Expert: John T. Aney - 4/11/2005

Question
My 14 year old son has been selected as ?Bottom (the guy who walks around with a donkey head on) in his high school production of As You Like It.  He has become frustrated in trying to learn his lines.  Can you give us some advice - tricks to memorizing lines & ways we can help him (we're not quite sure how to go about doing this with him).  Thanks.


Answer
First, the play he is in is Midsummer Night's Dream, not As You Like It.  No problem - just thought I would clarify.

The best strategy he should use is to make sure he knows EXACTLY what he is saying.  He needs to know what every word means, and what Bottom is trying to communicate with every line.  If he doesn't know this basic information, all the tricks won't help.

On to tricks, though...repetition is the best strategy.  Get him a small tape or digital recorder.  He should record all his cues (the lines that other actors say before he says his lines) and then WHISPER his lines.  Then, when he listens to the recording he can turn the volume up to hear his own lines, or turn it down and try to say the lines from memory.  That's just a trick I use.

Good luck.  And remember, he has to know what he's saying first.

jta