The Actor and the Target

This is not a "how-to" book for the novice, inexperienced actor, but if you do have any experience or training the book is invaluable. I have been an acting teacher for 40 years, and this is the best book on the subject of actor empowerment and living in the moment that I have seen in a couple of decades. The book is a "must read" for any actor, and belongs in a very short list of most important books on the subject.

Donnellan truly seems to have inhabited actor's psyches and analyzed their difficulties. He has come up with an understandable and liberating way for actors to think about their work. This is one of the finest understandings of the actor's process that I have read in many years. I first encountered it in its original edition and have been using it to teach more advanced actors ever since. It builds upon the work of Stanislavski, Jung, Adler, Shurtleff, Spolin, Meisner, and the rest of the Greats but its focus is on the actor's internal struggles to realize these ideas. Bravo, I would never teach without this at my side.

This is an excellent resource for actors. The general guidlines are great. But the part I liked best of all were the specific examples regarding an actor faced with the difficulties of playing Juliet. The specific examples are complex and so helpful in fleshing out the general guidlines and for making them easier to remember for future reference. I also liked the fact that there was a lot of "new age" psychology--which is so great at plugging us into our own psychys--which is really what acting is all about. This book was dealing with very complex concepts, but they were presented simply and clearly. I give it 5 stars unequivically. As an actor, I am very grateful for this book!

The Actor and the Target is an invaluable insight into the actor's process. Well written with terrific clarity and wisdom.