What is the best technique to memorising lines?

Question

for a play...singing it wouldn't work!

This is kinda purely a memorizing help thing..i want to get lines down first...

Answer 1

I find that rehearsing lines with another actress or actor in the cast helps; but I would advise against rehearsing your lines in public; there are likely to be way too many distractions. You might consider the following:

1) Recording your CUE LINES on a tape recorder and filling in the blanks--the cues are going to be what helps you pick up the pace of the play and enter into the dialogue naturally.

2) I like this one: Rehearse with a friend/actor and look down at the script to absorb as much of your line as possible, then look up (don't look down at the script!) and recite as much of the line as you can remember--when you are delivering the line you are always looking your partner in the eyes. This works great for me.

3) Writing the lines may help you, but this is extremely time consuming. I would recommend it only if you are a verbal learner. Otherwise, you might try to PUT IMAGES in your mind from the text that can help you connect one thought to the next...that is how some people think--kinda like a movie screen in our minds flicking images on through.

Hope some of these suggestions help!

Answer 2

What I'd do is to first find a comfortable place for me to practice.

It can be the park, a coffee shop, a bench in the middle of a busy sidewalk... Virtually, anywhere you'd love!

Then I'd start by reading the whole play and try to find the "vibe" of the whole play. I feel that it's important that you know what's going on in the whole play even if you're just playing a small role. My friends don't really bother because they feel that it's a waste of time, but hey, that's just me!

After reading and understanding the script/play, zoom into your lines. Say your lines out loud and with each time you revise the scene/lines, try to do it in a different way, i.e. different voice intonations.

I'd suggest that after that, you can begin to add in movements/mannerisms and just act it out!

If it's possible, grab your fellow actor/actress who's in the same scene to build up that "chemistry" and make it work, yo!

Cheers!

Answer 3

Repetition helps me with my lines. If the play has a movie with the similar lines, watch the movie a million times. My goal when I'm in a play and have to memorize quickly is to look at each line I have at least five times every day. The other idea is to visualize what is going on as you say each line. Think about your actions (if you've done them) and think about who is around you and what your reaction to stuff is. Hope I helped!

Answer 4

My best friend is an actress and she memorizes her lines like this: page by page. She repeats page one out loud until it is perfect in her memory. Then for page 2 she repeats page one with the first line of page 2. Then repeats page 1 with first two lines of page 2, etc. etc. by the end of her lines she has repeated them so many times it's automatic, and she begins to give intonations with also become automatic. Good luck!!

Answer 5

I used to go over the script before bed each night for a week or so and then write some of the lines on 3x5 cards and post them all over the house. Then it would jog my memory for the rest of the scene. Drove my mother nuts but it worked for me!

Answer 6

I find that I can remember lines in a song more easily than anything. Try setting whatever you need to learn to music.

Answer 7

It depends do you have more long speeches or lots of dialogue with other characters? For me when there is lots of Dialogue i like to just read it and find hints in what is said you your character to help you remember your lines. If they are long speeches. I find breaking them down helps me!

Answer 8

Each person learns differently... for me, I had to re-write my lines several times and I would read them over and over right before bed... and I slept with my script, thought I might learn by osmosis! :) Good luck... or should I say Break a leg! :)

Answer 9

get a friend to practice with, and say the lines like you are the character. be really dramatic and loud. if you can remember a really loud and dramatic conversation you had with a friend, you can remember you lines the same way...

Answer 10

For me repartition out loud either at home, in the car, or rehearsal. I used to do a lot of community theater.