Two of the predominant acting techniques that are broadly employed today are method and classical acting. Some actors may discount the charm of classical acting and claim it is outdated, but that is far from the truth.
The role you are playing primarily dictates which route you must take. To get a distinct idea of the two, we have put together a list of differences between them.
Differences between method acting and classical acting
Classical acting is sometimes referred to as the Shakespearean style. It has its origins in British theatre. Classical acting is action-oriented whereas method acting is emotion-oriented.
Classical acting has more weighted body definition and fine-tuning. Actors are diligently trained to heighten their awareness regarding their bodies and their spatial movements. Method acting, on the other hand, cashes in on an actor’s emotional faculties. Actors have to play with the entire gamut of emotions to deliver a seamless performance.
This is not to say that classical actors narrate their lines in a monotonous, drab tone. They are tasked with portraying their characters while sticking to a rigid script.
On the other hand, method actors have more freedom and are not confined to predetermined, meticulous scripting. They only have to work within the outline of a script. They can bring an individualistic touch to their characters and give them their own spin-offs.
In a nutshell, method actors have more autonomy when it comes to improvisation while classical actors do not. They have to be more precise in their lines as well as performances.
Classical actors do not have the liberty to stray from the scripts they are handed.
”Sense memory” is a weapon that method actors wield. It is when they tap into their own sensory memory and bring to life their character by pulling their own experiences into the picture.
For example, if a method actor has to portray grief after their on-screen mother dies, they will recall their personal encounters with death. The actor’s real and onscreen characters intertwine like grapevines to give a hypnotizing product that captures the audience.
In terms of difficulty, the two styles are comparable. While it can pose a challenge to let your emotions enter your workplace in method acting, it is equally demanding to learn all your lines and perfect them so as not to deviate from the script.
Some people train unflaggingly for classical acting because delivering the character exactly as it is jotted down in the script is no piece of cake.
But method acting comes with its own set of challenges. Enacting your character while also letting traces of yourself peak through is something actors struggle with. It can get triggering for some actors to let their personal and professional experiences blend and the lines between the two blur.
Now that you have a working knowledge of the two techniques of acting, it is entirely up to you to decide which one is up to your alley. Depending on this discovery, you must seek out roles that are suited to your preferred form of acting.
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