1st September, 2009 - Ideas about Directing #10

Idea 10 – Pace is (Almost) Everything


If there is one Big Thing to look out for, then it is the pace of the dialogue. There is a huge temptation for the actors and the director to over-analyse everything to the point where delivery of dialogue because you’ve reached a point where you feel that every line, and every pause is invested in some kind of important meaning. If you’ve spent time finding these meanings buried in the dialogue, then you want to make sure that the audience recognises your cleverness, and as a result the play slows and stutters.

It is..

..it’s far more...

..well – important...

.. to keep things moving at times...

Yeah... to keep things moving...

... because... well.. that’s what keeps the audience...umm...

Interested?

Yeah. Interested!