INTRODUCTION

So far this year, I have broadened my acting skills through various classes and became versatile in the different forms of performance, particularly in non-musical theatre. I have had acting classes in acting for screen, Shakespearean text, Uta Hagen technique and contemporary monologues. I have incorporated skills learnt at level four and five in screen acting class as well as starting to use the skills in Hagen technique class. I have also developed an understanding of the role that the actor contributes to their performance and overall professionalism with others in the industry.  I have explored diverse and relevant performance styles and skills and understand the demands put upon me as an actor. These skills have helped me gain confidence to become a positive contribution within class. Within this portfolio I will use wider research to back up the knowledge I have gained as well as videos of class activities.

ACTING FOR CAMERA CLASS

The class I have found the most different to previous acting classes has been acting for screen. I applied the acting skills I have learnt at level 4 and 5 into acting for screen class by adapting to the different camera frames eg close up shot, over the shoulder shot. 

Our teacher would show us what it is like to get an audition for screen, leaning/rehearsal timings and what an audition script could look like compared to stage scripts we are used to. I found this useful to know as I wasn’t aware of the TV/film process or that the script for a screen audition can be only a few pages long if that. I also thought that the film script is a lot more descriptive of the surroundings and specifically what they want the actor to do. I also found that the variety of genres of scripts we worked on helped me to develop my versatility in characterisation and genre whilst also finding what I am best suited to e.g. strong, oddball, dark humour. 

Unlike stage, there is not always a need for projection (especially indoors) as every little thing can be picked up by the boom/lavalier microphones so we learnt how to get emotions across through quieter acting choices.

Meisner acting technique from level 4 and 5 was particularly useful for one on one scenes when reading another persons body language and subtly reacting in a way that will be picked up by camera but still be truthful. I have developed my physical acting for camera by making my actions smaller to fit a screen rather than stage. I found screen acting useful for self evaluation as watching back our rehearsals on screen made me initially feel embarrassed that other people are watching and made me self doubtful but after a while, I realised it is part of the process and helps me to understand what I can do better.

We also leant how to do a self tape with someone reading just off camera which will be useful for future taped auditions for any form of theatre as, for my future career, a lot of my jobs will most likely rely on a good first round self tape audition.

I have also developed my understanding of how to look just beyond the camera as this creates the 4th wall, giving a better feel of the world the character is in.

We learnt about who will be on a TV set with us by rehearsing a travelling shot whilst walking around the fourth floor of the building, with each of us playing a part of a production crew member that would typically be there with us. This includes:

• Camera Operator – “sets up the camera equipment and selects the lenses and camera angles…follow a camera script” Ridgway, S. (2023)
• Wardrobe assistant – “work on the shoot to look after the costumes, make any alterations” Ridgway, S. (2023)
• Director – “brings the creative vision to life and is responsible for the technical aspects, such as locations, scheduling and rehearsals” Ridgway, S. (2023)
• Assistant director – “filming schedule and supervising the runners and extras” Ridgway, S. (2023)
• Gaffer – “sets up the lighting equipment with technicians based on a lighting plan and advanced electrical knowledge” Ridgway, S. (2023)
• Hair/makeup designers – “create a required style for the characters” Ridgway, S. (2023) and keep up continuity with touch ups
• Intimacy coordinator – “choreographs scenes involving nudity, sexual content and other physical contact” Ridgway, S. (2023)
• Producer – “the key to all aspects of a smooth-running production. They make sure everything is done on time and in budget” Butan, C. (2024)
• Runner – “setting up green rooms and meeting rooms, looking after guests and contestants, running ad-hoc errands as required” Ridgway, S. (2023)

The role of actor on set is to:

• Have good time keeping for early starts and strict schedules
• Patience with multiple shots of the same bit of script for different camera angles
• Knowing your exact repetitions as to keep your movement consistent between takes
• Be prepared for long days
• Be respectful on set and to not get in anyone’s way as everyone is working hard

Lastly, in class we were taught that an audition is not about getting all the words right but the whole performance and embodiment of the character, expanding on the character from just the script, going into wider research. There is a demand of the understanding of character quickly.

SHAKESPEARE

Shakespearean text is another performance style have developed this year, which will help my future career, for employability  in shakespearean plays or shows incorporating Shakespeare text like Theatre North’s 2025 musical reimagining of Love’s Labour’s Lost, which is a good example of a production that combines two performance styles I am interested in pursuing.

