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A Challenge for the Actor
Uta Hagen, one of the world's most renowned stage actresses, also taught acting for more than 40 years at the HB Studio in New York. Her first book, Respect for Acting, published in 1973, remains a best seller in print. In this brand new audio edition of her second classic book, A Challenge for the Actor, she greatly expands her thinking about acting in a work that brings the full flowering of her artistry, both as an actor and as a teacher. She raises the issue of the actor's goals and examines the specifics of the actor's techniques. She goes on to consider the actor's relationship to the physical and psychological senses. There is a brilliantly conceived section on the animation of the body and mind, of listening and talking, and the concept of expectation.
But perhaps the most useful sections in this audiobook are the exercises that Uta Hagen has created and elaborated to help the actor learn his craft. The exercises deal with developing the actor's physical destination in a role; making changes in the self serviceable in the creation of a character; recreating physical sensations; bringing the outdoors on stage; finding occupation while waiting; talking to oneself and the audience; and employing historical imagination.
The scope and range of Uta Hagen here is extraordinary. Her years of acting and teaching have made her as finely seasoned an artist as the theatre has produced. This audiobook is masterfully read by award-winning narrator and actor Barbara Rosenblat, and includes an excerpt from the audio edition of Uta Hagen's A Memoir. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.
1991 Uta Hagen (P)
But perhaps the most useful sections in this audiobook are the exercises that Uta Hagen has created and elaborated to help the actor learn his craft. The exercises deal with developing the actor's physical destination in a role; making changes in the self serviceable in the creation of a character; recreating physical sensations; bringing the outdoors on stage; finding occupation while waiting; talking to oneself and the audience; and employing historical imagination.
The scope and range of Uta Hagen here is extraordinary. Her years of acting and teaching have made her as finely seasoned an artist as the theatre has produced. This audiobook is masterfully read by award-winning narrator and actor Barbara Rosenblat, and includes an excerpt from the audio edition of Uta Hagen's A Memoir. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.
1991 Uta Hagen (P)
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 16, 2009
I think what Uta Hagen had to say here could have been said in an essay rather than a 300-page book. And from what other actors have told me, Hagen already said much of this in Respect for Acting anyway, but better. Regardless, I do not think I will be reading Hagen's other work, because I'm pretty sure I already understand her gist.
I'm sure Hagen is a great actress, and a great person. The respect she has for the theatre is admirable, and I appreciate that she tries to get actors to push themselves beyond rote, formulaic actions and representations of emotion.
However, I take issue with this book for a few reasons. First, Hagen is a serious snob. She bitches and moans continuously about 'sell-outs', people who do television or film work or even commercial theatre, because they are in it for the money and not the oh-so-important CRAFT. Well, Uta, not everyone can make a living without doing commercial work. Along the same lines, I dislike Uta's view that an actor must dedicate his ENTIRE LIFE and every waking moment to the art; is it to be assumed then, that those acting recreationally can never excel?
The exercises in this, too, seem like common sense to me - "If a cup needs to be hot, you should pretend that it is hot!" Well, Uta, thanks for blowing my mind on that front. I also appreciate your 5,000 examples of "ENDOWING OBJECTS" with characteristics, because the concept was REALLY tough for me to understand the first time.
I think, ultimately, that Hagen turns the art of acting into too much of a thinking game. She claims that acting does not come naturally to anyone, but I disagree - I think those with strong powers of perception and the ability to imitate have no need for many of her exercises, since accurate and specific imitations come to them without extra effort. Maybe this book would be helpful with truly atrocious actors, people that never pay attention to other people, but I think for anyone with a real shot at becoming a great actor, this stuff should inherently be a part of what they do, since it's incredibly BASIC. I don't mean to rag on Uta so hard, but I feel like I read 300 pages thinking, "Tell me something I don't know."
I'm sure Hagen is a great actress, and a great person. The respect she has for the theatre is admirable, and I appreciate that she tries to get actors to push themselves beyond rote, formulaic actions and representations of emotion.
However, I take issue with this book for a few reasons. First, Hagen is a serious snob. She bitches and moans continuously about 'sell-outs', people who do television or film work or even commercial theatre, because they are in it for the money and not the oh-so-important CRAFT. Well, Uta, not everyone can make a living without doing commercial work. Along the same lines, I dislike Uta's view that an actor must dedicate his ENTIRE LIFE and every waking moment to the art; is it to be assumed then, that those acting recreationally can never excel?
