Acting That Matters

I have taken so many acting classes that in essence really didn't help me to become a better actor. This book dispels everything most acting teachers will try to tell you, and allows you to focus on what's really important- the things you can CONTROL to help you become an effective actor. While a lot of what is advocated may seem like too many details and a lot of work- well, guess what- it is. And if one truly wants to become an effective actor, you have to work at it, and hard. But the results will pay off in spades, and I can testify to that as I have noticed a huge improvement in my confidence and in getting roles. Barry Pineo writes about acting and life in a way that is refreshing- it is all interwoven and connected- the way it should be. This book is inspiring, passionate, and forces you to look at acting in a way you probably never have.

First off, I want to say that this book is hands down one of two acting books that have really made an impact on me. I can't tell you how many times I have put myself through exercises, such as the infamous listening with your full attention to an imaginary mouse scratching at the wall in the corner of your room, and been left wondering how this was supposed to help me become a more effective actor. I can only toss around so many "energy balls" before I start feeling like I may have been wasting my time. Luckily, Acting that Matters dispenses with much of the crap, and gets down to what is really important onstage and in our work. Although it is not the first book to dispense with the myth that emotion is an important and usable tool onstage, Pineo goes far in convincing his audience of alternatives which should be occupying our attention. With concrete examples from his acting workshop, he gives us insights into how to more effectively tell a story onstage, through the use of action, obstacle, internal monologue, beats, etc., all things that should sound familiar to the actors ear....hopefully. But he also discusses some effective tools I have not read about in the past. An actor's use of rhythm and intensity, the effective use of stillness. He helps us to learn to score a script to more effectively, focusing, not on yourself, but on what you are doing to the other characters onstage. It is beautiful in its simplicity, and keeps your mind trained on the things that many actors seem to forget. He also includes tips on auditioning and cold reading, which many of us can always use help with. Not only did this book help me focus on "how" I was acting, but it also led me to think about "why" I am acting. Pineo is obviously a devoted and passionate observer of the theatre. But he also makes keen observations on the unique state of the world we live in today, and how this has an impact on who we are in the world, which is inseparable from who were are as artists. Even though I still often worry about "getting the job" or "impressing the casting directors", I find that if I think about what was said in this book, that it becomes easier for me to let go of all of that, and just go into the room and tell the story. And as a result, to share a part of myself, rather than trying to be something that I think they want me to be. I was happy to see many copies of this book in the Dramabookshop this morning, and look forward to hearing what others have to say when they discover this valuable book. And with that..."Actors, deep down, want to know themselves. They are compelled to know themselves. To become intimate with themselves -- and by extension, become intimate with others. But it all begins with the self. Acting is work on one's self"