Substitution (theatre)
Encyclopedia
In theatre
, substitution refers to the method of understanding elements in the life of one's character by comparing them to elements in one's own life. For example, if an actor
is portraying a character who is being blackmailed, he or she could think back to some embarrassing or private fact about his or her own life, and mentally superimpose that onto the character's secret. This is associated with the realism-driven representational acting
approach.
Substitution can be emotionally challenging, but supporters argue it produces a better and more sincere performance than trying to understand a character's motivations without reference to one's own life.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, substitution refers to the method of understanding elements in the life of one's character by comparing them to elements in one's own life. For example, if an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
is portraying a character who is being blackmailed, he or she could think back to some embarrassing or private fact about his or her own life, and mentally superimpose that onto the character's secret. This is associated with the realism-driven representational acting
Presentational acting and Representational acting
Presentational acting and the related representational acting are critical terms used within theatre aesthetics and criticism.Due to the same terms being applied to certain approaches to acting that contradict the broader theatrical definitions, however, the terms have come to acquire often overtly...
approach.
Substitution can be emotionally challenging, but supporters argue it produces a better and more sincere performance than trying to understand a character's motivations without reference to one's own life.