Tips for Actors

by Fergus Craig

In the most important theatrical audiobook of this or any other decade, twitter sensation @tips4actors gives you all the advice you need to take your acting to the next level. How to upstage your fellow cast members, what to wear on the first day of rehearsals, where to go for a poo in London's glamorous West End - it's all covered in here! Includes advice such as...'Never read the script. Would your character read it? No, of course not. For them the script doesn't exist' and 'When having sex with a casting director, show off your acting by faking an orgasm'.

With bonus content made especially for the audiobook such as a full vocal warm up and advice on accents and radio acting, this is a hilarious parody which demands to be heard.

Genres: Nonfiction

Audible Audio

First published September 18, 2014

Reviews

[John Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about acting.

My personal experience with acting involved a few auditions, a bit of directing and a whole lot of disappointment. This was mostly due to politics. They wanted people with talent which is a very political stance to take.

There is some tips in this book that are so obvious they seem unworkable. A lot of the suggestions of nudity or criminal acts might seem extreme but could be the thing that gets an actor their big break playing the accused.

All actors could take something from this book. Mostly quotes to add to monologues but something. If they have time to read this then they should realise that maybe that job in Burger King isn't a bad alternative.

The moral of the book is to never give up your acting dream. I did and now I have ended up writing tripe like this about books at 1am on a Tuesday. It just goes to show... just not showbusiness.

[Chambers Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the funniest books I have ever read. So inappropriate and yet laugh out loud funny.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole time I couldn't stop thinking that a guy I'd been in a play with had read this book and not realised that it's a satire...

[Scott Grossman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know Craig Fergus and call him my very dear, casual acquaintance. However, I must insist that my personal knowledge of Mr. Ferguson has nothing to do with my extremely positive response to this "book". More of an inordinately long pamphlet, really. Even so, I barely read it. I skimmed the back flap and got half-way through the title page and for me I felt I'd gleaned enough. Must one read each and every footnote to get the gist? No.

This unusually positive review is not based on the work, "Tips for Actors." No, I'm bestowing four stars due to the fact that I already know Craig Ferguson to be a terrific actor. (Naturally, his book must be terrific, too). You see, in the almost several times we've met at functions over the years Ferris Craig has made me feel like, just maybe, he sort-of recognizes me. For the British that's positively gushing. And he's improvised friendly chit-chat. I'll never forget one night at the hotel bar in Rio. He lowered his gaze, placed his hand heavily upon my sunburned shoulder and whispered, "Unless... you buy me another lager... this conversation ...is over!" Words of wisdom.

Carl Fegrus has the acting chops to make you believe, really believe. I believed I provided marginally adequate, dare I say borderline competent conversation? Now I know none of that is actually true. It was his fantastic acting. I later learned from another mutual acquaintance who's first name shall remain nameless, well let's just say Hasslehoff told me Farley positively detests me. Can't even stand to stay in the same hotel. As a funny joke Fagan Craig had me beaten, arrested, jailed and deported. What a prankster! Not sure where all the mysterious powder in my room came from... don't speak Brazilian.

As an aside I had to deduct one star because a friend who claimed to have read the entire leaflet said that my amigo Ferguson Crane never mentioned me in it even once. So how good could it be?