Denis Defreyne

The Actor and the Target

Declan Donnellan, The Actor and the Target (Theatre Communications Group, 2006).

Up: Acting

I have read this book, but not put this into practice just yet. So far, it feels vague and not readily usable.

Six rules:

  • There is always a target.
  • The target always exists outside, at a measurable distance.
  • The target exists before you need it.
  • The target is always specific.
  • The target is always transforming.
  • The target is always active.

The stakes have a double rule (split target):

  • At every living moment there is something to be lost and something to be won.
  • The thing to be won is precisely the same size as the thing to be lost.
Note last edited September 2026.
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