Words and Thoughts

Many actors just do not learn their lines well enough. And without knowing your lines inside out, upside down, sideways, backwards and forwards,you just can't do any real work. Instead you will forever be anticipating and thinking the what and when of your lines and stuck in a kind of vocal pattern of line-speak. If on the other hand you can take the words and sentences apart and put them back together again quickly and easily under all conditions, being able to stress or not each word at will, where the words live in your body, then you can get to the real work and craft of acting. There is no gray area here, no alternatives, no new techniques, etc, that allow for someone to get away with not knowing their lines in this visceral way and still do real work. You have to be able to sing your lines, say them fast or slow, do various activities while speaking them, concentrate on other things while speaking them, stop or start freely with them. Once you can do that, then you are ready to do the other things that make acting come to life.