The body is an actor’s first and foremost tool, as it can speak in ways that words can only attempt to grasp. Body work starts with the understanding of how each fiber and motion speaks truth to an audience. Often an actor will concentrate on the voice and line, but the best acting is the body’s involvement and collaboration with the text. Actors develop this through practice, how the body can reflect the inner work of the character without appearing practiced or forced. This integration often shines in a moment of insight where a slight stance or tightened shoulders say more than the text could.
This kind of control can only be achieved through practice and attention. Actors observe the ways in which non-actors move in various emotional and environmental conditions: how the weight of sorrow slumps the shoulders, the swagger of arrogance puffs out the chest, the anxiety of the moment clenches the jaw. By emulating these reactions and amplifying them, actors are able to command a kind of body language that can be enacted at will. In this context, tools like Laban effort shapes or the principles of the Alexander Technique can be employed to erase the tensions that stand between an actor and his/her role, and the actor can ultimately learn to move as dictated by the drama of the moment. If the body language of an actor supports his/her portrayal, then the audience has no choice but to believe the character because the gestures of the body match the gestures of the voice and face. In this way, immersion into a story is achieved, and the audience does not hesitate.
In most cases, the body figures out the emotion before the brain. When wanting to explore a character’s anger, instead of thinking about it too much, a physical exercise of making fists and watching the knuckles turn white is simpler, and then letting the voice and breathing take on the physicality. Acting in this way reminds actors that the body remembers emotions and instincts that can escape our brains. In rehearsal we experiment with action and even sometimes discard some of them for more truthful actions later on. This technique of physicality lends itself well to ensemble scenes. When actors can establish a common physical language, even without speaking, they develop a connection. When actors mirror or counter each other’s physicality in a space, they cause the space to vibrate.
On top of these job-specific perks, physicality influences the larger career. A solid technique allows you to maintain expression even on physically challenging and long-running productions. Strong physicality also enables a more versatile performance, allowing you to make bold and sometimes unconventional acting choices that focus less on words and more on body language. Physical presence can give a tremendous first impression on auditions and jobs you wouldn’t be considered for if it weren’t for the way you carry yourself. Most importantly, acting using your physicality broadens your understanding of yourself, both onstage and offstage. Most actors find themselves acting truthfully in everyday life after being trained to listen to their bodies.
Ultimately, working on your physicality as an actor means a shift from acting as an intellectual activity to acting as a total-body activity. It requires time, bravery, and a boundless fascination with every kind of human experience. It’s a practice that means approaching every character as a chance to develop the capabilities of your instrument, whether that’s learning to convey a flicker of uncertainty or a boundless joy. And it’s a way of connecting to the origins of theatre itself as a physical experience that audiences live in their bodies, not just their imagination. By training their physicality, actors are able to connect more directly with audiences, and leave them with unforgettable moments of recognition.