How to “drop in” INSTANTLY

Picture this. You’re auditioning for a small role

Or maybe you’ve had days like that on set, where you’ve had to go straight into a

(This is yet ANOTHER reason why I’m so gung-ho about using Shakespeare to improve your acting craft.)

When I audition with Shakespeare, or if I have to do a cold read, I like to use physical methods

I allowed myself about 5 seconds to drop in. I didn’t use a psychological drop-in cue, instead I used BREATH and BODY.

👉 To access Ophelia’s emotional state, I curved my upper back to create the sensation of a hollow chest, which for me recalls the state of despair.

👉Using your body in this way is known as “playing shape”. The theory behind it is the same as the theory behind “power poses”: putting your body in a particular position makes us feel a certain way. You can use this in your acting!

👉 Forcing the breath out for the “ohhh” at the beginning recreates a state similar to a sob or a wail. With this type of breath work, I’m sending a secondary signal to my body that it is in a state of despair.

I love this kind of ‘outside-in’ technique because it keeps us mentally safe as actors. Even without huge amounts of psychological prep (and without accessing any personal trauma!) I was able to quickly access Ophelia’s emotional state and drop in without effort.

Are you an outside-in or inside-out actor?