How to Stop Acting
by Harold Guskin
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Book Summary Information
Author: Harold GuskinIntroduction: Kevin Kline
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-06-25
ISBN: 0571199992
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Book Reviews of How to Stop Acting
Book Review: Accessible and Knowledgable
Summary: 5 Stars
"How to Stop Acting" is a big-hearted look at how to overcome a common foible in acting at every level: The tendency on the part of actors to let intellectuality, fear, and boredom limit (or completely eliminate!) the emotional freedom and responsiveness that will result in a performance that is as surprising as it is strong.
Harold's prose is easy, which makes the book a fast read. But just as Harold would advise you to go through a script slowly, taking it piece by piece and gaining a real understanding of it, I would advise you to go slowly through this book and do the same. Just because you'll be able to read it fast doesn't mean you should. There's a lot to soak up here.
In other books on acting that I've read, the instructors are larger-than-life personalities whose very presence on the pages is at least intimidating, if not completely terrifying (i.e. Hagen and Meisner). Harold, however, comes across as extremely affable and open. He talks to you, the reader, as an equal; a fellow student of the craft of acting.
Done badly, this chummy style of teaching might make it hard to take the instructor seriously. It's done well here, however, and it's clear at all times that, friendly or not, Harold Guskin knows more than you do about acting. For that reason, it's very easy to take him seriously.
Using stories from his own career, as well as many straight from the mouths of his world-class clients (I'll listen to any insights on acting given out by Kevin Kline and/or Glenn Close), Harold discusses traps and hurdles that actors face all the time, and practical ways of evading and escaping the difficulties they cause.
His recurring message to actors is simple: honest emotion lives in dramatic texts. Be genuinely responsive to the text, in the moment, and honest emotion will happen. His insights on how to get to that point in your development as an actor are inspiring. I would consider it a privilege to study privately with Harold someday.
Until then, I have no doubts that I will return to this book over and over again.
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