The exercises in this, too, seem like common sense to me - "If a cup needs to be hot, you should pretend that it is hot!" Well, Uta, thanks for blowing my mind on that front. I also appreciate your 5,000 examples of "ENDOWING OBJECTS" with characteristics, because the concept was REALLY tough for me to understand the first time.
I think, ultimately, that Hagen turns the art of acting into too much of a thinking game. She claims that acting does not come naturally to anyone, but I disagree - I think those with strong powers of perception and the ability to imitate have no need for many of her exercises, since accurate and specific imitations come to them without extra effort. Maybe this book would be helpful with truly atrocious actors, people that never pay attention to other people, but I think for anyone with a real shot at becoming a great actor, this stuff should inherently be a part of what they do, since it's incredibly BASIC. I don't mean to rag on Uta so hard, but I feel like I read 300 pages thinking, "Tell me something I don't know."
February 2, 2011
I wish Uta Hagen was still alive. I want to go to her house and watch her sit in her favorite seat and smoke ciggarettes with her and ask her a million questions about how the hell she can be the most self aware actor ever without also being the most self concious actor ever.
This book is a bit more helpful than her previous acting book, but it still begs many questions. I would be her most annoying student contstantly poking my hand up into the air, “But Mistress Uta!” Hm. I wonder what students DID call her. Surely not just Uta. Countess Hagen? Your Magesty? Your Honor? My Leige? “I understand that we have so much about being human inside us and that self observation is extremely important, but what if you’re working on a CHARACTER that is such a CHARACTER and outside of yourself that you have to make them inside of yourself without commenting on them? Is there a backwards way for your technique to work?” You know what? I can already hear her retort. She’d say that we all have a bit of Caliban in us, or fairies or monsters or dwarves or robots or horses or pigs or whatever and that we need to find their essence in us in order to make them alive. Argh. She’s so frustrating. And wonderful. She really makes acting seem like so much WORK though. And I’m grateful for that; I’m grateful that she points out actor tricks and short cuts that we should not get away with and know we shouldn’t get away with, but Christ. After creating detail on my fourth wall and implanting real smells and object history and weather and time of day and time of year and relationships to my fellow actors, to the history of my clothing, remembering to listen, remembering where I’ve been from, allowing myself to be surprised, not anticipating, using emotional transfers at key moments, but keeping them in the world of the play, never just waiting, standing around, always DOING DOING DOING, having the thought process of the character, not thinking “the character”, only thinking “Me” “I”, not making eye contact with the audience, not joking around with other actors back stage or in the dressing room, I just start to wonder, Uta. Where is the Play in all that? It has got to be there somewhere. Though I guess between the Play and the Work is the Craft which seems like a good place to be. So I better get back to work. Playing. Get back to work on playing. And this is why I don’t write books on how to act.
This book is a bit more helpful than her previous acting book, but it still begs many questions. I would be her most annoying student contstantly poking my hand up into the air, “But Mistress Uta!” Hm. I wonder what students DID call her. Surely not just Uta. Countess Hagen? Your Magesty? Your Honor? My Leige? “I understand that we have so much about being human inside us and that self observation is extremely important, but what if you’re working on a CHARACTER that is such a CHARACTER and outside of yourself that you have to make them inside of yourself without commenting on them? Is there a backwards way for your technique to work?” You know what? I can already hear her retort. She’d say that we all have a bit of Caliban in us, or fairies or monsters or dwarves or robots or horses or pigs or whatever and that we need to find their essence in us in order to make them alive. Argh. She’s so frustrating. And wonderful. She really makes acting seem like so much WORK though. And I’m grateful for that; I’m grateful that she points out actor tricks and short cuts that we should not get away with and know we shouldn’t get away with, but Christ. After creating detail on my fourth wall and implanting real smells and object history and weather and time of day and time of year and relationships to my fellow actors, to the history of my clothing, remembering to listen, remembering where I’ve been from, allowing myself to be surprised, not anticipating, using emotional transfers at key moments, but keeping them in the world of the play, never just waiting, standing around, always DOING DOING DOING, having the thought process of the character, not thinking “the character”, only thinking “Me” “I”, not making eye contact with the audience, not joking around with other actors back stage or in the dressing room, I just start to wonder, Uta. Where is the Play in all that? It has got to be there somewhere. Though I guess between the Play and the Work is the Craft which seems like a good place to be. So I better get back to work. Playing. Get back to work on playing. And this is why I don’t write books on how to act.
