Stage and Screen | Sir Patrick Stewart | Oxford Union

Summary

The speaker highlights the stark contrast between performing on stage and in film, emphasizing the control and excitement of live theater where actors dictate the performance's pace and mood. They liken Shakespeare to riding a powerful horse, suggesting the challenge and thrill. In contrast, film acting, often segmented and piecemeal, lacks this control and overview, leading to frustration. The speaker aligns with Ingmar Bergman's preference for theater over cinema, viewing theater as lifeblood despite cinema's allure.

Takeaways

• 🎭 **Stage Control**: On stage, actors have control over their environment and the performance's mood, pace, and temperature.
• 🐎 **Shakespeare's Challenge**: Acting in Shakespeare is likened to riding a powerful horse, indicating the excitement and control required.
• 🎬 **Cinematic Segmentation**: In film, actors work in segments and sections, which makes it hard to grasp the overall performance.
• 📅 **Timeframe**: Film production, such as 'X-Men', can take months, making it difficult to maintain a holistic view of the work.
• 🔍 **Detail Focus**: Actors in films often focus on small moments within a much longer narrative, which can be frustrating.
• 🌟 **Bergman's Perspective**: Ingmar Bergman, a renowned theater and film director, loved cinema but considered theater his life.
• 🔄 **Disciplinary Transition**: Actors who move between theater and film often share Bergman's sentiment about the two mediums.
• 🎥 **Filmmaking Process**: The filmmaking process involves examining tiny parts of a much larger work, which can be limiting for actors.
• 📽️ **Cinema vs. Theater**: There's a significant difference between the immediacy and control of theater versus the segmented and lengthy film production.
• 🎭 **Theater as Life**: For many actors, theater is more than a job; it's a way of life, as suggested by the comparison to Bergman's feelings.

Q & A

What is the key difference the speaker highlights between performing on stage and in film?

The key difference is that on stage, an actor has control over the world and environment of their performance, including the spirit, speed, mood, and temperature, whereas in film, the actor works in segments and sections, making it difficult to maintain an overview of the work.

How does the speaker describe the experience of performing Shakespeare on stage?

The speaker describes performing Shakespeare on stage as exciting and akin to riding a powerful horse that is barely controllable, emphasizing the actor's control and the thrill of the performance.

What is the comparison the speaker uses to illustrate the challenge of performing Shakespeare?

The speaker compares performing Shakespeare to riding a really powerful horse, suggesting that it requires skill and control to manage the intensity and power of the performance.

Why does the speaker find working on films frustrating at times?

The speaker finds working on films frustrating because the process is fragmented, with the focus on small moments of a much longer film, which can make it almost impossible to get an overview of the work.

What was Ingmar Bergman's stance on theater versus cinema according to the speaker?

Ingmar Bergman loved cinema but considered theater to be his life, indicating a preference for theater despite his significant contributions to cinema.

What does the speaker suggest about the feelings of those who have worked in both theater and film?

The speaker suggests that many who have worked in both theater and film share Bergman's sentiment, valuing theater more deeply despite appreciating the art of cinema.

How long does the speaker indicate it takes to make films like 'X-Men'?

The speaker implies that films like 'X-Men' can take months to make, which contributes to the frustration of not being able to grasp the full scope of the performance.

What aspect of theater does the speaker find most appealing?

The speaker finds the control and the ability to shape the entire performance in theater most appealing.

How does the speaker view the process of filmmaking in comparison to theater?

The speaker views the process of filmmaking as more fragmented and less controlled compared to the holistic and immediate experience of theater.

What does the speaker imply about the nature of acting in film versus theater?

The speaker implies that acting in film is more about capturing isolated moments, whereas in theater, it's about creating a continuous and controlled performance.

What does the speaker value about theater that is not present in film?

The speaker values the immediacy, control, and the ability to influence the entire mood and pace of a performance in theater, which is not present in the piecemeal process of film acting.