IMPERFECTION

You’ve got to love your mistakes.

In the 13th century the Persian poet Rumi said:

The wound is where the light enters

And 800 years later, in the 20th century Leonard Cohen re-worked this idea with his lyrics:

“...forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in”

Your challenge as an actor is to find the balance between the perfect offering and the cracks. Between precision and freedom.

When your preparation is faultless, then you can revel in ownership and enjoy the qualities of risk and wildness.

KINTSUGI

The Japanese practice of Kintsugi is a celebration of what is broken. It is the ancient art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken.

The tradition reputedly began in 15th Century Japan when Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa sent his favourite tea bowl, which had been damaged, to be repaired. When it returned it had been mended with metal staples. Of course he could have …