Perhaps you’ve done some repetition in an acting class but it was out of context? Or maybe you trained in the technique elsewhere? The classes may resemble each other, but often the style and rules around the technique of repetition are different. The only true expert in the Meisner Technique was Sanford Meisner and he died over 20 years ago.
Since Meisner began teaching, many other teachers have followed. Each will teach through their own filter and in most cases, adding to the work in ways that they feel would benefit.
Our Artistic Director, Scott Williams, trained with Sanford Meisner in the 1970’s at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. He has spent the last 40 years teaching the work, during which time he has distilled the process down to 5 exercises.
Scott has gone in the opposite way of many, and distilled the work down to a series of 5 exercises that specifically train the actor to be truthful, impulsive, confident and engaging.
Repetition is the foundation of our work and we don’t come close to analysis until Module 3.
Our repetition training stays strictly away from what we call “secondary calls”, also known as the “provocative call”, where you take a guess at your partners internal emotional state, for example: “you’re angry with me” or “you’re confused”.
IN OUR WORK, WE DON’T CALL EMOTIONS. WE CALL BEHAVIOUR. WHY? BECAUSE BEHAVIOUR IS BY DEFINITION, MOMENTARY AND AN ABSOLUTE TRUTH. NO GUESS, NO JUDGEMENT, NO SPECULATION, NO OPINION.
I also believe it is this non-judgemental value in our technique that makes our classes at Impulse unique, enjoyable and free of ego. The specificity of the technique is discovered through our classes.
Our training is split into 3 Modules;
Here’s what we DO teach:
Here’s what we don’t teach:
We blow many traditional acting truths out of the water and lovingly call them “Sacred Cows”. Keep an eye on our blog as we talk about the Sacred Cows in relation to our work and why we don’t adhere to old-paradigm acting ideas and notions.
First, we better start with WHO. Sanford Meisner was an American teacher, actor and director. He was one of the founding members of The Group Theatre (along with Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg and Harold Clurman), all of whom went on to revolutionise actor training in the 20th Century.
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We all know that feeling – frozen in a moment, unable to move – muscles go tight and eyes wide. It can feel like everything freezes – or you suddenly get the impulse of a ninja cat and hot foot it out of there or catch that falling object.
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If this is the first time you’ve seen actors doing this exercise, you’re likely to be wondering how on earth Sanford Meisner’s repetition makes you a better actor. The repetition exercise is designed to get you out of your head, focused on your scene partner and responding truthfully.
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I get asked a lot about what’s different about the Meisner technique compared to others. People who have nothing to do with acting are often intrigued to even know that there are different techniques at all.
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Truth is the highest value in our work – not a big emotional outpour. Emotions don’t have a hierarchy in the technique and quiet, truthful moments are just as valuable as enraged outbursts. Feelings are just feelings. We don’t rate them as good/bad or better than any other.
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One of the reasons I believe this work is so transformational for an actor, is that in order for us to train you to be truthful in your acting, we need to get you out of your head – to disconnect your intellect so you can live truthfully in your work.
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The benefits of a practice like yoga, Feldenkrais - improving human life through better movement, sensation, posture and breathing - and Alexander technique - changing your habitual ways of moving to more efficient ways - are countless.
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In 1990, a documentary found its way to centre stage: "Sanford Meisner, The American Theater’s Best Kept Secret." The documentary is a series of interviews with his students and snippets from classes – with Robert Duvall, Sidney Pollack, Gregory Peck, Joanna Woodward, Mary Steenburgen, and Eli Wallach, amongst others.
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Working with Scott challenged my ideas of acting and helped me tune in to what is most important, being authentically in the moment working off the other actor. He creates a supportive environment and is very clear in teaching the Meisner Technique. I highly recommend it.
Alinta Chidzey
Actor
Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Mary Poppins
