On Acting
September 19, 2010
Having the privilege of behaving fearless or fearsome, bad-ass or pedant (and the list can continue for long), without real-life consequences, is one of the great advantages of being an actor. It doesn’t matter if one creates a sociable or an introvert self, a successful or a scumbag citizen. For what is counts, is solely the quality of the act.
“‘You’ve been a brilliant criminal last night. My deepest appreciation, sir. ”
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Thoughts on acting re-ignited by Bronson and this article on Maison Neuve, on monologues.
Everyday Drinking by Amis Kingsley
September 7, 2010
Excerpts from Everyday Drinking
THE PHYSICAL HANGOVER
1. Immediately on waking, start telling yourself how lucky you are to be feeling so bloody awful. This recognises the truth that if you do not feel bloody awful after a hefty night, then you are still drunk and must sober up in a waking state before hangover dawns.
2. If your wife or other partner is beside you, and (of course) is willing, perform the sexual act as vigorously as you can. The exercise will do you good, and – on the assumption that you enjoy sex – you will feel toned up emotionally, thus delivering a hitandrun raid on your Metaphysical Hangover before you formally declare war on it.
THE METAPHYSICAL HANGOVER
1. Deal thoroughly with your Physical Hangover.
2. When that ineffable compound of depression, sadness (these two are not the same), anxiety, self-hatred, sense of failure and fear for the future begins to steal over you, start telling yourself that what you have is a hangover. You are not sickening for anything, you have not suffered a minor brain lesion, you are not all that bad at your job, your family and friends are not leagued in a conspiracy of barely maintained silence about what a shit you are, you have not come at last to see life as it really is and there is no use crying over spilt milk.
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