An Actor's Research: Investigating Choices for Practice and Performance presents an accessible and highly practical guide to the research approaches required of the actor. It aims to establish the precision and rigour of the actor's craft that is intrinsic to a compelling acting performance, explore a range of research activities surrounding and emerging from practical work in the studio, and enable the actor to evolve a multifaceted skillset in researching for performance.

The chapters focus on different research areas such as the self, character, relationships, circumstance, and context, providing accessible and practical guidance to developing a personal research practice. Each aspect is explained and engaged with as practice, rather than study - offering helpful hints and advising against common pitfalls - ultimately enabling the actor to locate the necessary knowledge to shape and inform their performance in both text-based and devised scenarios. Additionally, as the actor's self is a personal instrument that is drawn on in terms of expression, impulses, and imagination; the self also becomes a source for creative appraisal and research. This book therefore offers comprehensive advice and strategies for self-evaluation and reflection, connecting research investigation with self-exploration in making expressive performance choices, making it a practice highly applicable to the actor's needs.

An Actor's Research closely follows the training actor's needs in terms of performance-based research; however, its practical research activities for text and character creation and strategies for the development of critical thinking and self-reflective skills support the ongoing development of the actor and their craft in both training and professional circumstances.

About the Author

Tamsin Stanley currently teaches contextual studies across various UK Drama schools, and provides project, event, and communication support to the Federation of Drama Schools. She sits on the board of various theatre companies, including 53/Two in Manchester and Lighthouse Theatre in Swansea.

Dr Philippa Strandberg-Long is an acting teacher, director, and researcher, originally from Stockholm, Sweden. Philippa is also the Head of Actor Training at LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art).

Book Information
ISBN 9781032123684
Author Tamsin Stanley
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 385g