Jeremy Whelan’s Instant acting technique - The Whelan Tape

Step 1: Get a monologue or scene.

Step 2: Prepare to record.

Step 3: First recording:

Actors record a scene onto tape, without emotion or interpretation.

The actors must say the words normally in the recording – Don’t act.
Tape is played back whilst the actors 'act out' the scene.
Act the scene without saying the words.
You can see the emotion and drive of the scene by walking around the space, not saying the words but hearing the recording in the background.
First reading - only make simple choices like moving to or away from another character.
Impulse – the actors respond in the moment.
Be bold with impulse.

The director should be making notes - but keeping the ideas away from the actors so the imagination is free.

Step 4: Record the same material again:

Actors record a second reading of the scene allowing it to be affected by their impulses from the previous enactment.

Don’t fall in love with what you did the first time – it is a mistake to feel satisfied with the first image (2003, p. 40)
The scene is played out to the tape, but the actor is encouraged to make bigger emotional choices.

Step 5: Record again:

The process is repeated but this time all the actors copy the actions of the speaker.

You may find a tiny bit of expression recorded in the script.
The director should tell the actors to tone it down - don’t speed up too much - no interpretation.
Gives the effect of watching a shoal of fish.

Step 6: Record again:

This is where the actors start to be more experimentative and enact using everything they’ve learnt so far.

Mirroring movements
Bold choices
Don’t be explicitly obvious in what you’re doing as it is cringe (e.g. point to the stars in the sky)
Guard the concentration - stay present - don’t apologise to the audience - don’t feel sorry for yourself!

Step 7: Record again:

This time the director gets to pause the run.

The director can pause the tape when they see something interesting, and the actor must stick with the emotional choice they have made.
The actors must radiate when the pause occurs - do not stop!

Radiating means continuing the acting that is happening but there is no text - you should always do this as it gives out performance energy.
Don’t withhold any impulse!
Allow the impulses to happen – you’re not consciously trying to make it monotone.

This is when the actor can find what we find interesting in gesture (this normally goes bad) - a sense of doing too much acting.

Step 8: Actors Recite the whole thing.

The final stage is where the text and action are married for the first time.

By the time you come to do the lines you virtually know them
Quite often you find yourself not knowing what the text is, but your body remembers to turn to look at someone, which prompts your memory.
We use this technique for every scene in the play - there is no discussion about what any given scene is about - no interpretation just constant play.
There is no good or bad at this stage - rehearsals are about discovery.

Phelim says if we were to say something was good then we would be encouraged to do it again - this would stop us from remaining open, playful, and inventive.
He will not block anything - the audience will tell us what works.

Experimentation within the recordings

Repel – the actors move away from each other.

Impel - the actors move towards the other.

Compel – the actors remain at the same distance.

Summary:

Re-record the scene 5 times – never use the same recording.
Try different movements (mirroring each other's movement) - change the dynamic of the scene – actors have more options through experimentation.