Feigning Our Feelings

We do not always say what we mean, and our behavior reflects it.

Ponder this for a moment: how many times have we seen a character in a film or a play conceal their true intentions and desires to either protect themselves or someone else? It is frequently a significant plot point for thrillers, mysteries, adventures, and romance-driven storylines. Whether it is an affair between lovers trying to conceal their relationship from the public or a murderer that shields his true nature as a leading businessman in the corporate world, there are plenty of examples of how someone suppresses their honest feelings to the public eye.

Although these are larger, more grandiose examples, we also must acknowledge that sometimes we shy away from the 'whole' truth in our everyday lives in other more innocuous ways. From the wallflower hiding their nervousness when approached; to the store clerk who is exhausted but braves a 'happy face' for the next client that arrives in their shop—there are examples of feigning a feeling nearly everywhere if we look closely enough.

Society has conditioned us to believe that to be accepted by others, we must 'act' in a certain way that is generally receptive for other's approval. It's easy to understand why this is such a common feature for most interactions. It's essentially hardwired into our system as a carnal survival system. We innately need others to continue our best chance of survival in this life, so we do our best to ensure that the group does not ostracize us. Although the general public's views of what is 'necessary' not to be avoided have vastly changed through evolution and time, this primal need for acceptance has failed to dissipate. And in the modern world, in most Westernized cultures, expressing anger or sadness is generally considered unacceptable behavior and frowned upon. Happiness is commonly the only thing deemed 'appropriate .' Even that still has its limits before someone may tell us to stop.

So how does this information affect us as actors?

We must remain vigilant in our work to notice these nuanced responses and let these informed choices subtlety affect our behavior. In most scenes, we must acknowledge that there is a subtext in each exchange between characters that may be molded by what is 'acceptable,' despite feeling the opposite. The drive for a character acts as the forward momentum propelling them towards what they need at that moment. Yet, this character's actions may be filtered in how exactly they may go after their goals based on the full context of the given circumstance (historical influences, social status, relationships between characters, etc.)

Consider the following exchange:

"Hey!" "Hey." "You excited for the show tonight?" "Oh, yeah… It's going to be great." (a beat.) "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "You sure?" "Yeah—umm, I'll text you later, alright? Just a bit out of it today." "Okay… Hey, we don't have to go if you don't want to—you know that, right?" "Yeah. I'll see you later."

What in this exchange tells the first person that their words are not matching their true thoughts and feelings? Their body language and behavior. Although nothing is listed regarding how this scene should be played out, the beat shift and the change in the conversation's direction hint that something in the second person's behavior is not 'like themselves.' These clues offer us valuable insight into what our characters may be honestly feeling in the moment versus what their behavior is trying to conceal outwardly. As actors, we need to be aware nearly to a subconscious degree of what our behavior is telling the world.

We as actors need to know precisely the given circumstances of a scenario to understand the influences that may alter us inherently. This is why the homework for each scene must be properly prepared with attention to specific details in each exchange. The most subtle details can drastically alter how something may ultimately be played in performance. We must allow our behavior to be affected on an instinctual level. To make this feasible, we must be susceptible to the present moment and allow ourselves to be affected by the present moment. Yet, we also must have such a strong understanding of the world that we are playing in that we have no alternative but to 'play by the rules'.

By fully engrossing ourselves in the world of the given circumstances, we are granted the freedom to 'play.'

By: Diana Frankhauser