The other day Simon Lipkin was interviewed as part of the Tam Talks. It was interesting to hear him say that throughout his career in the performing arts he has always presented himself as who he is, rather than trying to be what he thought his auditioners wanted him to be. This gave him an enormous advantage in that he could relax and be at ease in the moment with the material. Being true to yourself gives you enormous power over what you do because you are speaking from your heart and not pretending. You don’t have to waste energy in faking it.
Many of us are so bothered by what other people think about us that sometimes we lose that sense of ourselves. We spend a lot of time in our own company so perhaps it’s a good idea to accept who we are and as the jargon has it – love ourselves. How wonderful to be at ease with who you are. Simon made the point that if you can reach this point without being arrogant – just confident in your own skin – then what comes out is bound to be authentic, honest and unafraid.
Certainly, in our theatre school we have never been afraid to be different from the rest. We never look at what other people are doing and pinch bits that seem good. We are too busy having our own ideas and bringing them to life in classes in acting, singing and dancing. And if you start sneaking looks at other people doesn’t that mean deep down you are doubting yourself?
At the moment some people are understandably desperate to know what the future holds while others are fatalistic and think what will be will be. For us it’s a time to be clearly who we are and bold. It’s great when people believe in you and what you can do but it starts with you believing in yourself. If you don’t believe in what you do why should anyone else?
Our virtual classes in acting, singing and dancing continue online. Theatretrain is offering FREE performing arts classes to all young people in this time of national crisis, providing them with an outlet that encourages confidence, creativity and comradeship, while also positively contributing to their overall fitness and mental health. To register for FREE visit https://bit.ly/2WXempV or for further information on our national performing arts schools visit www.theatretrain.co.uk
