How do actors memorise their lines?

Carol

Very interesting article which could apply to writers too in some aspects.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article5196960.ece

Island Girl

That was such an interesting article, Carol, and will appeal to many on here who are in or who have been involved in amateur dramatics and acting.
The connection between speech and movement is a very important association when it comes to memory recall.

I hope this is not too long winded but when I was involved in theatre and having to learn lines, I'd first highlight only my lines in the script with a particular colour as this is 'supposed' to jog a memory and set off cues with colour clues. Then I'd repeat the lines over and over to myself. The next step was to have someone in my family give me the lines preceding my own all the way through until the end. Finally, once I felt I knew the lines reasonably well, and had started rehearsals with the other actors who were then feeding me the lines before mine, it was really difficult to go back to practising with family members because the 'real' actors' voices and speech patterns and movements were in my head and became the triggers for my own dialogue. If ever there was a 'stand in' present for rehearsals, they obviously wouldn't move in exactly the same way, or say the lines with the inflections where the real actor would have, and it completely threw the person who had to react and reply to them. So yes, it was a great article in that it basically covered all that. I just never realised there was a science to it. Thanks Carol.

Grimmy

Thanks Carol, what a great article! I've been in severval plays and I too highlighted my lines and then I'd go through and try and memorise them as quickly as possible, except I found when I was asked to change a certain way I said or did things it threw me off my lines. It's nice to know there's a science behind that! :)

Jenny

On a (sort of) similar theme ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/safety/3549765/Concentration-is-the-key-to-safer-driving.html

Carol

First, thanks Jenny that was interesting. I'd be interested to know if the chewing gum had peppermint in, as it is known to help alertness.

As to the actors memorising thing, I agree with your comments about the process of learning lines. The annual drama production at senior school was a mamoth task. Read through my lines, start to remember them, then someone read the lines before my characters speech etc; costume fitting was a further stage.
A dress rehearsal would be the final link in the process- people and costume, action and dialogue to make a final 'saved' version for the brain.

I think having done stuff like this, it can be very beneficial to us as writers. We probably use those skills in a slightly different way in creating our characters.