This month's collection of acting-related thoughts and feelings:
"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
Mark Twain - Writer of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
Transformation - In Acting:
Transformers! Humans in disguise!
Actors!...
Should we transform into something/someone else or is it the audience's job to buy into the "character" based on all the signals they receive?
There are unique words, clothes, accents, settings to help them, maybe hair and make up too.
Are we doing the transforming or is it in the minds of the observer?
Is it up to us to totally transform?
If so, how?
Well "transforming" in the dictionary definition meaning is:
Transform:
verb
To make a marked change in the form, nature, or appearance of.
but in acting terms it could be:
The art of adapting our behaviour, giving the illusion of morphing into a totally new and different person and yet.....
Being authentically "US" the whole time?
The concept can seem daunting, as if we would lose some of the well crafted personality we have carefully curated to navigate our day to day life.
We do have a tendency to take ourselves a bit too seriously as actors sometimes.
There is an important element of craft in our work but we can often forget the importance of play.
Think of a child playing dress-up—they don’t worry if they look silly or if the story makes sense even.
They’re fully immersed in the moment, exploring possibilities with joy and wonder.
As actors, we often need to return to that mindset, even when navigating deeply serious or more intense roles.
Playfulness gives us the courage to stretch our boundaries without fear of failure, unlocking parts of ourselves we might not have accessed otherwise then trusting that the you, you were before the play, will still be there waiting for you.
When taking on transformational roles, allow yourself the freedom to explore the edges of your playful boundaries and your own creativity.
Transformation isn’t about forcing yourself to change; it’s about allowing yourself to be changed by the process.
Stay open to whatever emerges in the play.
Stay open,
& Stay Playful People!
The Epic Actors' Adventure
A 3 MONTH GROUP MENTORSHIP FOR 8 ACTORS:
Get 2025 off to a winning start with a supportive, playful program of weekly assignments and tangible steps to level up your game in the new year.
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Let's Play!
The ABC of Acting
Acting Book Club:
The Chimp Paradox by Dr. Steve Peters is a game-changer for anyone looking to better understand their mind and take control of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Written in an engaging and easy-to-digest style, the book breaks down complex psychological concepts into practical tools using the metaphor of a “chimp” (your emotional brain) and a “human” (your rational brain).
Actors, in particular, may find this book invaluable, as it delves into managing performance anxiety, staying focused under pressure, and building resilience in the face of rejection. It’s a toolkit not just for acting but for life.
Send me your best acting book recommendations.
Please email: Connect@tomsawyeractor.co.uk
What's my motivation?
The scene for this month's analysis is chosen by Dominic Kelly.
Dom is an acting coach, and trainee psychotherapist trained in the ways of the Meisner Technique.
Find out more about Dom's work on his website here
Dom says about the scene:
"A favourite of mine to use in scene study classes.
I watched this scene on an aeroplane, and immediately rewound it to re-watch it couple more times.
The nuances in the writing, and the actors performances drew me in.
The exploration of taboo points of views bring it to life; The ambiguity of abuse, when the abuse in question might actually not be abuse in the mind of the ‘victim’; contrasted with being raised in an already violently abusive household. It’s fiercely delivered by Viola Davis, who hits a hard return serve to Meryl Streep’s doggedly impassioned nun with an unproven doubt about the Father in her school.
What I love about this scene is that both characters have a strong point of view, but come from very different sides of the track, so we as viewers get two people seemingly in conflict but united in a care for the young boy in question.
Sister Aloysius is forced to check her privilege, realising that her crusade for uncovering the truth about Father Flynn, could have colossal impact on the boy in question. Also present in the scene is the element of raising a queer child in a ghetto.
Both actresses come at this scene with richness and depth. It asks complicated questions about religion, class, sexuality and motherhood. I never get bored of working on it. And rarely do I have a dry eye. It moves me consistently."
Some context on the film:
"Doubt (2008) is a gripping drama set in a 1960s Catholic school where Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) suspects Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of inappropriate behavior with a student, Donald Miller. The confrontation between Sister Aloysius and Donald’s mother (Viola Davis) explores moral ambiguity, systemic injustice, and the sacrifices parents make for their children.
Click on the video link below and then check my short interpretation underneath:
*Themes of sexual abuse, viewer discretion advised
These two powerhouses are at the top of their game here, delivering a couple of individual performances so nuanced and layered that you could study this scene 100 times and still uncover something new.
For simplicity (and a bit of cheeky fun), we’ll refer to them by the epic nicknames that they deserve.
Meryl Streep is from now until the bottom of this page:
MOM (Mistress Of Mastery)
and Viola Davis will be known as:
GOAT (Guardian Of Actual Truth).
We will start our analysis a little ways into the scene as it's beauty but at nearly 8 mins long and a slow build.
MOM is firm, stoic, and laser-focused on her mission to protect the children in her care.
Her body language is rigid, her tone clipped, but watch closely—there’s a fragility beneath the surface, a hint of doubt (pun intended) in her unwavering exterior.
GOAT, on the other hand, is the picture of emotional complexity.
Her reactions are layered with shock, confusion, and a desperate plea to be heard.
She’s a mother trying to protect her child and his "nature"in a world that doesn’t make room for him.
This scene is a brilliant study in restraint.
Both actors know when to let silence speak louder than words.
MOM holds her silence with steely resolve, while GOAT lets hers simmer with emotion, building to subtle eruptions of honesty.
The brilliance of this scene lies in its shifting power dynamics. At first, MOM seems to hold all the cards—she’s on a mission, and she won’t be deterred. But as MOM speaks, the balance shifts. Her revelations about her son’s struggles and her pragmatism in the face of systemic prejudice throw MOM off balance. It’s in this moment we the MOM armour crack ever so slightly, exposing the moral complexity of her position.
One of the most heartbreaking moments is when GOAT, through tears and a forced composure, explains her perspective as a mother.
The line “Let him have him then!” carries the weight of a lifetime of compromises.
Her delivery is so raw and unfiltered, it leaves both MOM and the audience questioning everything.
Then MOM responds with "What kind of mother are you?!"
That's too much for GOAT who is doing all she can to contain herself at this moment and with fight or flight the only option she wisely chooses flight rather than to attack the holy MOM.
In interviews, GOAT revealed how nerve-wracking it was to go head-to-head with MOM, but you’d never know it watching the scene.
Director John Patrick Shanley created an atmosphere that allowed both actors to dig deep into the emotional depths of this scene, resulting in performances that feel intensely real and deeply human.
The journey this scene goes on is EPIC!
To the point where they seem to really see and understand each other by the end of this scene.
So full of truth and humanity!
Stay Truthful
Stay Playful People!
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Thanks for your attention - stay playful people.
Tom
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