Blog

Whiplash and other adventures

Here are the things I’ve started doing again since my last post: Teaching; civilly disrupting; worrying about what I’m going to make for supper and occasionally actually making it; and, when I’m not doing those things, coaxing myself back into writing mode so I can get on with the funding application for my Rehearsal forContinue reading “Whiplash and other adventures”

Sleepless in Sterdam*

This week I “worked off” a lot of people’s behaviour. I started out my week by wondering what all the noise in the street was, deciding that it was football-related. As the week went on, so did the noise, even though there were no big football matches going on. I finally found out from someContinue reading “Sleepless in Sterdam*”

Crocodile tales

I got an upgrade to my mental health condition. I no longer have imposter syndrome, I have imposters’ syndrome. I am now an imposter in multiple fields of activity. Impressive, right? Last Saturday the wonderful master of Mask, Grainne Delaney, came to the studio at Tugelaweg 85 and taught a workshop to some of myContinue reading “Crocodile tales”

It’s all Greek to me

Although I am not an ancient Greek, just ancient, I take the commandment to “know thyself” seriously. It was allegedly one of the three aphorisms on the temple at Delphi and whatever those oracles were smoking, it was obviously giving them some wise highs. Watching my students doing the Meisner exercises, I have come toContinue reading “It’s all Greek to me”

Getting personal

It’s such a joy to see people doing the repetition exercise and discovering how a seemingly banal observation can bring out all sorts of reactions in the other person if that person is truly listening and taking it personally. Meisner spoke a lot about taking things personally. In real life, if someone says something thatContinue reading “Getting personal”

When the souls come marching in

I am a very lucky person. I am privileged to witness the moments when souls come out of hiding. The moment when a soul stops stuffing itself down into a small corner of a body, hoping it will be safe there, hoping it won’t be heard, hoping it won’t be seen. Because a seen soulContinue reading “When the souls come marching in”

First class

On Tuesday, I gave my first Meisner class in Amsterdam. It was all the things I had wished it would be but didn’t dare to expect. The actors connected, committed and, each in their own time, “got” the power of Meisner. However many times I see these moments, they surprise and fill me with excitementContinue reading “First class”

Creativity is a cat

Creativity is a cat that curls up at my feet when I’m in bed at night. She sleeps so sweetly, keeping me company in my dreams and assuring me that in the morning, my mojo will still be there. Then, suddenly, just as I’ve fallen into a delicious dream, she jumps all over me andContinue reading “Creativity is a cat”

Welcome to my world! Two-step authentication Last night I started teaching acting classes to adults again. Often, my students are people who want to get some experience in presenting skills and to gain confidence speaking in English, but a lot of them also want to feel the spark of creativity and playfulness they lost somewhereContinue reading “Blog”

The inner critic

If you read about Stanislavsky, you will soon come across Glikeriya Nikolaevna Fedotova, a great actress whom he studied under at the Maly Theatre and who advised him to “look your partner straight in the eyes, read his thoughts in his eyes, and reply to him in accordance with the expression of his eyes andContinue reading “The inner critic”