Not True, But Useful... A Cheek by Jowl Podcast

Declan and Nick think about advice they give to themselves when they are making a play, and the problem of letting yourself get in the way of the work. Even after four decades of rehearsing, they keep making notes to self.

Time is never the character’s friend - but this makes it useful to the actor. In this episode, Declan chats to Lucie about time in Shakespeare’s texts, and how there is never enough of it. He emphasises the importance of liveness in theatre, and the interconnectedness this creates.

Declan talks to Lucie about a question he can’t stand: can he share the exercises he uses in the rehearsal room? He urges directors to ask not for a technique, but for what they’re trying to achieve, and talks about how he himself is constantly observing in order to become more attentive to the needs of the actor.

Lucie talks to Declan about his favourite word in the rehearsal room: Flow. Flow is like love, like a football match, like a good evening spent with friends. For actors, flow is being a part of the living thing on the stage, and focusing what’s outside and within you.

Declan presents an unusual piece of advice to actors: forget things. He talks to Lucie about how this allows the actor to be truly present as the character on stage, trusting what they need will be there when they need it.

Imposter syndrome is another longstanding problem that most actors face. For Declan, however, it is not unique to actors: the characters of Shakespeare’s plays all go through these same feelings. In this episode, Declan talks to Lucie about how the relationship between the actor and Shakespeare’s texts should be equal, and how those characters also go through their own insecurities