Meisner this, Meisner that, but what is it?

I get asked this question a lot about Meisner acting training and it's true what you hear, every person you speak to will describe it to you differently, so mine will be in a long list of what it means to me. I encountered this training a few years ago at the Actors Centre in London, great place to keep your skills up! There, I just kept hearing about Scott Williams, Impulse Theatre and his Meisner classes, some people didn't like it, but most raved, quite often with the enigmatic line 'You're wearing a blue shirt', then the person would espouse on how amasing this was, so I thought, strangely, I have got to try it and find out why saying, 'You're wearing a blue shirt' would send people into accolades of joy and appreciation for an acting technique.

It was a week-long introduction class to Scott's understanding of Meisner training, as he was one of Meisner students, but also, a student of Bill Ball, who had an equal and strong impact on Scott's approach and interpretation to this technique. Well, I went along for the week and it was like my world had been turned upside down and there it was going to stay and needed to. I was spinning from what I heard and knew it was just what I had needed and I had wanted in my approach to my work. Scott is a very positive, supportive and an 'easy to use' teacher (by this I mean, I always left feeling better, rather than some teaching I've experienced where my guts were pulled out, looked at, left on the floor and not put back together again), at least this is my opinion. So after, doing this week, I was determined to sign up for his 2 year course - 1st year is just learning and working on the technique of Meisner, leading up to doing scenes at the end of the first year; the 2nd year is doing plays and using the techniques learnt in the 1st year in the more practical situation of full-length plays. For me that 2 year period changed my work, changed me and showed me how much more I could be doing to help me and my world through the work I do. I am a more in the 'moment' performer. I have had it said so many times since doing this course, what a confident performer I am, how energetic and exciting, because you just don't know what is going to happen next. Just what you want people to say about how theatrical performances can come across and always be alive, just what I loved about great performances as a kid. I've learnt to love whatever and whomever is in front of me and learn to work within the 'given circumstances' and not need to judge my or others work with the 'fine toothed' comb which all my other training has taught me to be like - not a way that helped me at all, as I would just spend a lot of time judging my and others work, rather than just doing it - hence feeding insecurities rather than building the confidence that people see in me today. I feel very honoured and lucky to have been able to do the Meisner training that I have and if you want to find out more about Scott's work and the Impulse theatre just click on the links. If you want to find out about the classes I'm leading for the month of August, but also continue year round in Brighton on this technique check out our facebook page and the website. Happy Meisnering and happy performing to all!

A business trip...

Hopefully you are all aware, I am soon off for a week to Buxton, which I hear is beautiful and in the heart of the Peak District in England! An area I have wanted to go and stay in for awhile and what a better positon to be in than going there to do a show - 'Hamlet'. Many of you native based may know Buxton for it's bottled water. This trip is a dream come true in many ways! I am working with a director I have been trying to work with for three years. You see, our director for 'Hamlet' has her own company called 'Butterfly' and I first met Aileen Gonsalves in the final year of my Meisner acting studies and she is one of the few directors, I know of, who works in the Meisner style. So for 3 years, I have been emailing her about what I am doing and where, only to come back from Canada to find she has emailed me asking me to audition for this production of 'Hamlet'. I can't tell you how excited and thrilled I was; that all those years of doing the 'right thing' to then finally get the audition and then, golden egg time - the part! I am playing Gertrude, Hamlet's Mother in this 1 hour version of 'Hamlet'. It is fast paced, to say the least, as it requires us to get the normally 3 to 4 hour play across in one hour and then do it 3 times a night! To be honest, we will not know if it is night or day, as an added bonus, our 'Hamlet' is set in the bowels of the earth - Poole's Cavern! So the audience promenades through the caves while we do the play - the actors never leave the stage, so to speak, we just pop in and out of the ghostly players in this highly inventive and exciting 'Hamlet'. So what better business trip could I ask for, this is a part of my work I just love, seeing parts of the UK while doing what I love. I love to tour and I have been very fortunate to see many parts of the UK, more than many natives! So Buxton will soon be a joyous addition to that list of towns I have been lucky enough to see. To book tickets, just click on any of the highlighted 'Hamlet's or use this link: http://www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/whats-on/hamlet-in-pooles-cavern Rumours are it usually sells out, so better get them earlier rather than later!

