Relaxation

"As long as you have this physical tenseness you cannot even think about delicate shadings of feeling or the spiritual life of your part. Consequently, before you attempt to create anything it is necessary for you to get your muscles in proper condition, so that they do not impede your actions." - Constantine Stanislavski

Today we explored the idea that one has to be both relaxed and energised to build upon a character and achieve truth in their acting. We decided to focus on relaxation by practicing the Alexander technique - This technique used to improve posture and also allows for a good neutral.

Stanislavski understood that unnecessary tension interferes with creating the life of the character in performance. The Alexander Technique deals with this directly. It's a method that helps the actor to become aware of the physical habits that flaw performance and to transform those habits therefore improving breathing, posture and vocal production. For me it really helps the physical life of the character to be explored with ease and allows me fuller emotional expression separate from myself as the actor.