February 28, 2008
Even though I haven't been acting for years sometimes I'll do some of these exercises when I'm bored and I'm waiting for someone. They're all about going inside yourself and observing your behavior and then naturally replicating in in front of an audience.
May 18, 2020
This is by far one of the best books on acting out there. Uta Hagen's writing is so marvelously human, and reveals her work (and herself!) with such humor and specificity. Will be rereading and revisiting frequently.
Having read the book once, the advice I would give myself on the next read would be to go slower through it, and actually do the exercises as she suggests. But if you decide not to, it's still a very worthwhile read!
Having read the book once, the advice I would give myself on the next read would be to go slower through it, and actually do the exercises as she suggests. But if you decide not to, it's still a very worthwhile read!
August 14, 2008
Uta Hagen clarified and revised the ideas presented in "Respect for Acting". If you had to choose between them, get this book. She teaches people to act by using their own life experiences. This book contains plenty of acting exercises that can be done alone.
June 1, 2011
Uta Hagen is a genius. Every actor should be required to read this text.
April 7, 2012
This book could be condensed down to a couple points that are easy to explain. It's about two hundred pages too long. Also it's very dense and poorly written.
December 8, 2016
It's very genuine book. No bullshit. And a must read. All acting teachings in this book are very useful.
June 13, 2020
I’ve taken many notes, and I know I’ll be popping back to it for reference. It is a real challenge, but the exercises are doable, thoughtful and specific.
June 23, 2020
Este libro es una relectura con mucha nostalgia. Lo leí por primera vez allá por 2010 y lo devoré y disfruté como un niño pequeño con juguete nuevo. Hace unos días he vuelto a leer esta obra de Uta Hagen que desde mi humilde perspectiva creo que cada actor de este planeta debería leer al menos una vez en la vida.
Es un libro algo denso, pero no difícil Uta investiga y remueve los pensamientos y la teoría de la actuación a través de un sinfín de ejercicios y técnicas. Siento que coge a Chekhov lo zarandea y nos muestra los pedazos mas significantes. Por supuesto, no es un libro quizás para todo el mundo sino para aquellos que dedican su vida al teatro, alguien que vaya a poner en practica esos ejercicios. Si bien es cierto, he disfrutado de este libro mucho más ahora 10 años después, sin subir al escenario en mucho tiempo, he vuelto a sentir esa emoción interior y esa paz, en definitiva una sensación difícil de explicar.
“Un reto para el actor” no es una técnica o un estilo, ni mucho menos una guía de entrenamiento actoral, sino una manera de ver el arte de la actuación.
Es un libro algo denso, pero no difícil Uta investiga y remueve los pensamientos y la teoría de la actuación a través de un sinfín de ejercicios y técnicas. Siento que coge a Chekhov lo zarandea y nos muestra los pedazos mas significantes. Por supuesto, no es un libro quizás para todo el mundo sino para aquellos que dedican su vida al teatro, alguien que vaya a poner en practica esos ejercicios. Si bien es cierto, he disfrutado de este libro mucho más ahora 10 años después, sin subir al escenario en mucho tiempo, he vuelto a sentir esa emoción interior y esa paz, en definitiva una sensación difícil de explicar.
“Un reto para el actor” no es una técnica o un estilo, ni mucho menos una guía de entrenamiento actoral, sino una manera de ver el arte de la actuación.
June 16, 2022
The follow up to "Respect for Acting", which I read last year. This is a denser book--not difficult to read by any means, but just that there is more text per page. She goes a lot deeper into exercises and the theory of acting. I'm not sure I agree with her negative opinion of "updated" classics--transposing Chekhov into modern times for example--but this books fills me with such an awe for the amount of work that goes into a convincing acting portrayal. I'm hit hard with a case of "the more you know the more you know how much you don't know".
This book would be best utilized by someone to whom theatre is their life--someone who will put the time and effort into doing the exercises and incorporating this way of thinking into their life. I'd like to be a better actor, but right now I have too many distractions going on. At least now I can better appreciate this book, as opposed to the first time I read it over five years ago.
This book would be best utilized by someone to whom theatre is their life--someone who will put the time and effort into doing the exercises and incorporating this way of thinking into their life. I'd like to be a better actor, but right now I have too many distractions going on. At least now I can better appreciate this book, as opposed to the first time I read it over five years ago.
