Acting Techniques for Everyday Life: Look and Feel Self-Confident in Difficult, Real-Life Situations

by Jane Marla Robbins

Most people can name at least one situation—a business presentation, a job interview, a cocktail party, or a blind date—in which they felt uncomfortable, nervous, or simply self-conscious. Jane Marla Robbins, a successful stage and film actress and teacher for almost forty years, found that she could use the same acting techniques she employed to look and feel confident on stage and screen to make herself feel more comfortable in "real-life" situations. In clear and accessible language, Robbins describes acting techniques that actors having been using for centuries and explains—using real-life examples and easy-to-follow exercises—how each can be used by ordinary people to make difficult everyday situations easier to handle. Acting Techniques for Everyday Life will teach readers how to create a sense of well-being and self-confidence at will, giving them the tools they need to be as confident, strong, witty, authentic, relaxed, and happy as they want to be in any given situation.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

251 pages, Paperback

First published December 9, 2002

Reviews

[Ivy]

As an actor, most of the sections/techniques were not new information to me - vocal exercises, "an actor prepares," sense memory, etc - but some of it was nice to read as a reminder. There are also many delightful sections where the author explains how she works with regular (see: non-actor) people and helps them embrace their natural voices, and learn to be silly and authentic, and to unapologetically take up space. I found these parts both charming and powerful - they reminded me of Patsy Rosenberg's "The Right to Speak." I'd recommend "Acting Techniques" be sifted through by actors, and read in full by anyone not in the industry. This book really goes to show how acting workshops and techniques can change the lives (and the outlook on life) of just about anyone who speaks.

[Cooljoe815]

Recommended.i learn some good techniques especially making a voice an instrument.

[Margaret Pangert]

This book is a real window into how one changes from a depressed, withdrawn person to a grande dame. The changes spring from the body and sensory experiences instead of an attempt to engage the intellect. Therefore, the emotions and memories are visceral and bring you to a place of self-assurance, outgoingness.

The author Jane Marla Robbins is a lifelong actress and has developed these techniques to bring real feeling to her characters. She intuitively is able to help the everyday person and affirm the transformation. I love to read and re-read this book to soak up its riches.

[Denise Clark]

A friend of mine recommended this book. I did not enjoy it as much as she did. As a matter of fact, I didn't finish reading it. I did read the first section and found that I knew most of the techniques discussed in this book. And a lot of the techniques I learned through yoga. When I got to the second part of the book, I found I just wasn't interested and I couldn't finish it.

[Barbara Wilson]

I received my copy to review for Blogcritics.org and will post a more detailed review there. I enjoyed the book a great deal, but found my favorite information in the second half. She provides great instruction for accessing sense memories, but at times focuses too much on the visual which may not work for people who are not visual learners.

[Holly]

Pro:
- Basically all the same info you would get in multiple acting classes. Lots of visualization exercises and a wide variety of samples so you can pick and choose until you find something that works for you.
- Title of the book true to the content

Cons:
- Name drop name drop name drop
- A LOT of baloney - untrue scientific "facts" at least every few pages

Actors are weird.

[Conga1]

Has a bevy of beginner acting techniques
Liked the information provided by this book
A keeper for future reference

[Robin]

Kind of fun!