What’s it about working with heightened textual content that fills some actors with worry? Is it the departure from common, on a regular basis speech? The breadth of examine and preparation it usually requires? Maybe it’s the worry that even after a wealth of script evaluation and rehearsal, the phrases would possibly nonetheless sound stilted or faux. Whether or not you’re making ready for a drama faculty audition, wading into Shakespeare for the primary time, or tackling a textual content that leaves realism behind, heightened textual content goes to be part of your follow as an actor. Discover ways to do it and do it effectively.
In drama, heightened textual content refers to language—often dialogue—that’s distinct from on a regular basis speech by its make use of of poetic, rhetorical or stylistic gadgets. It’s generally related to Shakespeare, Classical or associated older texts, however can also be current in up to date works that forgo realism or naturalism of their writing. Heightened textual content requires a substantial amount of examine and preparation by actors, because it might not be as simply accessible as textual content written in on a regular basis speech. Nonetheless, it additionally presents actors an opportunity to discover stylistic and emotional extremes, and captivate audiences in a manner that will shock and delight them.
This text comprises the whole lot it’s worthwhile to find out about heightened textual content: find out how to recognise it, perceive it and find out how to carry out it effectively. And as with all issues in your appearing follow that will trigger you anxiousness or concern, be methodical. Don’t panic. Develop your understanding, follow the associated abilities and also you’ll be feeling assured very quickly.
Examples of Heightened Textual content
Heightened textual content sits throughout two essential subcategories: older dramatic works, reaching again to the Classics, and up to date writing that strays from realism.
Classical Heightened Textual content
Within the Western theatre canon, we are able to hint heightened textual content again to its roots within the drama of Historic Greece and Rome. Classical theatre was rooted in poetry, and so the comparability we’d make within the current day between this model of play and what we’d establish as ‘straight-up poetry’ is apt.
As theatre continued to evolve, reaching bigger audiences and receiving higher acclaim, it continued to attract from these foundational types. It’s why we affiliate heightened textual content most famously with William Shakespeare (and contemporaries of his like Christopher Marlowe) who was a eager scholar of Greek and Roman Classical writers.
Shakespeare’s work was (for its time) modern. Nonetheless, he nonetheless drew upon classical conventions reminiscent of verse (iambic pentameter), and rhetorical/poetic features to sway the ideas and seize the imaginations of his viewers.
Ultimately the appearance of realism and naturalism within the nineteenth and twentieth century began to shift writing in drama to one thing extra akin to common human speech. Writers reminiscent of Anton Chekhov started to discover characters onstage extra just like the viewers than fictional heroes, or the ruling class of Shakespeare’s historical past performs.
However the affect of classical, heightened textual content remained: if circuitously in type, then in the usage of literary gadgets reminiscent of metaphor, simile, analogy, symbolism and imagery.
Up to date Heightened Textual content
There is no such thing as a hard-and-fast rule to find out when up to date heightened textual content begins to develop within the Western canon, solely the means to establish it stylistically. One may argue that so long as artists have labored to determine a creative ‘norm’—reminiscent of realism within the early twentieth century—there are outliers eager to push the boundaries of type both for the sake of innovation or riot.
Typically, up to date heightened textual content utilises types reminiscent of clean verse or rhyming couplets. It might make use of rhetorical gadgets to ‘elevate’ the phrases of a personality above the normalcy of normal human speech. And the selection of language and imagery could also be extra poetic than literal—signalling a departure from the vast majority of dialogue in fashionable stage or display screen works that seeks primarily to maneuver the motion of a narrative ahead.
Usually, the supply of heightened textual content indicators a break with the conventions of dialogue on stage or display screen: the direct communication between actors used to mimic a dialog. Heightened textual content might utilise direct tackle to talk to the viewers, be carried out as a soliloquy, or function performers talking fragmented phrases or phrases in the identical house—however not to one another.
Advantages of Heightened Textual content
So: why carry out heightened textual content? Or, for those who’re feeling cynical: why hassle with heightened textual content? If it’s complicated sufficient for actors to be taught and carry out, then isn’t it doubly so for an viewers to grasp and respect?
Heightened textual content isn’t involved with sounding actual. It doesn’t spend its time making an attempt to ‘trick’ an viewers into believing what’s on the stage or display screen in entrance of them. As a substitute, it speaks on to the themes and concepts current inside the work, and presents them up in a manner that’s evocative, affecting, emotional.
If you end up performing heightened textual content from one other time interval, reminiscent of Shakespeare or one of many Classics, you shortly uncover that themes current in these works are simply as related as they’re at present. And slightly than the archaic points of the language locking audiences out, they really invite us in previous the dramatic conventions of the occasions. The phrases are puzzles to be solved, by artist and viewers alike. Why do you suppose we hold coming again to Shakespeare?