I have developed my understanding of the Shakespearean language side and the practical acting side of Shakespeare and how punctuation and sentence structure is an acting hint at the characters status, metal state and how to perform the lines. I found it interesting how, when the line is slightly off to the side in incomplete iambic pentameter and is finished or started by someone else, this shows the status/power struggle between characters. The person who finishes the line is taking control. An example of this is Lady Macbeth finishing Macbeth’s lines to show she is the one who is really in charge and sometimes lines are completed by her entrance into the scene. Iambic pentameter can also be used to show how the character is feeling, for example if a character doesn’t finish the iambic pentameter it can mean they are insecure, unsure or have a low status, especially in monologues. I found this useful for my monologue (Lady Constance, King John, Act 3 Scene 4) as it may appear that she is the lowest status as she is accused of being mad in the scene but the text shows that she is uninterrupted and speaks in complete iambic pentameter so, acting wise, I know to play her more composed and strong. Another way we also used the language to develop our acting choices was to examine the use of imagery to see how our characters use this to get their point across. Lady constance uses very dark metaphors which helped me understand that she is not only grieving but is terrified of the death of her son. Her use of rhetorical questions also shows how she holds the power with these questions the men cannot answer. These are all literal techniques I will look out for in future to enhance my performances. 

We were also taught about the thesis and antithesis of Shakespearean monologues. This is “a device in which two opposite things or ideas are placed side by side for contrasting effect…placing these opposites in close proximity to each other emphasises their difference and is reflective of the tensions and complexities within the plays and characters” Northmost (n.a.). In class, we used the example of Hamlet’s monologue ‘To Be or Not To Be’ as, although a lot of Shakespeare monologues have this technique, this monologue is a clear example of it. ‘To be’ is the thesis and the ‘not to be’ is the antithesis. A character’s monologue is to decide which decision they should make. This was also clear in my monologue as the thesis was should Lady Constance be mad and live or (the antithesis) should she be sane and commit suicide? 

We leant that, in future when choosing a monologue for auditions, we should choose one from the same Shakespeare writing period as the show you are going for. The Shakespeare canon is split into four periods of writing which can show where he was in his life and how he was feeling:

Period 1-“Sanguine period, showing the exuberance of youthful love and imagination… These were probably all composed before 1595.” Halleck, R P. (1913)

Period 2-“From 1595 to 1601, shows progress in dramatic art. There is less exaggeration, more real power, and a deeper insight into human nature. There appears in his philosophy a vein of sadness… and more appreciation of the growth of character.” Halleck, R P. (1913)

Period 3-“From 1601 to 1608,… he felt that the time was out of joint, that life was a fitful fever… The great plays of this period are tragedies” Halleck, R P. (1913)

Period 4-“1608-1613… calm strength and sweetness… In 1608 Shakespeare’s mother died. Her death and the vivid recollection of her kindness and love may have been strong factors in causing him to look on life with kindlier eyes.” Halleck, R P. (1913)

I felt more confident learning that Shakespeare wasn’t first done in the ‘posh’ RP accent that is the most common way today. Original pronunciation (OP) is the way the plays were spoken in the time of Shakespeare himself, sounding more Dorset than RP. We were shown a video of what this would sound like. This helped to get rid of the stigma that Shakespeare is not ‘for us’, especially being Scottish myself. We then read our monologues in our own accents, devoid of clarity or need to be understood. This helped me to be more comfortable and really embody the words now that it felt more like me that was saying them.

Personally, I believe the actor’s role in Shakespeare is to make today’s audiences connect with the characters and text written so long ago and to be able to sympathise with them. It is also the actor’s responsibility to understand the angle the director wants to take when it comes to their adaption or interpretation. An interpretation of a Shakespeare play tends to keep the original text but highlights a particular theme eg the Donmar Warehouse all female production of Julius Caesar kept the original text and premise around power struggle but was set in a woman’s prison. An adaption can take basic plot elements but take out the original text, for example Disney’s The Lion King (Hamlet). Another example, which ties into musical theatre is the musical ‘West Side Story‘, an adaption of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet which puts the demand on the actor to understand the original source material before expanding on it with an adaption.

Lastly, we learnt about thinking on the line which was new to me but made sense as, in Shakespearean monologues, the characters are saying what’s on their minds at that time, they are speaking what they think so, as an actor, the thought must look like it has come to you as you say the line, not premeditation. We used a walking exercise to understand this. We would start to walk as we read the monologue out loud and whenever there was a new thought, we should stop/start walking. I have included a video of me exhibiting this exercise.

UTA HAGEN

Hagen technique is useful to me as I believe I could use it in nearly any type of acting I may do in my future career. I have found Hagen technique helps me most when creating a believable performance. The exercises have made it easier to act in the most neutral way and comfortable with the idea of doing nothing on stage.

We touched on Hagen technique, with the six step questions (from her book A Challenge for the Actor), in level 5 but focused mainly on Meisner. I understand how Meisner can be useful but I found Hagen a lot easier to recall and replicate in my own preparation time.

I would use Hagen technique in camera class as, if given script on the spot to replicate an audition, I found it an easy way to quickly connect with the character and use the questions to create a full background. in particular, using exercise two (A fake phone call that is to create. The fourth wall and maintain a truth of the characters physical world) to maintain the feeling of who I’m talking to also being there and exercise five (physical endowment to create sensations for the character that would create the world around them and make the character situation more truthful) to add another layer of characterisation on top of the script to create the physical world of the character.

