Preparing for Rehearsal

This is a step-by-step, practical guidebook to the PRE-REHEARSAL analysis of a script. Its aim is to de-mystify and organise the questions necessary to ask in order to prepare for a creative, imaginative and fruitful exploration of a dramatic text in the journey towards rehearsal.

Chris Pickles is a theatre director, writer, teacher, actor and producer.

List of figures The text Acknowledgements Introduction: Why write this book? PART I: THE WHAT 1. The actor's process (or lack of it). 2. Reading number 1: Let the play speak. 3. Research: getting to know you. Context of the play. 4. Reading number 2: What's the story? The essential narrative action. 5. Reading number 3: The archaeology of the character. 6. Reading number 4: What's my story? What is my character's essential narrative action? PART II: THE WHY 7. Reading number 5: What is the driving psychological action? Getting beneath the skin. 8. Reading number 6: What is my character's immediate psychological action in the unit? Some selected further reading Index