Dame Judi Dench has a wealth of experience and guidance which can help actors perform their most significant role. From her beginnings as a young theatrical mainly Shakespearean actor to becoming an international acting icon across the world. She inhabits roles which she feels is challenging and best utilises her instinctual brilliance on stage and in our screens. Her tips and guidance on the acting arena are essential for other actors starting out and those honing their skills are presented here.
Don’t Play the Whole Character
You are doing too much if you think you should play the fullness of a character. Don’t think you have to play the whole character in a scene is one of Dame Judi Dench’s mantras. You can play elements of the character one scene at a time, rather than reveal the fullness of character at once. It seems less is more at first but she believes actors should slowly get more into the character as you go. By the end, the actor can reveal the character’s nuances and essence.
Play Challenging Roles
Dame Judi says she loves playing characters which challenge her. Cleopatra is one such role she played in Peter Hall’s 1987 National Theatre production of Shakespeare’s play; ‘Anthony and Cleopatra.’ By having her play Cleopatra challenged many people’s sentiments of what Cleopatra ‘should have been like,’ but her mesmerizing performance showcased her immense talent and passion in the role:
She caught both the vanity and humour of a Cleopatra who, on being told by a messenger that Antony’s new Roman bride was 30, huffily picked up her skirts and sped for the exit. Dench also showed her matchless ability to shift, in a few moments, from breathy languor to ironic humour and a pensive melancholy as she wanly reflected on “my salad days when I was green in judgment”. (The Guardian.com)
Watch You Don’t Get Stereotyped into Roles
Dame Judi Dench doesn’t want to be pinned down in the roles she has already played.At this stage of her career, Dame Judi has the ability to pick and choose the roles she plays. However, there have been moments where even though certain roles shot her to international fame, she didn’t want to be stereotyped. It was in the British version of Mrs Brown, where the notorious Harvey Weinstein Noticed her and championed her career. She played various roles in a number of Miramax movies such as: Iris, Chocolat, Shakespeare in Love and Her Majesty Mrs Brown. If you want a varied acting career, change it up a little.
Singing and Acting Styles Must Match
When singing in a role, keep the same character as your acting role. Dame Judi Dench believes that if your character needs to sing in a role, the character needs to sing as though they are in the same character, not some other type of role. For example if playing a bum on the streets, don’t portray the character in a particular way to a full on operatic melodramatic moment.
Rare Ability to Play High and Low Status Roles
It is a rare, unique talent to play roles using low and high status. Dame Judi Dench is a master of playing both. She has the ability to fully and passionately play a role such as the high status of Queen Elizabeth the 1st and M in the Bond movie Franchise. She can also play the lower and more vulnerable status of Evelyn Greenslade in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She embodies the full personalities of all her characters.
Most talented actors have difficulty playing a status different from their own fundamental personality. They are more primed to play a particular style of status in regards to their own personality. And they would normally be cast in a status similar to their own. Judi Dench’s own personal status is one of high status, but she has the ability to truly encompass a personality which is she deems challenging regardless of ‘their’ status. Dame Judi states that; ‘You are immersed in portraying another character and you build up their background.’ She is a master at portraying levels of status in a variety of roles.
Judy Can’t Stand Young Actors Who Don’t Acknowledge Those Before Them
Dame Judy has famously said that she can’t stand the way some young actors in theater and in film have no interest in the actors which have paved the way before them. She said that they aren’t necessarily lazy but that they lack curiosity.
I wonder if this is partially because we live in a world of instant gratification and the glorification of fame and wealth is at the expense of the craft itself? Social media probably has a significant role in how many young people perceive their world.
The only world relevant to many young actors is one where they just want to do without acknowledging how this way of career choice came about. Many young actors take their preparation and roles very seriously, but for older actors observing some of the younger generation enjoy the benefits of those who have paved the way and not appreciate the crafts foundation, it can be a source of frustration.
Why Is It Important To Know The Tradition Of The Acting Craft?
Good actors educate themselves about the craft through, taking classes, reading acting books and analyzing performances. They read about and immerse themselves in the teachings of the great acting teachers of the past. Whether you are a seasoned Shakespearean actor such as Dame Judi Dench or heavily influenced by the great Acting Teachers from the modern American era, there is much to be gained by learning the craft through the learnings and teaching techniques. The most well known acting teachers should be studied from Stanislavsky to Mamet, to Strasberg and Spielberg to name a few.
