How to Stop Acting: A Renowned Acting Coach Shares His Revolutionary Approach to Landing Roles, Developing Them and Keeping them Alive

"How to Stop Acting" is a big-hearted look at how to overcome a common foible in acting at every level: The tendency on the part of actors to let intellectuality, fear, and boredom limit (or completely eliminate!) the emotional freedom and responsiveness that will result in a performance that is as surprising as it is strong.Harold's prose is easy, which makes the book a fast read. But just as Harold would advise you to go through a script slowly, taking it piece by piece and gaining a real understanding of it, I would advise you to go slowly through this book and do the same. Just because you'll be able to read it fast doesn't mean you should. There's a lot to soak up here.In other books on acting that I've read, the instructors are larger-than-life personalities whose very presence on the pages is at least intimidating, if not completely terrifying (i.e. Hagen and Meisner). Harold, however, comes across as extremely affable and open. He talks to you, the reader, as an equal; a fellow student of the craft of acting.Done badly, this chummy style of teaching might make it hard to take the instructor seriously. It's done well here, however, and it's clear at all times that, friendly or not, Harold Guskin knows more than you do about acting. For that reason, it's very easy to take him seriously.Using stories from his own career, as well as many straight from the mouths of his world-class clients (I'll listen to any insights on acting given out by Kevin Kline and/or Glenn Close), Harold discusses traps and hurdles that actors face all the time, and practical ways of evading and escaping the difficulties they cause.His recurring message to actors is simple: honest emotion lives in dramatic texts. Be genuinely responsive to the text, in the moment, and honest emotion will happen. His insights on how to get to that point in your development as an actor are inspiring. I would consider it a privilege to study privately with Harold someday.Until then, I have no doubts that I will return to this book over and over again.

This is such a great book. Harold provides a wise and common sense approach to acting. You have access to his profound experience and ideas. Very well written. This turned out to be a home run for me on the first pitch!

This book is a great compliiment to the Meisner technique. I highly recommend for seasoned actors. It's worth every penny!

I purchased this book to help me in my voice acting. I'm not a trained actor, so i thought it would help me. The basic premise is simple: don't memorize a script, but keep the spontaneity juices going even through a performance. The author gives many anecdotes of his personal life as an actor, and of the students he coaches. I wish there was an a video or recording of an actual coaching session so that I could see the techniques in action.Because of my lack of training in the field, many of his techniques and experiences are over my head. Using this for voice over work is limited, in my view, because most voiceover scripts cannot be read in a spontaneous way, in a different mood each time. It might be useful in an audition, perhaps in finding the proper read, or in discovering a unique approach to the copy. If you're a voice actor, maybe it will help you. Your mileage may vary.If you're an actor, this book will give you a leg up from audition to final performance. Many of the famous names he's coached can attest to his techniques for success. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning you'll find a lot in this book that will help you.

This is the first time I've had the MILDEST clue at how to approach Shakespeare. Harold was so wonderful at completely distilling ideas down with specific steps and examples of how to achieve various things. I've never seen another teacher able to share these kinds of ideas in a way that doesn't make you feel patronized, or make your eyes roll back in your head. I wish I could have had the chance to meet him and thank him for taking the time to share all these ideas. It would have been something else to be taught by him.

Some excellent and simple instructions in this book which I used the very afternoon I read a chapter and I "took it off the page". Well the technique worked because the audition looked and sounded much better. Don't know yet if I got the part.I think however, if anyone is chasing fame and fortune on the hope of being a successful actor, you may be disappointed.One thing about this book is that it is crystal clear: true actors are souls with a deep passion for quality and truth in their craft. They don't need fame or money. They just need a good script. And the best actors don't act. Sounds weird but it's true.

Loved this book, I know I will be reading it several more times. It is a fresh new relationship with acting that I can't wait to add to my tool box.

This is a terrific book, an entirely different approach to creating a character that makes acting immediately accessible. I read it with a pen in hand, underlining passages and starring sections that were especially important. (A LOT of this book is marked up!) Two years of acting classes had me feeling confused and discouraged. This book made me excited about acting again.

Todo actor debería leerlo. Hay herramientas muy útiles y es bastante ameno para leer.

Beautifully written and described.He knows what he preaches.But how can emotions come so simply to us????I think we need to find out.

completement ce que j'attendais!

A book that might just change the way you approach a creative process in any industry. Although I'm not an actor by profession, I've experienced to create some of my best work in writing while applying the basic principle of this book to my work.

Arrived quicklyNo damageGreat book