Here’s your invite to the free emotions class on Sun 28th Sept → [claim your place]

There was one stage direction that used to absolutely terrify me as an actor: “the character reacts in surprise.”

If you’ve ever dreaded seeing that in a script, you’ll know the feeling — instead of actually being surprised, you start anticipating the moment. Your mind races: “How do I make this look real? What if it looks fake? What if I overdo it?” Suddenly, you’re stuck in your head, watching yourself perform instead of living truthfully in the moment.

In this episode, I’m opening up about my own struggles with this stage direction and sharing how I finally mastered it. You’ll discover:

• Why mental tension grows when you anticipate emotions (and how to dissolve it).
• The role of relaxation in keeping your connection authentic.
• How I used substitution to move away from fake reactions and into genuine ones.
• A practical way to approach surprise (and other tricky emotions) that keeps you connected, consistent, and confident.

This is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt blocked, fake, or overacted in moments where the script demands emotional truth.

✨ Want to go deeper into emotional mastery? On Sunday 28th Sept (6:30–8:30pm UK time, online via Zoom) I’m teaching a free Method Acting class where we’ll work with a meaty scene and practice simplifying emotions so you can connect to real feeling in every rehearsal, self-tape, and performance.

👉 Reserve your free spot here

Support the show

INSTA: @standbymethodactingstudio

WEB: standbymethod.com

FREE THE ESSENTIAL METHOD ACTING HANDBOOK: http://pages.standbymethod.com/freeactingbook

Stage directions like “a single tear rolls down her face” can feel intimidating — almost impossible to live up to without losing connection. In this episode, I share how to simplify your emotional work so you stop obsessing over the stage directions and start focusing on what really matters: truthful connection.

You’ll discover:
✨ The 6 key emotions every actor should master in the early stages of emotional work
✨ A simple, effective method for using these emotions without overwhelm
✨ How to replace pressure with presence, so your performances feel grounded, authentic and moving

This episode is all about unlocking emotional power in your scenes in a way that feels natural, consistent, and repeatable.

🌹 And before we dive in — I’m teaching a free Method Acting class on emotional mastery on 28th Spetember. If you want to learn how to access real emotion in every rehearsal, take, and self tape, you can save your spot here

Or if you know you want to get straight into 10-weeks of deep dive emotional work, check out the final 10-Week Method Acting Module of 2025: Affective Memory here

Support the show

INSTA: @standbymethodactingstudio

WEB: standbymethod.com

FREE THE ESSENTIAL METHOD ACTING HANDBOOK: http://pages.standbymethod.com/freeactingbook

Make your next performance your most gripping, with The Autumn 10-Week Method Acting Module - check it out HERE

It's been criticised for decades, called "dangerous", "self-indulgent" and "harmful" to actors.

This misunderstood Method Acting Techaniqe is slammed all across the world.

But what makes it misunderstood, why exactly is it slammed and should you be using it as a new or early career actor? Will it help or hinder tyour acting career and performances.

Let's dig in

Support the show

INSTA: @standbymethodactingstudio

WEB: standbymethod.com

FREE THE ESSENTIAL METHOD ACTING HANDBOOK: http://pages.standbymethod.com/freeactingbook