Characterising Actor Trainers' Understanding of Their Practice in Australian and English Drama Schools
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Characterising Actor Trainers' Understanding of their Practice in Australian and English Drama Schools Author Prior, Ross W Published 2005 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School School of Vocational, Technology and Arts Education DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/2740 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366623 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au Characterising Actor Trainers' Understanding of their Practice in Australian and English Drama Schools A PhD case study of the perceptions of thirteen tutors and principals within their institutional contexts Ross W. Prior B.Ed., M.Ed. (Melb.), M.A.C.E. Centre for Public Culture & Ideas School of Vocational Technology and Arts Education Faculty of Education Griffith University Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2004 © ROSS W. PRIOR 2004 ABSTRACT Institutionalised actor training, which is essentially a twentieth century phenomenon, often remains a mysterious facet of the theatre industry due largely to the unarticulated understandings of pedagogical practices of acting tutors. This thesis examines acting tutors' instructional approaches to actor training in leading drama schools in Australia and England. Using qualitative case study, the report found that tutor responses could be grouped in terms of tutors' views of themselves, drama schools and the training process. The goals that the tutors had for actor training could be divided into four inter- related categories: intellectual, personal, social and practical, with a strong emphasis on personal and social meanings. In Phenix's (1964) terms, the informants' meanings were synnoetic – direct, personal, and experiential; and the informants were using metaphor and narrative to try to communicate these meanings. In the terms of Broudy (1977) they were using different contextual frameworks of 'knowledge(s)-with' and these meanings were often expressed as polarisations or divides in meaning: for example teaching versus inspiring; conservatoire versus university; artist versus academic; systematic versus eclectic; trust versus scepticism; and experiential versus intellectual. The data suggest that the meanings that the tutors had constructed on acting and on the teaching of acting were difficult to communicate in conventional ways. These difficult- to-convey and sometimes polarised meanings are developing in the drama school community of practice, over time, as a result of the different experiential histories of people who work within these schools. Most of the informants in the study had come from careers in acting, had worked in the theatre industry more broadly and also themselves had initial drama school training. It is possible that their differences in constructing meaning may be due to differences in their historically derived frameworks or contexts against which they construct meaning – different 'knowledge(s)-with'. However, much of what these tutors articulate is underpinned by core understandings of acting and actor training. As a result, there had developed a shared 'craft-based way of knowing' what acting is and how actor training should proceed. That is, the acting tutors had brought their own synnoetic meanings to the _____________________________________________________________________________ i drama school context, and this had developed over time into the shared mixture of seemingly quasi-pedagogical and anti-pedagogical tutor objectives. The expression of informants' meanings echoes Bruner's (1986) differentiation between 'paradigmatic or logico-scientific' modes of knowing from a 'narrative' mode. Paradigmatic modes of knowing are used for good theory and logical proof whereas the application of the narrative mode involves good stories and historical [although not necessarily "true"] human accounts. The study acknowledges the different ways in which individuals apprehend experience, access the meanings that they construct on experience, and how they seek to render and communicate those meanings to others. Actor training, like acting itself, contains meanings which have consolidated over time into automated ways of knowing and are difficult to convey in conventional ways. Although it appears that much of their discussions of practice remained largely tacit, tutors demonstrated both tacit and explicit forms of knowledge, which were derived from various kinds of experiences. A perceived separation between the ‘academic’ ['theoretical' or the 'intellectual'] and the 'practical' appeared to be largely derived from experientially acquired knowledge. In actor training, approaches to pedagogy are hard to capture by virtue of particular meanings being constructed vicariously through the process of moving from novice to expert. This is unlike traditions of generalist teaching which have sought to communicate a more explicit understanding of pedagogy and thus giving rise, perhaps, to why it is often claimed that acting cannot be taught. _____________________________________________________________________________ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank those splendid practitioners in Australia and England who supported this report by allowing me to interview them. I owe a particular debt of gratitude to my supervisors for their personal care and ability to open my mind to many possibilities. Their guidance was both invaluable and inspirational. Principal Supervisor: Professor John O'Toole Associate Supervisor: Professor John Stevenson Professional and personal inspiration: Dorothy Heathcote whose work has changed so many lives, including my own, and who I was privileged to eventually meet in 2003 – symbiosis! Gavin Bolton who is a true gentleman of drama with an exemplary mind. Cecily O'Neill who in my practice provides me with a model of effective teaching and learning [and a way to enjoy it!]. Jonothan Neelands who provides me with a model of successful practice, human warmth and generosity. Philip Taylor who first opened my eyes to another way of teaching and researching, and whose mentoring is responsible for this epic academic journey. Joanne O'Mara with whom I have shared a parallel research journey and who has been a loyal friend since 1983. The drama community too numerous to identify individually, and for that I sincerely apologise. Much of this work is the result of the people who I have been most fortunate to know. Their encouragement and support kept me going throughout. Some of those special friends include: Adam, Bernie, Brendan, Clive, Frank, June, Kath, Leo, Lizzie, Marcus, Murray, Neil, Peter and Simon. I also include my RHD colleague Rea for her academic companionship. Last, yet most significantly, a very special 'thank you' must be given to my life mentor Gerald Taylor who has provided me with the voice of reason. His generous support, guidance and friendship will never be surpassed. Dedication: To my Late Mother, Elizabeth who sadly passed away at this time. _____________________________________________________________________________ iii DECLARATION This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where the due reference is made in the thesis itself. Ross W. Prior Date: _____________________________________________________________________________ iv As so much of the actor's craft is learned unconsciously, it should not be too surprising to discover that not every one is able to pinpoint or even explain what it is they do 'intuitively'. Hayes Gordon, 1992 _____________________________________________________________________________ v Pulcra sunt quœ visa placent – The beautiful things, when seen, please. _____________________________________________________________________________ vi **A NOTE REGARDING INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS** The full interview transcripts are available for scrutiny. Direct quotes from these in the text are coded according to the line reference codes and page numbers used in the transcript document. _____________________________________________________________________________ vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Prologue ..................................................................................................................2 1.2 Purpose of the Research..........................................................................................4 1.3 The Research Question ...........................................................................................5 1.4 Origin of the Research Question.............................................................................6 1.5 Epistemology of Inquiry and Methodology ............................................................7 1.6 Importance of the Research.....................................................................................8 1.7 Outline of the Report ............................................................................................10 1.8 Definitions.............................................................................................................10 1.9 Delimitations of Scope and Key assumptions.......................................................11 1.10 Background to the Research .................................................................................13 1.10.1 Genesis of Actor Training..................................................................................13