A week in the life of...

Following on from last month's blog on why I came here and having had many people asking me lately what I do, I thought, I would give people an idea by letting you know what I have been doing in the last week. Friday - taught a Meisner acting class - then off to an docu-drama film audition in London Saturday - admin in the morning - then promo slot at Fringe City for 'Miss Givings' - then off to watch a friends show in the evening, as part of the Brighton Festival Fringe Sunday DAY OFF Monday - admin day in office Tuesday - re-record backing tracks for 'Miss Givings' - admin afternoon plus coaching session with Justina Vail - do 3rd show of 'Miss Givings' Wednesday - edit re-recorded backing tracks for 'Miss Givings' and email them out to the director for Bristol show - admin in the afternoon - sing at Little Bay Brighton in the evening Thursday - do all day training workshop in London on negotiation - write blog - then go to yoga in the evening As you can see admin takes up a lot of my time, so admin includes emails, phone calls, learning lines, learning songs, social media/press work, letters/documents, finances, filing, applying for auditions/work, etc. - just like any other business. This is just a sample, as every week is different, but encompasses more or less the same. I am never bored or lacking in things to do. Naturally you can add eat, sleep, wash and time with hubbie and friends in there, as well!

Debbie Bridge, actor

Debbie Bridge, actor

Can now post reviews on my CCP profile which is such a great tool to have to help boost the credits.

BRIGHTON FRINGE 2013 - Episode 3

'Miss Givings is on Fringe TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx5VMpp5lxk

May Blog - why I'm in the UK

Hi All, I created this blog for a fellow UK ex-pat performers blog: http://blog.yankeeinlondon.net/ check out her blog site as well, she has some great advice for others wanting to work and stay in the UK, in the mean time, here's what I wrote for her... "Over 16 years ago, I came to London as a stop-over for going to Germany. Coming here as a Canadian Opera singer (fresh out of the University of British Columbia music program), starting with no connections and no real idea on what to do or how to stay. I was lucky. I managed stay long enough to get my British Passport. I did go to Germany, but didn’t like the idea of living there. That’s what I have learnt, this is where I have needed to be all along, as I went on to do a Meisner Acting course with Scott Williams (Impulse Theatre School http://www.impulsecompany.co.uk/) and I haven’t looked back. I realised that it was acting and musical theatre that I had wanted to do, but got side tracked when professors said my voice needed to be in opera. I have picked up some very useful skills, but I am back doing what I love. I live in Brighton, which is a vibrant and creative city. Recently I have been finding that they really like opera, so with my skills as an actor/singer, I have a regular gig at a local restaurant called Little Bay – Brighton (http://www.littlebaybrighton.co.uk/), this has led to more event work. Life on the south coast is not so fast paced as London, which suits me, coming from the more laid back lifestyle of Vancouver, B.C. I love working here, as I stand out every time I speak. Working here does make finding your niche a lot easier. I have managed to work in British productions where they have allowed me to do the RP or they have been ok with the American voice in a mostly British cast, but my calling card is my accent and I don’t mind that. The acting work really moved on when I joined the North American Actors Association (www.naaa.org.uk). It was a great place for me to do North American work, especially, through the annual Playreading Festival (http://naaaplayreadingfestival.com/). Being one of those few, who have not gone through the education system here, I have learned to ‘create’ work. This attitude has helped me in finding agents here, produce productions, and see what it is I love to do. I have managed to find a great agent in Canada, but that was through the help of my British agent, so ya never know where roads may lead. In 2010, I created a new company, A’Nother Productions, which I am using as a vehicle to produce works. The latest being my new one-woman show, called ‘Miss Givings’. I wanted to find a more engaging way to get American composers works out there, plus include all my skills. Anita Boult is a musical theatre wannabe, but has just moved out of New York and back to Peekskill. This show goes through her trials and tribulations, with songs from Bernstein, Copland, Barber, Gershwin and Amy Beach. ‘Miss Givings’ is on at the Nightingale Theatre (http://www.nightingaletheatre.co.uk/) as part of Brighton Festival Fringe – May 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. You can book tickets here: http://boxoffice.brightonfringe.org/event.aspx?evId=5288#container or the Bierkeller Theatre, Bristol on June 5th. http://www.bierkellertheatre.com/ Debbie’s website is www.debbiebridgeactor.com and her Twitter account is @debbiebridge"

Roll up the Rim to Win!

