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Greetings!
This comment from Austin Pendleton, in response to my article MIND THE GAP, was too good to keep to myself, so I had to pass it along to you. Here's what Austin said:
"My theory, which I may not have yet developed when last you heard me on the subject, is that when actors first try to apply this technique it takes them right back to the most anxious moments of their infancies, when they sent a verbal action to their mother (usually a howl, usually translated as "Food!!!!") and then had to wait for the response, utterly uncertain as to what that response might be. And of course the need to avoid this sort of helplessness may well be one of the root reasons we go into acting to begin with. And of course this sort of helplessness, which this exercise, thanks to Bobby Lewis, puts us in touch with, is the only thing that will finally make us WATCHABLE as actors. So the very thing that might open us up as actors is the thing that plunges us back into the most primal anxiety. So perhaps you can say to your students, 'Suck on that.' "
Ahhh, classic Austin.
For those of you who haven't had the chance to read the original article, it is posted here.
The autumnal equinox is this Friday, so enjoy your last few days of summer, everyone!
Matthew
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