Creating a Character: A Physical Approach to Acting

by Moni Yakim, Muriel Broadman, Stella Adler (Foreword)

To bring a character to life, an actor must become that character. This requires far more than mere impersonation or a simple understanding of motivation. A vital part of the acting process is knowing how to use the body to bring out a character's unique traits and behaviour patterns. In "Creating a Character", actor and mime artist Moni Yakim reveals his time-tested techniques and step-by-step exercises for physically evoking a character. Beginning with a chapter on looking inward, Yakim gives exercises on discovering aspects of one's own character. Then he teaches the actor how to identify with qualities outside the self. Finally, he shows how to apply these techniques to 12 classical theatrical roles.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Courtney Thurston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not an actor. I understood relatively little (I imagine.) I enjoyed it.