Anyone who has performed on stage will know that memorising lines and cues can be something of a challenge. We’re sure you have seen or experienced those awkward moments when actors have to be prompted despite months of rehearsals. It can be really hard to recover the flow of a performance after a fluffed line, and it’s definitely not the kind of thing you want to be remembered for. Our tips on how to memorise lines are there to help you avoid these embarrassing moments.
How We Learn
When we learn, we create new neural networks, and the more senses and emotions we engage when learning, the more quickly we’re able to form them. Of course, the sense of sight plays a big role, but simply looking at a script, and reading it silently, is only one of the things that contributes to memory. Bear this in mind as we go through our list of tips, and see if you can think of even more ways to engage with your script so that you can memorise lines quickly.
Read Your Lines Aloud
Reading your lines aloud not only helps you to memorise them, but allows you to fine-tune your delivery. At the same time, you’re likely to repeat lines in several ways until you’re satisfied with how you’re saying them, so there’s a bit of rote learning thrown in.
Further benefiting your learning, you’re engaging several senses: sight, hearing, and sensation. Consider making recordings of your readings. Listening to your cues and lines while you’re doing other things further reinforces learning.
Don’t get too set in your ways. Your performance will be directed, so don’t be surprised if your version of in-character delivery doesn’t match your director’s ideas. Some actors even recommend learning lines without thinking about delivery, but there are those who disagree.
Write Your Lines Down by Hand
Grab a pen and paper, and write your lines down. This exercise forces you to think about your lines, look at them, and repeat them in your mind as you write. You’re adding a new experience to your learning process, and learning is always linked to experiences. Why the pen and paper? It’s slower and more considered than typing. It engages the senses, and the more you think about your lines, the faster you’ll learn them.
You can use your writing exercise to write cue cards for yourself. And, on the subject of cues, you need to know not only what to say, but when to say it. Write your cue on a card. Now, take another card, and write down your line. The act of writing these cards helps you to learn, and you can use your cues to test yourself.
Get a Rehearsal Partner
Whether it’s a fellow cast member or a friend who is willing to help you, learning with a companion adds a new dimension to reading scenes aloud. It’s also a great way to test your progress. Your companion delivers your cues, and you try to respond with the correct line without looking at your script.
Move About
Even if it weren’t for the fact that actors “tread the boards” when delivering performances, moving about helps to keep your brain active and alert while you learn. If you’re in the early, reading and learning stage of memorising lines, you’re likely sitting down, but don’t sit still for too long. Get the blood circulating and give your brain a chance to rest and refocus.
Engage Your Imagination
Imagination is among the skills that make you an actor. As you’re learning your lines, try imagining the scene. Think about the ways your character is experiencing it – what they’re doing, how they interact with other characters, and how they feel. Learning shouldn’t be boring!
Give Yourself Time, Learn Small Chunks, and Take Breaks
You probably know this already, but it bears mentioning. Unless you have a bit part, there’s no point in trying to learn all your lines at once. Learn a little at a time and make sure you’ve got it all down pat before you move on to the next section or scene. The sooner you start learning your lines, the less pressure there is, so don’t leave everything to the last minute.
When you begin finding it hard to focus, take a mini-break, or even a nap if you’re feeling tired. While human attention spans are much longer than the notoriously debunked 8-second finding that so many people still believe, you’ll know when your efforts are no longer productive.
Get an App to Help You
Those wondering how to memorise lines from a script and doubting their own ability to learn might benefit from a dedicated line-learning app. There are several apps for actors, so take your time looking through your app store, read reviews, and choose one that looks right for you.
Acronyms or Mnemonics and Keywords
As a student, you probably used mnemonics to help you from time to time. You also summarised information right down to single keywords that triggered flows of information. You can use these methods to help you learn your lines too.
Try Everything and Do What Works for You
Every person is different, and you may find some of these strategies more effective than others. Our top tip on memorising lines is not to rely on rote alone. It’s boring. It doesn’t really engage your thoughts and senses, and that will slow you down. Repetition will form part of your learning process, but it should never be mindless. Practice active learning, think, feel, and act, and you’ll learn faster.
Earn, Learn, and Grow With Us
It takes more than talent and the ability to learn lines to become a successful actor. Very few of us have lucky breaks that skyrocket us to instant stardom. For most, it’s hard work, patience, hope, and determination that win through. Despite this, only two percent of actors are able to make a living from acting alone. But, if you’re a true actor, you’re persevering because you genuinely love to act, and you’re making wonderful memories in the process.
To sustain life as an actor, the vast majority of people need flexible jobs that allow them to grab acting opportunities with both hands when they arise. But employers aren’t always willing to accommodate that. RSVP does. We’re a team that consists of actors, and we put our acting skills to work representing brands. Join us today. Visit our careers page to find out more.