Practical Aesthetics is an acting technique originally conceived by David Mamet and William H. Macy, based on the teachings of Stanislavsky, Sanford Meisner, and the Stoic Philosopher Epictetus.[1] An in-depth description of the technique may be found in A Practical Handbook for the Actor and also addressed in David Mamet's True and False. Practical Aesthetics is taught by the Atlantic Theater Company's acting school in New York City. The Atlantic Acting School also offers classes in Los Angeles. Other schools offering Practical Aesthetics includes PAA - Practical Aesthetics Australia and ACS - Acting Coach Scotland.
Practical Aesthetics is based in the practice of breaking down a scene using a three step analysis that entails the following:
1) THE LITERAL: The essential and most basic description of what is taking place.
2) THE ESSENTIAL ACTION: An evocative and relevant description of what the actor wants within the scene. It is essential to understand that what the character is doing and what the actor is doing are separate.
3) THE AS IF: The "as if" relates the "essential action" to the actors own life. for example: ESSENTIAL ACTION: To retrieve what is rightfully mine. AS IF: it's as if my girlfriend has taken away my favorite album that i was going to give as a gift. I need to retrieve it as it is mine. This step is a memory device. A spark to involve the actor in the scene. It helps the actor escape the fiction. Find the truth and apply it elsewhere.
This technique is aimed to make the experience of acting entirely based in the will of the actor. It is in response to the more introverted and self-based practices of "The Method". The Practical Aesthetic asks an actor only to commit his will to the pursuit of an action based in the other actor.
Famous Practitioners of Practical Aesthetics include: William H Macy, Felicity Huffman, Scott Parker, Christopher Carley, Jessica Alba, Zosia Mamet, Kristin Johnson, Camryn Mannheim, Clark Gregg and Eddie Cahill.
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