The role of actor in Hagen technique is to bring a full awareness of the character by using the exercises to know what a character would do in situations not in the script/when they aren’t speaking (for example the seventh exercise that requires the actor to wait and do nothing in a space which helps find occupation in nothing), to live the characters truth. Hagen technique demands that the actor knows everything about their character, not just rough guesses. It is the actors job to fill in their characters background, objectives, circumstances ect from the knowledge that they have gained from the script to make realistic strong choices about the character, to the point that if they were to ‘hot seat’ their character, they could truthfully convey their character with ease. An actor must also fully commit to their character, to not hesitate but, instead, go off their instinct as the character. To summarise, you must be so well prepared that you live your character’s truth.

Hagen uses a sensation recall technique instead of emotional recall. you aren’t to recall trauma that you cannot mentally maintain for 8 shows a week but to recall the sensations around it (shaking, sharp breaths, so you shake and hitch your breath without the reason as to why you reacted that way original) “For Hagen, substitution is more about the actor convincingly putting themselves in the circumstances of the performance, rather than importing their own life’s defining moments into their work.” Ates, A. (2023). This puts a demand on the actor to have self awareness go how they react physically in different situations use these physicality to give an authentic portrayal of emotions.

I have felt a strong development in my acting in Hagen technique class was I feel more at ease with characterisation and a better understanding of characters which has lead to me contribution move in class and faster reactions in my character development

I will utilise Hagen technique in the third year show Into the Woods as I believe it will help me create a more truthful portrayal. I do not personally agree with a lot of what the witch does so, using Hagen technique, I can use her 6 steps and substitution emotional recall to create ways to justify the witches actions to myself as, when playing the witch, I must fully justify and believe my actions.

CONTEMPORARY MONOLOGUES

Contemporary monologue class has helped me develop my characterisation by becoming comfortable in being a character for an uninterrupted, extended time and staying engaging but truthful (meaning not physicalising because I feel I haven’t done something I while).

With Shakespeare monologues, characters speak internal thoughts whereas modern monologues can be about anything, making it personally more demanding as an actor to understand why the character is speaking and what they want. 

Contemporary monologues also reflect modern day language and issues which audiences today can relate to. This makes it important for an actor to be able to convey these issues and their character as truthfully as they can to convey a realistic performance. An actor must also understand how, especially on screen, a person would react, even if it is minimal or doe not involve lines of dialogue. 

Contemporary monologues can also be relevant to multiple performance styles and skills such as pantomime, plays and musicals. We have been trying out the same monologues on camera and stage to see how we would change our performance based on the style we are in. This is important for when we are auditioning over screen with dialogue made for stage.

Monologues, on a whole, tend to be about a character’s wants or needs and if they get it. My monologue has two sides and I needed to differentiate between what me as the actor wants to show and what the character wants to show. 

In future, I may be asked to bring a monologue for non MT productions and it’s important to know how to keep a monologue interesting, varied and emotionally connected. It is especially useful for camera as taped auditions can require monologues or dialogue (but its still only you on screen) so class has helped me to have monologues I can use onstage the scaled down for screen.

Lastly, I have been a positive contribution to class as I have pushed my boundaries to not being afraid of being bold, especially with a physically comedic monologue.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I have learnt various new skills this year in acting that have broadened my versatility in acting skills and employability and non-musical theatre roles which I believe is important in order to have a stable carrier. I personally appreciate these new skills as I would enjoy branching out slightly to other forms of theatre such as pantomime and plays. As well as utilising the skills I had learnt at level 4 and 5 of my acting classes. I have also started to use the skills learnt at level 6 and my acting for screen classes. Through exploring, diverse and relevant performance styles and skills, I have developed and understanding of the role that an actor plays within the industry and what is demanded of an actor by these various skills. Overall, I have felt that I have made a positive contribution in class through new skills as they have given me the confidence to be more bold and experimental with my character choices. I am already thinking about how I can take these skills further for the rest of the school year in numerous upcoming projects, as well as retaining the skills I find most useful for my future career.

Bibliography

Ates, A. (2023) The Definitive Guide to Uta Hagen’s acting technique – Backstage . Available online: https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/the-definitive-guide-to-uta-hagens-acting-technique-68922/ [Accessed 04/01/2026]

Butan, C. (2024) Who’s who on TV & film sets: An actor’s guide to production crew – Backstage. Available online: https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/everyone-know-set-3936/ [Accessed 04/01/2026]

Halleck, R P. (1913) Halleck’s New English Literature. New York: American Book Company. Shakespeare Online (2026) Available online: http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/fourperiods.html  [Accessed 04/01/2026]

Northmost (n.a.) Language techniques in Shakespeare’s plays – education resource – Bell Shakespeare. Available online: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/language-techniques-in-shakespeares-plays [Accessed 04/01/2026]

Ridgway, S. (2023) Who actors work with in television – Spotlight. Available online: https://www.spotlight.com/news-and-advice/the-industry/who-works-on-a-tv-show/ [Accessed 04/01/2026]