Synopsis
Dimensions of Acting - An Australian Approach
Published by Currency Press
A sophisticated, frank and passionate book, Dimensions of Acting explores the process of creating a performance
At the centre of his thinking, Crawford rejects the notion of acting gurus, observing that good actors do whatever works
They don't follow one particular method to the exclusion of everything else, he says, to do so would be anti-art
And if cobbling together bits and pieces that suit the job at hand is a challenging and messy process, no one said that art should be simple
The trick is knowing what to use and when
Crawford identifies eight Dimensions as the building blocks for a performance: the Environment and Dramaturgy of the play, the History and Activity of the character, the Characterisation and Personalisation of the actor, the Aesthetic of the production and finally, the bedrock for all actors, Communication in performance
These Dimensions can be used to help actors discover which bits of acting theory might turn them on, whether from Stanislavski, Lecoq or Aunty Gladys
They also provide a focus for when things aren't working, offering approaches that can be fruitfully explored
Along the way Crawford references great plays and writers, notably Shakespeare, as well as the major acting theories, providing an invaluable guide to teachers and students at all levels
The book also focuses on a number of widely-studied Australian plays including Away,Stolen and Gary's House
With thirty years of working in Australian theatre behind him, Crawford delivers practical tools for performers and new insights into acting and the Australian theatre