One of my favorite acting book titles is “Respect for Acting.” Never mind that I don’t agree with the book’s philosophy (fourth wall, really??) but that title really speaks to me. The book’s author, the revered Uta Haagen, a serious actress and serious acting teacher, wants our craft to be respected. She wants it to be respected because it is hard work, and no doubt it is worthwhile work. Are we saving the planet? Some of us think we are, but that question still remains to be answered. (Once the planet is saved we will surely be able to locate and identify its saviors, if they’re not on a commercial audition, that is.) But back to respect for acting.
Do we really need to ask for respect? Do we? Anyone who needs to ask for respect asks for it only because the quality of his or her work doesn’t command it. That’s right, when we see good acting, do we not immediately respect the actor? It is only when we see “labored” acting, precious acting, self indulgent acting, that we do not respect the actor or the amount of time that went into producing that work. And why should we? We are not MOVED just by the homework, or the time spent preparing something, we are moved by what is moving, i.e., the courage to embrace the moment NOW, a love for the work, and the ability to play like a four year old.
The other problem I have with my favorite acting book title is this: why should actors want respect from their viewers? I don’t. I don’t give a hoot if they respect me or not – to actors respect is the booby prize. What we want is LOVE, no more, no less. We want our audience members to love us enough so that they go with us wherever we take them EMOTIONALLY, and they will not go with us based on respect – they’re too smart. It’s like saying, I’m going to sleep with so and so because I respect her, and I will state to her my intentions and the reason behind my amorous intent, and she will see the logic in my argument and acquiesce. It doesn’t work like that, I don’t think. So with all due respect, let’s leave respect where it belongs – there is too much heat, too much mystery and too much joy on the battlefield of acting to worry about it.
