tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post4945289734962310004..comments2024-01-29T06:21:11.353+00:00Comments on Sarah Duncan's Blog: Why Faking It Is Better Than The Real ThingSarah Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12530089356370140344noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-80871672775790986902012-06-24T22:17:19.303+01:002012-06-24T22:17:19.303+01:00Jane, yes, I played Ruth - tho I was about 10 year...Jane, yes, I played Ruth - tho I was about 10 years older than she was! <br /><br />Liz, I'm not a great Mike Leigh fan, but he's def got the right balance between actor improv and the writer's role.<br /><br />Penny, I hadn't realised that faking it was what the Puritans objected to. Fascinating stuff.Sarah Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12530089356370140344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-42094065513583768562012-06-23T11:08:36.011+01:002012-06-23T11:08:36.011+01:00Really interesting post, Sarah! The 'faking&#...Really interesting post, Sarah! The 'faking' aspect of acting is what bothered the Puritans and got theatres shut down. I actually thought they might have a point, at one time! But then loving a good play myself, I realised that was dishonest. In fact, 'faking' is a legitimate craft - and a pretty useful one if it means an audience can join in too.<br /><br />Despite some grace in the tv improvisations you mention, sadly I never quite felt that involvement.Pennynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-5606691443415716212012-06-22T12:27:20.715+01:002012-06-22T12:27:20.715+01:00I'm having a second bite of the cherry, and go...I'm having a second bite of the cherry, and going back to the improvisation point.<br /><br />I dislike improvisation intensely for the reasons you give, Sarah. I didn't watch True Love because of that. When I watch something, I want to know that's it's a fully rounded script.<br /><br />Add to that the fact that some actors can be boring and narcissitic (Watch The One Show if you don't believe me!) so I can't imagine them improvising anything worth hearing<br /><br />The theatrical improvisations that I do see, and usually feel are very satisfying (usually - I disliked 2000 years and can't believe that it received the plaudits it did) are the plays directed by Mike Leigh. He famously spend two months in improvising with the actors before beginning the production, whether it be a play or a film.<br /><br />He takes, however, the improvisations the actors have come up with, and shapes them into a finished script before they go into production. <br /><br />This is very different from what happens with most improvisations, and I think it's the only way that this mthod can successfully work.Liz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322513174593505885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-12093281387725286652012-06-22T10:14:58.725+01:002012-06-22T10:14:58.725+01:00You PLAYED Ruth?!!! The Silver Sword was one of my...You PLAYED Ruth?!!! The Silver Sword was one of my favourite books, and I always loved Ruth (still do).<br /><br />I know exactly what you mean, but I did watch the first two episodes, and if anything found them rather slight. We were meant to believe in ep 1 that when David Tennant's ex turned up out of the blue after 17 years and NO contact, they'd just fall into each other's arms. I just didn't but it all. Despite David Tennant being lovely and angsty about it. Joanna Froggatt was amazing, but perhaps because it was only half an hour, the ending was a bit abrupt. I wanted to know what really happened next.<br /><br />Second episode, again, I couldn't get on with the premise - Guy is bored of marriage, so he spots girl at bus stop, pursues her, they have an affair... Do these things really happen?<br />(Actually I guess they do - I met someone recently who walked out a 17 year marriage after a snog, & is still with the other guy).<br /><br />I think the premise is wrong though, I felt both episodes were more about lust then love, so haven't watched the rest. I take your point about faking it, but as I didn't feel either scenario was very realistic to begin with, neither film felt anything like real life!Jane Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17514534117777707886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-70677708574685742082012-06-22T09:15:34.624+01:002012-06-22T09:15:34.624+01:00Glad you didn't find it boring *trots off happ...Glad you didn't find it boring *trots off happily to dust off ancient acting stories*.<br /><br />And love your acting stories Liz and Phil.<br /><br />Alison, you're so right - we act all the time. In fact, we're probably only really 100% ourselves when we're on our own. I wonder if writers are better at faking it in real life than other people? I mean, we often write cross scenes when we're happy, happy scenes when we're sad etc.Sarah Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12530089356370140344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-3881894333017439012012-06-22T09:00:02.177+01:002012-06-22T09:00:02.177+01:00Great anecdote! Ditto, the awesome one from Philip...Great anecdote! Ditto, the awesome one from Philip.<br /><br />In TL, we all act. Not professionally like you, Sarah, but in our own little ways. We are pleasant to the grumpy cashier, we wheedle information out of bored bureaucrats, we feign interest in a relative's boring tale we've heard ten times before. More than anything we act to our children, pretending the tooth fairy or Father Christmas exists. And then there's our partners...<br /><br />As you show, faking it can be extremely plausible. It's a talent all writers should hone. How else an we produce such a diversity of characters, all with their own voice?Alison Mortonhttp://alison-morton.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-26858775084300367132012-06-22T08:44:51.672+01:002012-06-22T08:44:51.672+01:00I thought Liz H was going to relate the story of J...I thought Liz H was going to relate the story of John Wayne as the Roman Centurion at the Crucifixion of Christ in 'The Greatest Story Ever Told'. <br /><br />You know, the one about John Wayne being told to inject more awe into his performance for the second take: "Aaaaw, surely this man is the Son of God!".Philip C Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506199502085466202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-38286869955310252402012-06-22T08:33:10.538+01:002012-06-22T08:33:10.538+01:00A far from boring anecdote, Sarah. I'm so glad...A far from boring anecdote, Sarah. I'm so glad that my love of the theatre inspired you to relate it.<br /><br />I loved The Silver Sword when I read it. It's such a shame that I forgot about it, and failed to get it for my sons - they would have enjoyed it, but they're too old for it now.<br /><br />Your anecdote and the reference to Lawrence Olivier reminded me of the amusing account of the filming of the original True Grit, with John Wayne, whose approach to acting was the antithesis of method acting, and Kim Derby, in her first main film, and a great believer in method acting.<br /><br />At the end of the first day of filming, JW was incandescent with rage at her tremulous approach to her part. Happily, someone wrote a very funny account of the filming, and if you get a chance to read it, I'd thoroughly recommend it.<br /><br />Liz XLiz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322513174593505885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-26560400168661656582012-06-22T07:00:08.210+01:002012-06-22T07:00:08.210+01:00Definitely not boring. It reminded me of a very si...Definitely not boring. It reminded me of a very sick Lawrence Oliver's response to being waiting for Dustin Hoffman to "run" himself into his part in Marathon Man. "Couldn't he just act..."Liz Fieldinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10464889663853976327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771775388110854391.post-29575630302947012922012-06-22T06:38:14.592+01:002012-06-22T06:38:14.592+01:00You are so wrong, Sarah.
It was by no means a bor...You are so wrong, Sarah.<br /><br />It was by no means a boring anecdote.Philip C Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506199502085466202noreply@blogger.com