Where does your attention go when you begin to watch yourself act?
The Actor and the Target, by Declan Donnellan.
What the book addresses
Donnellan investigates the actor's attention and the experience of becoming blocked, using the target as a way to consider the relationship between the performer and the world of the scene.
How to read it
Follow the book's argument rather than turning the target into one more object to monitor correctly. The actor's world includes other people, changing circumstances and things that demand a response. Read how the author develops these relationships, then examine what becomes more playable in a particular scene.
An original rehearsal investigation
After a run, name one thing outside yourself that changed during the exchange. Rehearse again with attention to receiving that change. Observe whether your next action becomes more necessary. Do not decide in advance what response will prove the exercise worked.
Connections and distinctions
Compare Meisner's emphasis on the partner and Hagen's specific circumstances while retaining Donnellan's terminology. Jason Bennett's work includes freeing the instrument and applying craft; a shift in attention may help one problem while another requires a different preparation. No single book has to solve every obstacle.
This is an original JBAS reading guide with an attributed overview and study questions. Read the complete book for the author's developed argument and exercise instructions.
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