HOW TO ANALYSE A SCRIPT

There are 4 main steps to help you analyse a script:


1. Split your text into thoughts/beats - It is important to note down where you think there are opportunities to create meaningful pauses to create tension as well as suspension on stage.

2. Write objectives - Behind the lines you have, it is crucial to make sure there is a clear intention to go with it. For instance, I have a line that says "Do you think you're the only one that doesn't get visits?". If I consider the context of the line, the line is being said during a monologue where my character is extremely angry. Therefore, my objective for this line would be "to tense" as people tend to tense their body whilst they are angry.

3. Exaggerate objectives - Make sure you play your character to the fullest extent you can possible by living through your objective. Explore the extremes of the objectives even if it doesn't fit the context of your lines. Explore different things you can do with your lines. The more ideas and thoughts you have to make your performance come to life, the better it should be.

4. When the line comes, the objective feeds the line, not vice versa - The objective should bring the line to life - not the other way around. When your objective is clear, your line should be able to connect with it without any problems or confusion. Before you say a line, make sure you know for certain what your intention is behind it. If you can do this successfully, the audience of your performance should have no confusion about what you're doing on stage.
 

ADVICE: 

Don't worry about to getting your part right at first! It is okay to go from grey (bland and boring) to technicolor (a variety of emotions, objectives and actions). Remember to always keep experimenting with different things you can do - there are no limitations in the world of acting! The only limitations you can find are the ones you can subconsciously create for yourself if you build up a barrier between you and progression. Furthermore, do not restrict yourself when performing to only use one body part to project a certain emotion. Whether you're happy, excited, angry or depressed, implement that throughout your entire body to fully portray your character's emotions and state of mind physically. It is important to remember your body and voice work together as one and not separately. Make sure your body is in sync with what your voice is doing. Whatever your objective may be, make sure it is clearly shown equally in yor voice and body. Release instinct through your physical objectives, make them clear to not ony yourself but to the audience. If you do this, it will allow you to come to life as the character. Lastly, don't fixate too much on the actions. Although it is important to project emotional and mental states through your body as well as your words, when you rehearse something too much, it becomes unnatural. Therefore, be free! Explore different actions, vary the pitch of your voice and enjoy the journey you go through when discovering who your character truly is! Enjoy finding out more about your character and I guarantee this will help you to perform the character the best way you possibly could.