Respect for Acting
by Uta Hagen
For the actor who is serious about his or her craft, this is a well-written and inspiring self-help book. I categorize it as a self-help book because when an actor works on his craft, he is simultaneously getting to know himself on a new level.
This is not the kind of book that sounds like the author spoke into a tape recorder for an hour. Split into three sections—The Actor, The Exercises, and The Role—Uta Hagen has obviously taken her decades of experience and carefully crafted her wisdom for aspiring actors. She helps her readers prepare mentally, physically, and verbally for their lifelong journey as an Actor. Readers will spend days, if not weeks, absorbing this first section, before moving onto the exercises in section two. In this second section, depending on the reader’s perspective, Hagen either connects with or loses her readers. There are several different types of actors; some might not be drawn to Hagen’s scene and character breakdowns. Personally, I was a less analytical actress in my heyday, but I still appreciated Hagen’s wisdom and helpful nature.
In the third section, Hagen recommends how to approach a play, role, and scene, if and when you are lucky enough to have landed a part. Again, her approaches and breakdowns may be helpful to some readers, depending on the type of actor, of course. This is an incredibly thorough and wise read, and those who connect with her will be very grateful Ms. Hagen took her decades of experience on Broadway to help the next generation of actors and actresses.
This is not the kind of book that sounds like the author spoke into a tape recorder for an hour. Split into three sections—The Actor, The Exercises, and The Role—Uta Hagen has obviously taken her decades of experience and carefully crafted her wisdom for aspiring actors. She helps her readers prepare mentally, physically, and verbally for their lifelong journey as an Actor. Readers will spend days, if not weeks, absorbing this first section, before moving onto the exercises in section two. In this second section, depending on the reader’s perspective, Hagen either connects with or loses her readers. There are several different types of actors; some might not be drawn to Hagen’s scene and character breakdowns. Personally, I was a less analytical actress in my heyday, but I still appreciated Hagen’s wisdom and helpful nature.
In the third section, Hagen recommends how to approach a play, role, and scene, if and when you are lucky enough to have landed a part. Again, her approaches and breakdowns may be helpful to some readers, depending on the type of actor, of course. This is an incredibly thorough and wise read, and those who connect with her will be very grateful Ms. Hagen took her decades of experience on Broadway to help the next generation of actors and actresses.