Today, I will explore the power of Actioning, a valuable tool that, in my opinion, drama teachers should introduce to their students. By breaking a script into actionable units, students can create more convincing performances and overcome self-consciousness on stage. In my experience, I have found that introducing the concept of actioning can be the key to unlocking a student’s potential and propelling them forward in their acting journey. I have witnessed some incredible progress in my students lately whilst they experiment with this technique. Let me share this with you.
If you’re already familiar with the concept of actioning, feel free to skip ahead to the next section. But for those who want a reminder, let me clarify: actioning is not about creating gestures to convey meaning. Rather, it involves analysing a character’s dialogue, selecting appropriate transitive verbs, and using them as a guide for the actor’s performance. By doing so, the actor can bring more depth and intention to their portrayal, resulting in a more captivating and authentic performance. This technique is often attributed to Konstantin Stanislavski and developed further by the British Theatre Director, Max Stafford-Clark.
A transitive verb is a type of verb that requires an object to complete its meaning. In other words, it is an action verb that transfers the action to a receiver or object. When actioning, it is helpful to start by thinking of the sentence structure I + transitive verb + you. This helps you to check if your selected verb is an actionable verb. Some examples might be:
I challenge you
I empower you
I pacify you
Students may utilise these verbs when rehearsing for scripted performances. For example, if one of their lines of dialogue looked a little bit like this:
“Please don’t do it. Don’t do it!”
The student could decide on what the character wants to achieve at that moment and select a suitable transitive verb to help give them an intention to perform. Here are some ideas for what the student might choose for the above line:
“Please don’t do it. Don’t do it!” (I beg you)
“Please don’t do it. Don’t do it!” (I pacify you)
“Please don’t do it. Don’t do it!” (I command you)
Try reading the lines above whilst thinking of the different transitive verbs in the brackets. You will find that it changes the meaning of the text and also provides you with something to focus on pursuing.
The Benefits of Actioning for the Drama Classroom
Recently, I have started introducing actioning within classes for ages 12 and above. I used to reserve this for older students in the age 14+ bracket, however, if students can grasp the concept at an earlier age, it can prove to be a very useful tool for them. Here are my top two benefits:
More Believable Acting
One of the most notable advantages of teaching students how to use actioning is the significant improvement in the quality of their performances. By guiding students to consider their character’s intentions more thoughtfully, their acting becomes more engaging and captivating for the audience. The focused attention on their character’s objectives can often yield remarkable results on stage.
Removal of Self-Consciousness
By concentrating on pursuing their actionable verbs, students can often eliminate self-judgment and inhibition in their performances. I recently witnessed a remarkable transformation in one of my students who went from being extremely shy with minimal expression and projection to delivering a powerful and convincing performance. All it took was a few transitive verbs to guide her performance. It was an unforgettable and truly rewarding moment!
Final Words
It could be said that actioning can lead to performers pre-planning their performance too rigidly not allowing enough space for spontaneity. I agree that spontaneity is important in keeping a scene “fresh” and “alive” however it could be argued that this is a higher-order skill that can be cultivated alongside actioning. There are many tools for actors to use and this is one that could benefit less-experienced students who need scaffolding to reach a believable and confident performance. Certainly, these are the majority of students you will meet in the classroom!
The actor’s thesaurus is a resource that I frequently introduce to my students. It helps them to select more precise transitive verbs for their character. Take a look at it here.
Remember, this tool is transferrable. You can use it in a variety of settings especially when public speaking. If you are giving a speech, think about what your intended action is to play to your audience. Do you want to inspire them, empower them, move them? Try out actioning in your next public speaking event!
I would love to hear your experiences with actioning in the classroom or rehearsal room in the comments!
