One indicator that you have been cast in a Higgins show is that you are often seen after school running around the building – not because you are late – but because Higgins insists on a bit of torture before you get your hands on the story and start working on a play.
Too often I watched actors warm up and wondered what, “What did that achieve?” I see actors doing a few stretches and babbling through a tongue twisters and calling themselves “warmed up”. Warmed up for what I wonder? The point of these warm ups should be to get your body woken up and to get you in-breath with your mouth ready to chew on some words. I am not sure how a few stretches and a “She Sells Seashells” gets you to this readiness.
I have found the most successful way to get warmed up is a good solid brisk run. Warming up in my book begins by getting warm. It is amazing how a return from a brief run has everyone connected to breathing and ready to stretch and work. All are awake; all are ready to tackle the rehearsal.
The director uses coffee – actors break a sweat. Life is not fair.