THE METHOD

An interview with Hilary Halba, Associate Professor of Theatre Studies and Convenor of the Bachelor of Performing Arts at Te Kāhui Tau/School of Performing Arts at Otago University.

I led one of my Zoom acting workshops recently for a group of emerging actors. My daughter, actress Thomasin McKenzie was at home and so she joined for a Q and A about her recent films LAST NIGHT IN SOHO and THE POWER OF THE DOG. There was discussion about her approach to research and living the role. The main question from these teen actors was:

“Are you a Method actress — or not?”

As they discussed the immersive way she had approached her preparation for the roles, I was interested to hear how the students characterised what they called “The Method” and how skewed this approach had become for them. They were fearful of the approach though they also found it strangely alluring.

Here are some current examples of actors implementing aspects of this approach we call “Method”.

Benedict Cumberbatch accessed his unconscious mind through dream work to become Phil Burbank in Jane Campion’s THE POWER OF THE DOG. He did not wash, lived as a cowboy and was introduced on set to the crew as his ch…