuesday?
A: How about Wednesday?
B: How about Thursday?
A: How about Friday?
B: How about Saturday?
A: How about Sunday?
B: OK, then, Sunday.
Now each partner must decide on possible character motivations for "A" and "B", but without telling each other. Here is a possible motivations:
- Happy about getting into the university he or she wants
- Discouraged about not getting a job
- Mourning the loss of a loved one
- Excited at going on a trip
- Angry at an insult
These are only some possible motivations and you may come with your own. Once you have done the scene try and determine what your partner's motivation could be.