There is a great saying that knowledge is power and certainly Dench is one such master actor who espouses this rhetoric constantly.
Always Keep Your Eye on Stage and Your Ears on the Audience
Recognise that the audience can clue us in to our good acting. While Dame Judi is on stage in the throws of acting, she listens to the reaction of the audience. Listening to the audience allows her to feel what the audience is reacting to. Our acting instincts might be correct.
Some lines lend themselves to humour, some naturally allow laughter to arise. Dame Judi thought one of her lines in a Shakespearean play was humorous, but it wasn’t until many performances played in a particular way that she managed to get the audience to laugh. Often the audience lets the actor know what works and what doesn’t. So listening to the audience’s reactions are important.
It is difficult to recreate a particular performance and get the same reaction from a different audience. And sometimes actors over compensate by fishing for the same reaction with other audiences much to their disappointment. If we try too hard, we miss the objective of the play and or the role. That’s why listening and paying attention to the different audiences which come our way is important.
You Need Fear To Be A Good Actor
Adrenaline and fear work hand in hand to help create a character. Dame Judi Dench also stated that as a young woman when acting in one of her first television roles in the 1960’s that she was terrified. But she often used adrenaline and fear to help create a good character. She said that she uses fear to help shape the emotions of her roles to this day.
Dame Judi Dench admitted that she wanted to go into rehearsals using her fear. She wanted to use the script and character as though she was in free fall where she had to use her instincts. Dame Judi Dench is an instinctual actor who uses all aspects of her soul to inhabit a role.
“There is something secure about being insecure which is quite healthy.” We can ascertain from this that an actor’s vulnerability and insecurity is a healthy way to aid acting.
Judy was asked by Michael Parkinson on his self-titled Interview show, why she never read scripts before accepting a role. She admitted that she had her actor husband Michael Williams read her scripts for her before she accepted a role. Dame Judy trusted the insight of her husband in regard to suitable roles. He would often have her read a line and would ascertain whether this was a script for her. She had a high regard for his ability to choose the perfect role for her.
In a nutshell, actors need to utilize the feelings which are present in a situation and use the fear and adrenaline it may create to aid in the direction of a role. Although sometimes the best of intentions don’t always pan out.
If You Have a Disaster Happen to You, Act your Part then Move on
Grief, pain and disaster befall all of us at some times. Dame Judi Dench believes that If you have a disaster happen, if for instance someone close to you has passed away, you need to play your part and cry after. It is exactly what happened to her, but she carried on to play her role. It can be said that Doctor theater can take care of the rest, because the show must go on.
Try Not To Fall in Love With the Actors
Don’t fall in love with fellow actors. One piece of advice from Dame Judi Dench is to not fall in love with other actors. From this, we can ascertain that she has fallen in love with her fellow cast members. And as many of us in the industry know, this can cause problems. Keep it professional, especially in amateur acting. Too many times in amateur acting cast members try to get it on with fellow cast members, only to find disappointment in the end.
If you are Truly Nervous on Stage Play Nervous Parts
If nervous, play nervous roles. When playing a role, if you’re totally nervous on stage, to play a role who has a nervous disposition and that should work a charm. Dame Judi has many examples from interviews over the years where she has displayed vulnerability and lack of guile. Again using these qualities helps reveal characters of depth and interest.
Her Vulnerability
Dame Judi Dench admits that she is part of a family, a theatre family and that family has bought her through all the tough times including bad reviews. But you can see in interviews that time Judy Dench operates on the edge of a wire which makes a good actor because she utilises that vulnerability for a specific purpose and that is her role on stage or on camera.
Her vulnerability manifests through the need to be close to the door during rehearsals. She feels the need to place her bags and things nearest to the door, if she needs to escape. Ms Dench makes sure that her raincoat and bag is as closest to the door in the rehearsal room. We all seem to have our quirks especially in the theatre and Dame Judi has hers.
In her humble mind, she believes that success is frequently due to ’luck.’ She says that often it is the circumstances and situations an actor is in which can enable them to be seen and noticed, which is pivotal in getting ahead. And it isn’t necessarily the acting talent or ability of a person.
Conclusion
Dame Judi Dench is a powerhouse actor filled to the brim with all expertise and brilliance. She is also a humorous and very generous person to those whom she works with. She is able to utilize human frailties to mirror back to the audience aspects of themselves. Dame Judi portrays characters of such depth that leave many wanting to know more about her. These are some of the trucks and tips she has generously left us all along the way to be better actors.