Well this blog is devoted to that dreaded event - the 'bad' audition. You know the one, where thoughts like: "Why am I here?" I feel shame, useless, stupid and want to cry and run out the door. I can't see straight, don't understand the expectations, my head seems to be in a log jam, can't remember the words clearly, which I've recited a hundred times - ack! it's coming out as paraphrasing and not the actual words, can't breathe, my whole body is tense (locked) along with my head, or, last but not least and one of my personal favourites, I should be better than this, know better, be more experienced - an expert!" It's like a switch in my head. I walk in good and confident and then fall apart in a haze of glory. Can't really explain what happens to me, as I can't see it for what it is, just find my focus falls apart and I'm not able to keep it on the other person. I don't have this problem in cold readings or if the piece is one I have performed before in front of an audience. My expectations are low then and parameters are low - wide open really. They don't get so set and I feel free to do what the moment calls for a lot more easily. Nope, this is about the prepared/unperformed piece - that no man's land of I know the words, but I have never done them in front of anyone, so haven't got a clue what is going to happen. My expectations rise, as I say, I know the words - an expectation, so when they start to fall apart, I fall with them. So the question is, how do I bring the freedom I have when I'm improvising or have a well-known piece feeling into this unknown/known situation? What can I do differently? What works to help me feel more confident? Now this can happen in a song as well as a speech or a dialogue piece. It's like in music when you never have heard the accompaniment before, which is maybe ok for a rehearsal, but doesn't work in an audition, at least not for me. Given direction or a second reading I can show huge improvement, but otherwise I can struggle to keep my focus, even with my actual eyes. I know I am not alone in these thoughts/experiences and over the years I have learnt different ways to cope, but while here in Canada for the pilot season, I hit a low again with an audition and walked out and realised what I was putting myself through after that one audition, was not going to help, so, what can I do? This exact turn around within an hour is a huge key to what has helped to learn from the mistake of what happened and the first thing I did was write it all down and get it on the page, get it out of me, because, my experience has shown that if I leave that 'stink'n think'n' inside me, it will continue to hurt me and build. Next, got to talk this out with others, so I made a 'proverbial' list: - speak to an encouraging and supportive friend about it - speak to my agent to see if she can suggest a coach - book session with an acting coach - write a blog about it and send to fellow supportive and knowledgeable acting friends about it - do more auditions - any and all to work the skill of auditioning up I can do any portion or all of these things to help me understand what I am struggling with to see, accept, understand and change. So that is what I did do; only I didn't do everything on the list. As you can see, I am doing the blog, because, that adult part of me, realises that sharing this with others lightens the load of the those tough days, plus helps others - I hope, maybe I am not the only one who needs to hear this again! As a result of my doing this 'brain drain' after the audition, I was feeling a lot better, could continue with my day, which included going to an event that evening and speaking to others about mentorship for Alumni of my university and I had an action plan which I am still working on today. So why the title, well, here in Canada, we have a well-known Canadian Coffee Chain called Tim Horton's (http://www.timhortons.com/) and every March they run a campaign called - "Roll Up the Rim to Win", so that day, I happened to find myself in Tim Horton's with a box of 'Tim's Tid Bits' - small donut holes of various flavours, I can recommend if you want to try all sorts, but not eat a full donut - and a cup of tea (that's me, a tea drinker through and through). Well, I rolled up the rim that day and guess what it said - 'Please - play again!' So if anyone reading this has had a day like the one I describe, I encourage you to do what I am doing - I am playing again. Just as a footnote, I did win a free cup of tea before the end of the month, so it's worth being part of the game of life, you do win, when it's the right time. Much love to you all and I'd love to hear your thoughts about this or any other ideas in this wonderful, if not challenging business! Debx