Via Artsjournal.com is an interesting article on how actors deal with inflicting violence on one another. Even though it is simulated, the very personal, brutal actions the performers replicate can have a psychological impact on them.
Acting Comes Between Us
I have been involved with two productions of Extremities, a play in which a woman is attacked in her home by a man intent on raping her. She gains control of the situation and takes her revenge on him. The actors get physically close to enacting the rape and when the tables are turned, the would be rapist is half blinded, tied up in a fireplace with his intended victim threatening to burn him. In both productions I have been associated with the two primary actors had to take showers afterward to cleanse themselves of the psychic and emotional baggage of the show. People who were close friends found an uneasiness crept into their relationships during the production. They had to reassure and reconnect with each other after every performance to essentially ground themselves.
I know much of this because rape as a subject matter lent itself to many outreach and audience talk back sessions. On one production one of my responsibilities was to make extra sure that family and friends didn’t make their way backstage before the actors had an opportunity to reoriented themselves.
Hopefully No Wrong Ideas About Method Acting
As far as I know, no one went out and engaged in violent behavior in order to prepare for the performance. I think what disturbed each person so much wasn’t that they had so much simulated violence directed at them as that they found something to tap into within themselves to fabricate a credible portrayal. Knowing that the potential for that sort of thing exists within you and your friends can be pretty unsettling.
Coping Mechanisms for Violent Acting
As I read the NY Times article about how the how London actors insulated themselves from their actions, I wondered if that sort of strategy was widely used by actors. It certainly didn’t seem that way with the highly charged productions I have been involved in. I also wondered if theatres who produce these types of shows make alterations to their normal practices and give the performers extra time and dedicated spaces to wind down after performances.
I would be interested in hearing about other people’s experiences either in the comments section or by email.