By Zoliswa Mdawini
“Acting is the study of human behaviour. It’s a science. There’s a methodology. There’s a way of doing it right and a way of not doing it right.”
This was one of the pearls that Dr John Kani strung at an advanced masterclass in acting at the Eastern Cape Literature Festival on Saturday.
Kani pointed out common mistakes young actors make. He said they focus on how many lines or scenes their character appears in, rather than understanding the whole story. He says that truly understanding a script takes more than just reading it once or twice.
“The understanding and the information you are getting from the script into your mind as you read the fifth time, it suddenly begins to become pictures. You get a sense of what is actually happening. And then you read it the sixth time.”
Kani says that acting is not just about memorising lines; it is about entering the world of the writer and forming a deep connection and partnership with the character you are playing while not losing yourself entirely into the character.
“There is a percentage of you that is always observing the process. Your ear still has to stay alert,” he said.
An audience member asked, “How do you act for TV?” Veteran actor Dr Jerry Mofokeng said the difference between acting and theatre lies in the lens.
“When you are in the theatre. You are a wide-angle lens. TV is tightly framed.” He likened this to performing Shakespeare, where every word has power and meaning. Mofokeng said that for TV, acting comes from the inside out, “There’s more psychology.”
He said actors should let the audience see the emotional journey unfold naturally.
“You have to go through the practice, rehearsal and the research so that you can stand still,” said Mofokeng
The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture hosted the masterclass.
