Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | What Is Good Acting? | 20210201 | Geoffrey Colman considers the art of acting, and in this first of a new set of Essays asks: what makes a great actor? Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this first episode Geoffrey asks what makes a great actor. With awards season approaching, he's interested in asking what makes for an award-winning performance. As he touches on acting technique, building a character and even an equation for great acting, Geoffrey discusses vulnerability and an actor's ability to make the audience believe. Producer: Giles Edwards Geoffrey Colman considers the art of acting and asks: what makes a great actor? Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 02 | How To Become An Actor? | 20210202 | Geoffrey Colman asks what students learn in drama schools, as he continues his series of Essays on acting. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this second Essay Geoffrey asks what students learn in drama schools. Taking us inside the rehearsal rooms and drama school auditions of his professional life, he'll show how the history of acting tuition continues to inform practice today. But he also reveals how recent movements have upended some of that received wisdom, and challenged the intensely personal way in which graduates are assessed. Producer: Giles Edwards Geoffrey Colman discusses drama schools in his second Essay on acting. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 03 | On Stage And On Screen | 20210203 | Geoffrey Colman explores the differences between acting on stage and on screen. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this third Essay, Geoffrey discusses the differences between acting on stage and on screen - the difference, according to Sir Laurence Olivier, between handling a sword and a cup of tea. Geoffrey argues that they are completely different propositions, with completely different technical skills required to master each. Actors who can do both stage and screen are, he concludes, truly exceptional artists, because they are very much working in two different art forms. But if they are done well, no one even notices. Producer: Giles Edwards Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 04 | How Reality Tv Has Changed Acting | 20210204 | Geoffrey Colman describes the ways in which reality TV has changed acting. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this Essay, Geoffrey describes the many ways in which reality TV has changed acting, discussing reality, truth and constructed reality. Producer: Giles Edwards Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 05 | The Acting Coach | 20210205 | Geoffrey Colman invites us to join him on a walk through a day as an acting coach. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this final Essay, Geoffrey describes a series of interactions inside the world of acting - a pop star trying to get in to the business, an actor trying to perfect a role, a stage star who keeps getting stuck on a particular line, and an out of work actor who's obviously struggling. As he does, he brings together all the ideas from this series of Essays, to present a picture of acting and the acting industry today. Producer: Giles Edwards Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |