Economy and Ease

Early in my theatrical career, I often relied upon exaggeration to tell a story. This overcompensation certainly stemmed from my improvisational and children’s theatre background, and it was over the top and exhausting. I quickly learned that an actor simply doesn’t need to overwork during a performance. Instead, one should utilize two words to shape and define their technique: economy and ease.


By employing economy, actor can focus on succinct, specific choices to define their character. The goal is simplicity. One need not be boisterous in order to sell a performance. Working from the core, an actor can truthfully play their character’s objective, wearing the character as a thin veil. The actor should make specific choices and maintain a razor-sharp focus on them.


In working with ease, the goal is to achieve an essence of grace. An effective, constructive kinesthetic awareness grants a relaxed and graceful state of being. Thus, the actor is free to create a truthful character and honestly react to their acting partner in moment-to-moment responses.


Economy and ease will free the actor, granting them the ability to effectively communicate a play’s message without getting in the way of it. An actor will simply declare their objective within a scene and speak their lines with pure intention, relaxing and allowing the play do all of the work.


Remember, keep it simple and easy.


Stay positive,
Andrew