April 13, 2010
Little in this book that I hadn't learned elsewhere... and while it's possible that the other authors were only recycling her main points, I think they did it better, without overly dramatic language and periodic complaints about the present state of acting. Guh.
I agree, it should have just been an essay.
I agree, it should have just been an essay.
February 25, 2021
Incredibly helpful performance tips and insight.
The writing is sometimes daft and is not always that engaging. Hagen's ego and personal judgments also read through. Both of those things do detract from the reading experience. But taking it piece by piece, it's an excellent acting manual, especially in its simple observations of meaningful 'human'-ness.
The writing is sometimes daft and is not always that engaging. Hagen's ego and personal judgments also read through. Both of those things do detract from the reading experience. But taking it piece by piece, it's an excellent acting manual, especially in its simple observations of meaningful 'human'-ness.
November 11, 2013
It does clarify some of her concepts in her previous book, but it's rather repetitive and wordy. The ideas are remarkably intuitive, but it's tough to unearth them from beneath all the rambling sentences.
January 21, 2021
So much better than "respect for Acting"!! Very clear and concise. I almost never felt that the book dragged on for no purpose. Exercises are easy to understand and gives the actor means to do them anywhere for a short period of time.
May 13, 2021
Interesting book about acting. It seems to me that the author constantly shifts from the main topic to loads of other topics and for this reason it was a bit hard to stay focused and I had to skip a few parts.
February 16, 2008
Just Wonderful!! Very informative, helpful and smart. I will certainly be able to apply my new found knowledge to my own work.
July 29, 2011
Follow-up to Respect for Acting, and lives up well to its title. Again, not a technique, style, or training guide, but a way to view the art.
October 29, 2011
Great exercise for actors of every level
August 16, 2018
Very verbose. There is some good advice in here, but you have to dig under a lot of extraneous info to pull it out.
April 5, 2020
Uta is SO controversial lol but her takes are interesting
July 29, 2025
It's somehow both better and worse than "Respect for Acting."
I appreciated the moments of humility where Hagen admits her own limitations (particularly evident in the section "To the Teacher" at the end), and her insights are always interesting. She's definitely an elitist, which would be fine if it reserved itself only to the quality of art works rather than to the quality of methodology. There's always someone who knows nothing of acting or its history but somehow finds a way to be electric on stage or screen.
I generally agree with her that actors playing villains should find a way to justify their actions, though I think using Iago as an example is not ideal, because the unknowability of Iago is part of what makes him such an iconic villain.
It would be like Heath Ledger trying to give Joker a backstory that justifies his psychopathy when embracing the unknowability of Joker's motives makes the performance infinitely more electric than Joaquin Phoneix's empathetic though less compelling interpretation of the same character. Sometimes evil is like a natural disaster, it hooks us because of its moral indifference.
I disagree with Hagen that art serves a moral or social purpose, and her political faith in art is, in my view, misplaced. She derides 20th century playwrights for writing too many adverbs and adjectives in descriptions while praising Shakespeare for limiting himself to "enter" and "exeunt" without realizing that those same playwrights are just as prescriptive about their politics as they are about the way their parts should be performed. Whereas Shakespeare's politics are impossible to pin down in the same way that his writing leaves room for actors to play his characters in a hundred different ways.
I appreciated her exercises, and the exhaustive options and possibilities for how to ground performances. Her rehearsal suggestions are valuable for any actor or director to take from.
Overall worthwhile.
I appreciated the moments of humility where Hagen admits her own limitations (particularly evident in the section "To the Teacher" at the end), and her insights are always interesting. She's definitely an elitist, which would be fine if it reserved itself only to the quality of art works rather than to the quality of methodology. There's always someone who knows nothing of acting or its history but somehow finds a way to be electric on stage or screen.
I generally agree with her that actors playing villains should find a way to justify their actions, though I think using Iago as an example is not ideal, because the unknowability of Iago is part of what makes him such an iconic villain.
It would be like Heath Ledger trying to give Joker a backstory that justifies his psychopathy when embracing the unknowability of Joker's motives makes the performance infinitely more electric than Joaquin Phoneix's empathetic though less compelling interpretation of the same character. Sometimes evil is like a natural disaster, it hooks us because of its moral indifference.
I disagree with Hagen that art serves a moral or social purpose, and her political faith in art is, in my view, misplaced. She derides 20th century playwrights for writing too many adverbs and adjectives in descriptions while praising Shakespeare for limiting himself to "enter" and "exeunt" without realizing that those same playwrights are just as prescriptive about their politics as they are about the way their parts should be performed. Whereas Shakespeare's politics are impossible to pin down in the same way that his writing leaves room for actors to play his characters in a hundred different ways.
