Untangling Direction vs Acting

[binau]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 7:11pm

Something I am often unsure about is how can we distinguish the contribution of an actor and director to a performance from the perspective of an audience member?

 

For example, Bernadette's performance in FOLLIES was/is sometimes criticised for crying during "Losing My Mind". But how do we know if Bernadette or the director made this decision? I suppose Bernadette would have a lot more power over directors than most, so perhaps her performance could be more a product of her own vision than a directors (though this may not be true at all). But still. 

 

The whole CSC Mother Courage incident highlights how much control a director can apparently have over a creative performance.

Similarly, I managed to get through a lot of the London GYPSY broadcast. She plays the role VERY unsympathetically, "psychotic" is a good word to describe it. However, I look at her Rose's Turn and think she is a very good actress - but maybe the vision of the character and the choices made during her performance (including Rose's Turn) aren't the greatest (I still haven't made my mind up yet). In this case, is it her fault or the directors?

Updated On: 12/30/15 at 07:11 PM

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 10:19pm

Blame directors, always. And I'm saying this as a director. 

 

A good director can look objectively from the outside, assess whats working and what isn't, and make the changes. If an actor makes a choice that doesn't work, a director fixes it. And the other way around, it's still on the director. 

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 10:31pm

A good director would probably never say to an actress... "I want you to cry during this song".... Crying is an end result, it's not a direction.  You would direct the song methodically and if the actress ended up crying organically then that is a different story.

I would say you should blame the director for the overall concept and shape of the production. Blaming the director for individual performances can be trickier.  I have had some actors take my direction and make it look a THOUSAND times better than what I had given them.... and I got credit for it!  I have directed actors who would never do the same thing the same twice. They were not able to be directed. So, yes, the director is to blame to some extent, but I find directors take much more credit for what actors do on their own, than the opposite.

Updated On: 12/30/15 at 10:31 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 10:48pm

plenty of times you can't tell. But there is no question that directors often do not get all the credit or blame they deserve. 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 11:04pm

 

You can't blame the director of Follies for Bernadette's crying too much. Bernadette has been crying too much during songs FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS.

 

HEY, BERNIE---STOP CRYING SO GODDAMN MUCH!

 

It makes you look like you're not as good an actress as you used to be. You used to make US cry. Now you make us watch YOU cry.

 

And while you're at it, try picking up the tempo. 

 

Yr pal, Joey

 

 

Updated On: 12/30/15 at 11:04 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 11:13pm

[clapping gif]

 

qolbinau, you need to make 2016 the year where you let the candle die out on your Bernadette in Follies shrine.   Nobody wants to remember that performance, not even her!  Let's all move forward and heal. 

Updated On: 12/30/15 at 11:13 PM

[binau]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 11:37pm

Never. And the topic isn't even about that, so calm down :P.

Updated On: 12/30/15 at 11:37 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 11:38pm

Babygirl, it's a little about it and that's okay!  Just own it!  And then let it go before 2016!

[ggersten]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:16am

PalJoey said: " 

 

You can't blame the director of Follies for Bernadette's crying too much. Bernadette has been crying too much during songs FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS.

 

HEY, BERNIE---STOP CRYING SO GODDAMN MUCH!

It makes you look like you're not as good an actress as you used to be. You used to make US cry. Now you make us watch YOU cry.

And while you're at it, try picking up the tempo. 

Yr pal, Joey"

15 years?  SCTV made fun of it back in 1983!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQKWn6oPj-c

 

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:21am

PalJoey is so right about Bernadette Peters, but it goes back more than 15 years.  By the end of her run in Song & Dance, all she did was come on stage and "cry" every song.  The show should have been called Cry & Dance.

[binau]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:40am

Her crying during "Send in the Clowns" in the recent NIGHT MUSIC revival was wonderful :P.