Theatre Bay Area Feature Article
When people hear, “The Meisner Technique” their reactions run the gambit from great respect to absolute revulsion. Those with a negative viewpoint often say, “I tried Meisner and it wasn’t for me” or “ We did the repetition thing but I didn't really get it” and on and on.
First of all, Sandy’s approach is not for everyone. In fact, that was one of the great things about Sandy – he stressed to stay wide open to “whatever works for you because there is no right way or one way to get to the actors instrument.”
However, the main reason I’ve found most actors either “didn’t get it” or “didn’t like it” is because the person who trained them wasn’t qualified to do so.
The best (and worst) example of this was a former student, Larry Silverberg, wrote a book where he attempted to teach The Meisner Technique. To say this infuriated Sandy was an understatement. His exact quote was, “You can’t teach my way from a book and even if you could, don’t you think I would have written it myself!”
The Meisner Technique cannot be taught from a book. It can’t be taught in a “six weeks intensive” or “workshop.”
In fact, it’s the opposite of that. It’s a major commitment of time and energy where brick by brick, exercise by exercise a foundation is put into place allowing the actor to transform into what David Mamet has called, “the most present, authentic, organic actors I’ve ever worked with.”
Now, Sanford Meisner doesn’t have the corner on the market on good acting. In fact, any legitimate teacher of acting wants the exact same thing from their students – truthful behavior under imaginary circumstances. But what Sandy did that was so genius is he actually created a way – a process, a technique - for the actor to technically, consistently produce truthful, believable work independent of him so that when you finish your studies you’ll be able to call yourself an actor and it’ll truly mean something.
The Specifics
Sandy taught acting for sixty-five years. During the time he was constantly evolving “his way” but the foundation to his approach came early on and never wavered –people are horrible listeners and actors are even worse because they’re so nervous and insecure they couldn’t possibly listen. So before anything believable, connected, authentic, organic can happen the actor must be present. For that to happen, they must get out of their heads and put their focus and attention on the most important thing – the other actor. And from this very simple principle, Sandy created The Repetition Exercise.
Now many of you have probably experienced The Repetition Exercise at some point along the way. And I’m sure, at some point, it seemed almost ridiculous, pointless. And it actually is. It’s what it evolves into that’s so extraordinary because over the next three months “your shirt is blue” “your shirt is blue” transforms into a moment-to-moment connection between two world-class listening machines.
Also, during this time, the Independent Activity is introduced which was founded on the other core principle of The Meisner Technique – acting is NOT talking. It is doing. Can you do whatever it is you’re doing truthfully under imaginary circumstances?
During the second half of the first year work, a myriad of “bricks” are added to these foundation exercises so the actor’s work continues to deepen. Soon the most important and dynamic teachings is introduced – Preparation. Now I don’t have room to detail Sandy’s teachings on the topic of Preparation. Suffice to say, after years of “Emotional Memory and Sense Memory Exercises” Sandy came to the same conclusion that the “Methods” creator, Constantine Stanislavski came to about Preparation - the most important ingredient for an actor is a vivid imagination and not a tortured upbringing. This is where Sandy and Strasburg where diametrically opposed but again, to Sandy’s credit, he stressed, “If Sense Memory works for you, use it! Whatever works!” By the end of the first year, these teachings - combined with scene work - creates a foundation where all “acting” has been stripped away so that the actors instrument will no longer push, force, indicate, fake, act but instead, only works moment-to-moment from their gut and not their head.
During the second year scene work increases and with that Character is introduced along with impediments and subtext while still maintaining the moment-to-moment, organic connection. Another major brick is deepening “Public Solitude.” This is achieved through the fantasy, one-action, and private moment exercises. Finally Spoon Rivers are introduced challenging the actor to literally “put it all together.”
And then the most amazing thing happens – Sandy makes you leave him instead of tying you to him. The two years are done and you are out.
Sandy once said, “How’s it feel to be in acting class where no acting is allowed?” That is The Meisner Technique in a nutshell.
Jim Jarrett was Sanford Meisner’s last teaching protégé and spent four years with the master teacher being groomed to carry on his teaching legacy. Jarrett is the founder/director of The Meisner Technique Studio in San Francisco.