Comments on: Should You Memorize or Read Text? /2009/03/should-you-memorize-or-read-text/ Theatre Information Fri, 18 Jul 2014 23:55:37 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jim /2009/03/should-you-memorize-or-read-text/#comment-41 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:41:39 +0000 http://www.showbizradio.net/?p=3577#comment-41 I prefer to do both as well. I memorize letters to be read but also have a prop with the writing laid out. Sometimes props get lost, or altered if the props master or fellow actors are feeling mischevious.

I share Jay’s belief that memorizing a letter beforehand does not dilute the realism. It’s up to the actor to make the letter-reading realistic, whether they’re actually reading it or pulling the words out of their memory. It all falls to the performance, Method or otherwise.

Thanks for the column!

]]> By: Jay Tilley /2009/03/should-you-memorize-or-read-text/#comment-40 Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:29:57 +0000 http://www.showbizradio.net/?p=3577#comment-40 Great column Ty. I’ve enjoyed reading all your columns and found this one particularly interesting since I am currently performing in David Mamet’s two-character drama Oleanna. In Oleanna, my character has to read from a student’s paper and also from a tenure committee report.

You are absolutely correct that it’s completely up to the individual actor. Personally, I prefer to do both and that’s what I did in Oleanna. I memorized the lines just in case something happened to the props, but I definitely feel that actually reading the reports adds a sense of realism to my character and to the moment.

And I don’t think that having memorized the lines beforehand in any dilutes that realism. It’s just a safety net.

I do, however, think you were wise not to memorize Love Letters because reading love letters is very different from reading a report.

Keep up the great writing and acting sir! 🙂

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