Is the traditional approach to actor training stifling our artistic potential? Are we confining ourselves to a rigid set of tools when we should be playing with infinite possibilities?
In the realm of actor training, we often hear about the actor's 'toolbox' - a metaphor for the collection of skills, techniques, and approaches an actor accumulates throughout their career. While well-intentioned, this terminology feels utterly utilitarian, reminiscent of Hapgood's clunky (dare I say turgid?) translations of Stanislavski, which burdened us with terms like 'unit' and 'objective'.
From Rigid Tools to Playful Possibilities: Rethinking Our Craft
I propose we shift our language - and consequently our thinking - from 'toolbox' to 'toy box'. This isn't mere semantics; it's a fundamental reimagining of our approach to craft. A toy box inherently suggests play, exploration, and the joyous possibility of continued discovery. It invites us to resist fixed categories and celebrate the fluidity of both practice and artistic identity.
Reflection Exercise:
Think about a recent role or scene you worked on. How might your approach change if you treated your techniques as 'toys' to play with rather than 'tools' to apply? If you're not currently working on a role, consider a recent project or task in your life. How could a more playful approach change your perspective on it?
The Productive Discomfort of Boundary-Pushing: Finding Growth in Challenges
To truly evolve as artists, we must learn to find joy not just in what comes easily, but in the very process of learning itself - even, or perhaps especially, when it pushes us into unfamiliar territory. This isn't about forsaking pleasure in our work, but about expanding our understanding of what brings us satisfaction.
Practice Tip:
Choose a monologue you know well. Now, perform it in a style that feels completely wrong for the piece.
What new insights emerge from this uncomfortable experiment? For non-actors, try completing a familiar task (like writing an email or cooking a meal) in a completely different way. What do you discover?
Embracing Ambiguity: Exploring Wants, Needs, and Challenges
We often assume we can easily differentiate between our wants and our needs, imagining them as distinct as oil and water. Reality, however, is far messier and more interesting. These categories blur and intermingle, much like the oft-confused sensations of hunger and thirst.
This complexity extends to what we struggle with and what we dislike in our practice. It's tempting to dismissively categorise challenging aspects of our work as simply 'not for us'. But I've come to believe there's immense value in leaning into these areas of difficulty or discomfort.
Reflection Question:
What aspect of your craft (or work, for non-actors) do you currently avoid or dislike?
How might you reframe it as an opportunity for exploration rather than a hurdle to overcome?
A Dual Approach to Artistic Evolution: The Two Toy Boxes
I now advocate for maintaining two 'toy boxes' in our practice. The first is our daily go-to, filled with the techniques and approaches we currently find most useful. The second, equally important, is a repository for practices we've set aside - not discarded, but stored for potential future use.
This dual approach emphasises the existence of multiple coexisting possibilities rather than singular narratives or binary choices, allowing us to remain in a greater state of flux. It acknowledges that our artistic tastes and needs evolve, much like our palates for food. (How many of us now savour flavours we once wrinkled our noses at as children?)
One of my long-term clients, a director, keeps a literal box of directing exercises he's encountered over the years. Periodically, he'll dip into this 'second toy box', often finding that a previously discarded approach suddenly illuminates a current project in unexpected ways.
Practice Exercise:
Create your own 'second toy box'.
Fill it with techniques, exercises, or approaches you've tried but set aside. Once a month, randomly select one and incorporate it into your current work or daily life.
Journal about the experience.
The Perpetual Becoming of the Artist: Challenging Linear Progress Through Fluidity in Artistic Growth
By revisiting and potentially reintegrating previously set-aside practices, we challenge the notion of linear progress in skill development. Instead, we embrace a view of artistic practice as a continual process of becoming, a constant state of evolution rather than a journey towards a fixed endpoint.
This approach draws inspiration from modern theories that challenge fixed ways of thinking about growth and identity. It encourages us to question established categories and embrace fluidity, not just in our artistic practice, but in all aspects of our creative expression.
By applying this perspective to actor training (and indeed, any creative pursuit), we keep our practice dynamic, maintain our curiosity, and ensure our artistry doesn't calcify into mere habit. It allows for a deeper, more sophisticated exploration of our craft and the stories we tell, acknowledging the inherently performative nature of both acting and identity.
Reflection Exercise:
Consider your artistic or professional journey so far.
Can you identify moments where you've 'circled back' to earlier interests or techniques?
How did these moments contribute to your growth?
In essence, this fluid approach to actor training and artistic development provides a framework that is both practical and deeply considered. It encourages us to embrace complexity, remain open to growth, and continually refine our craft in ways that resist fixed categorisations and celebrate the beautiful messiness of artistic evolution.
By allowing ourselves to exist in this state of flux - both in our practice and in our understanding of ourselves as artists - we open up new possibilities for creativity, authenticity, and artistic breakthrough. After all, it's often in the spaces between defined categories, in the blurring of boundaries, that the most exciting art emerges.
Remember, in both life and art, there are no fixed roles, only the endless potential of perpetual becoming. Embrace the fluidity, revel in the ambiguity, and let your journey be a testament to the beauty of constant evolution.
Ready To Delve Deeper?
Intrigued by these ideas? Ready to revolutionise your approach to acting or creative work? Whether you're a seasoned professional, a student of the craft, or simply curious about applying these concepts to your life, I offer free online coaching consultations where we can delve deeper into these ideas, and look at ways of applying them directly to your unique journey. Discover how personalised coaching can help you unlock unexpected breakthroughs and expand your creative horizons. These sessions can provide tailored insights and strategies to transform your craft or infuse your daily life with new creative energy.
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