Why Do Drama Faculties ask for Heightened Textual content?
A ready heightened textual content monologue is a typical requirement for actors hoping to review at a drama faculty. Some folks view this as institutional snobbery, or mental gatekeeping.Who cares for those who “thither” and “thus” and “forsooth” if you wish to act on the newest HBO drama?
The explanation it’s requested by colleges really has extra to do along with your course of as an actor than your present capacity. Bear in mind: they’ll train you find out how to be a superb actor. What a drama faculty can’t train is find out how to be a scholar. And never a scholar as in “noun and e-book and present and inform”: a scholar of the humanities—which all nice artists are.
Heightened textual content requires examine and consideration. You’ll want to learn the play the piece comes from to get the context. You’ll want to do some Googling (or StageMilking?) to work out the meanings behind phrases, definitions, the presence of options reminiscent of iambic pentameter. Candidates who fail to do that are sending up a flare to the choice panel that they doubtless gained’t do that when really prompted to of their research. It’s an effective way to skinny the herd of hopefuls: ridding the pack of individuals afraid to place within the effort an actor’s life so very a lot acquires.
How one can Carry out Heightened Textual content
Wish to see heightened textual content carried out proper? Try this monologue from A lot Ado About Nothing carried out to perfection by Ekow Quartey. Watch it after which we’ll discuss additional.
Quartey does a masterful job of this speech. Why? As a result of he makes the phrases sound like his personal. They’re informal, relaxed. They communicate to his ideas with out oversharing or overcomplicating. It’s an ideal instance of a rule we apply to Shakespearean language—and heightened textual content as a complete. Phrases are essential, however they exist to serve the story.
So if you’re performing one thing that steps outdoors of realism, remind your self: regardless of how bizarre it would get, the phrases are there that will help you inform the story. The phrases serve you, not the opposite manner round. Iambic pentamenter, for example, was a well-liked type in Shakespeare’s time as a result of it was thought to emulate pure patterns in human speech. It’s why Shakespeare can sound so fashionable. And why talking Shakespeare’s phrases with an overwrought da-DUM-da-DUM rhythm appears like a druken nursery rhyme.
Deal with heightened textual content like some other textual content. That’s find out how to carry out it. You would possibly end up doing a little bit extra analysis, or working more durable to unlock the imagery or subtext. However on the finish of the day, the phrases you communicate are in service of reaching an viewers and making them really feel one thing.
Further Hints & Ideas:
- Analysis the textual content. Know what you’re speaking about, know the context of a scene inside the bigger story. That is notably essential for those who’re auditioning with the monologue.
- Consonants carry that means, vowels carry emotion. Vowels are notably essential in poetic or heightened textual content. Don’t be afraid of letting your voice unfastened—particularly when your/your character’s impulse is to make themselves smaller and fewer susceptible.
- Take note of punctuation. Assess the inclusion of punctuation (or lack thereof.) A comma is usually a pause or change in thought; a full cease is an opportunity to breathe and assault the scene anew. The tip of a line in heightened textual content isn’t essentially a pause: typically Shakespeare would run a number of traces collectively because the character’s ideas and emotions overwhelmed them.
- Do common follow. In need of dissecting a Shakespearean monologue each morning earlier than breakfast, why not contemplate a sonnet? You may even begin your day studying a poem out loud. Talking of:
- Don’t recite, carry out. It’s not sufficient to easily say heightened textual content out loud and with an impassioned high quality. Get into your character, who they’re chatting with and what they need: the goal.
Lastly, ask your self an essential query: why is that this written in heightened textual content For many older, Classical items, the reply will probably be “These have been the occasions…” However for up to date items? Why the hell did the author hassle writing in such a manner? What does the model or type do for the textual content that common dialogue or monologue would possibly in any other case have failed to speak?
Conclusion
So there you have got it: our introduction to all issues heightened textual content for actors! We kicked this text off by speaking about worry—the worry so many actors have of working with heightened textual content. If this worry is acquainted to you in your personal craft or profession, take it from us right here at StageMilk that it doesn’t need to be this manner.
Heightened textual content is scary. It’s intimidating and, at occasions, downright complicated! However solely whereas it stays an unknown. So dive in! Get comfortable with it. Problem your self to experiment, discover and, sure, fail. Earlier than lengthy, it’ll be simply one other talent in your actor’s toolkit you deploy to nice impact.
You gained’t even bear in mind what you have been so nervous about.
Good luck!