I appreciated her exercises, and the exhaustive options and possibilities for how to ground performances. Her rehearsal suggestions are valuable for any actor or director to take from.
Overall worthwhile.
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July 7, 2024Uta! So good. If you are in an artistic discipline, you have an obligation to demand this kind of excellence out of yourself.
The beginning is basically a lamentation about the death of theatre & tbh it's only gotten more and more artistically bankrupt in recent years, not only theatre but most areas that have some sort of pop culture appeal.
Then it functions like an actor's handbook-- exercises, guidelines, etc. filled with interesting stories and tidbits from her expansive career which were really a treat. Lots of it contained principles that were ripped from my Meisner training.
Human behavior is fickle and complex-- our conscious and subconscious are mysterious. But in order to portray complex humans with the dignity that audiences deserve we need to do the work and exhaust every possible sensation to bring work to life. Not prescribing emotions and gestures to lines but really coming to life moment to moment. To be is to do!
The beginning is basically a lamentation about the death of theatre & tbh it's only gotten more and more artistically bankrupt in recent years, not only theatre but most areas that have some sort of pop culture appeal.
Then it functions like an actor's handbook-- exercises, guidelines, etc. filled with interesting stories and tidbits from her expansive career which were really a treat. Lots of it contained principles that were ripped from my Meisner training.
Human behavior is fickle and complex-- our conscious and subconscious are mysterious. But in order to portray complex humans with the dignity that audiences deserve we need to do the work and exhaust every possible sensation to bring work to life. Not prescribing emotions and gestures to lines but really coming to life moment to moment. To be is to do!
August 29, 2024
It seems that (in theatrical circles at least) Uta Hagen has slightly transcended the realm of acting teacher and moved into the role of acting Moses: this and her previous book becoming her stone tablets. Perhaps in order to demystify the acting process we first have to admit that there is no process? Does the ‘Uta Hagen method’ actually refer to anything other than taking serious consideration of the given circumstances? I dunno, but I do know that she was a person that had thoughts and feelings about theatre. There’s some great stuff here, but equally there’s a bit of fluff which can be skipped if you’re not interested in reading about how actors that do theatre are superior to actors that do TV. Clearly she hadn’t seen Sopranos yet.
March 13, 2022
This book was not for me. I literally put it down years ago and only picked it back up because I hate leaving things unfinished and they made an audiobook version that helped me get through the rest of it. If you're seriously studying acting, I think this can be really helpful, but if you're just interested in it, it might be hard to get through. I also feel like this is way more geared to stage/theatre work than film work for some of the exercises in it so be aware of that. Definitely has good content, just not my cup of tea.
February 4, 2025
The best acting book I ever. I plan to read this over and over again for the rest of my life. I really connected with Uta’s philosophies. You got put in the hard work to do the do work. And this book is excellent guide to get there. It never got to the point of pretentious nonsense either which I really appreciated. I wish I read this while getting my MFA but im happy to have finally read it now.
dnf
May 4, 2023I got just over halfway through this book and had to DNF it.
I like Uta Hagen's other book 'Respect for Acting,' though it's not my favorite, it's concise and has some helpful ideas.
This is an overwritten version of that book. I don't think I've ever not finished an acting book, but this was so dull that it took me multiple minutes to get through one page by the end.
I like Uta Hagen's other book 'Respect for Acting,' though it's not my favorite, it's concise and has some helpful ideas.
This is an overwritten version of that book. I don't think I've ever not finished an acting book, but this was so dull that it took me multiple minutes to get through one page by the end.
December 16, 2023
Another one lent by my prof. Fantastic, builds upon Respect for Acting. I would have never doubted RFA, I was shocked there was a need for an updated one! But somehow Uta Hagen outdid herself again. Absolutely fantastic, definitely worth rereading simply because of how dense it is but it's wonderful and a Bible for any actor.
September 22, 2022
Had to read this book for my acting class, and while any theories in acting must be taken with a grain of salt, this is certainly a wonderful tool. Hagen has lots of experience and stories to share as well as years of wisdom. Would recommend to actors and writers alike.
January 5, 2019
Much of what miss Hagen elaborated upon, heaved towards moderately interesting drivel.
However, many of her anecdotes and stories are very engaging.
However, many of her anecdotes and stories are very engaging.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews