Soul-touch in drama

[Paul Levy]

The life choice some people make to be essentially independent rather than interdependent has its price when interaction is required on the stage.

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There is a lack of ability in the independence addict to be warm when warmth is the exact effect required by the scene. No matter how hard the actor tries, they are simply "out of touch" with the soul qualities of the other actors and also the inter-play that is essential for authentic contact on stage.

The audience of course picks up on this and there is a sense emotionally of the "lights being on but no one being at home" upon the stage.

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The interdependence-able actor reaches out to the fellow cast member and fails for the reaching can never truly find its mark. The fakery may still have the desired effect of persuading the audience to suspend disbelief though not, I believe, where a fundamental interaction and mood is required. It falls short.

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The actor steps onto the stage and pays the price of a personal life journey that is all to successful in keeping out those who would come to close and "interfere" with their personal castle-like boundaries. This is where, I believe, personal lifestyles can fundamentally undermine the actors' ability to inter-act when authentic interaction at an emotional or "soul" level is needed. They are simply unable to achieve soul-touch (which has an electrifying effect on an audience).

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Without soul-touch, the drama is grey death.

[Sven Veine]

This is an important theme! And a hard ability to achieve for actors/improvisers. Still, I would like to ask if you know any good games or exercises that focus on this and works very well.