True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor

This book is about much more than acting. It's about the creative life, the life well lived. How to approach every moment on Life's stage. Being bold enough to share yourself, your life, and artistic creations with the gatekeepers and institutional structures of the world and the virtue of doing it.The closing thoughts from Mamet are apropos here:"What is true, what is false, what is, finally, important? It is not a sign of ignorance not to know the answers. But there is great merit in facing the questions."I highly recommend this book, especially if you consider your life and what you share, art.

Many reviewers commented on True & False as it relates to actors and their craft. Few commented as authors--playwrights. My perspective is that of an author with few published credits. Call me a newbie.Actually I've been writing for decades in the bowels of a federal agency, anonymously. (Trust me, it was all NON-fiction.) I've had brilliant editors and duds. Even with anonymous federal prose the key to good writing is the audiences. Few documents have just one audience--look at what happens when a "private" email goes public. We must consider ALL the audiences, real or potential, present AND future, visible or not.Now, writing as a fledgling dramatist, I find Mr. Mamet's thoughts useful. Here is someone who respects the audience AND the author. Take any dramatic work that endures through hundreds of live performances, or thousands. With a revolving door of actors that work is still going. Despite a parade of venues that show still goes on. An audience flows in and out. Just look at any Broadway road tour. There are only two common pieces--the author and the script.While True & False may be directed to actors, a second audience must be authors. It's full of nuggets for authors.For example, this to an actor: "You don't have to portray the hero or the villain. That's been done for you in the script."That is, BY THE AUTHOR. Hmmm. Had I been a lazy author, leaving too many blanks, relying too heavily on skillful improvisation to fill in the blanks? There is a place for improvisation but the author's billing appears above the title of the show. Had I done my job? Earned that billing?If you ever see one of my works you can decide for yourself (e.g. ROUND TUIT, Brooklyn Publishers). As for me, I'm sure: True & False already helped me be a better author--and of course the journey continues. Thank you, Mr. Mamet.I hope one or two will find this review helpful.

Over the years, I have been amazed at how successful David Mamet has been in almost everything he attempts. This is why, when I started reading this book I felt disappointed. It seemed to me that, in the first third of the book, he listed all the things you should NOT do as an actor. Several times I thought about closing the book and throwing it away. But somewhere around that point where I almost gave up on him, Mamet's genius kicked in. It may be heretical to say this, but I believe that one of the stronger aspects of Mamet's art is his ability to cut through the BS and simplify. I believe that a considerable amount of his power as a dramatist comes from this. Concerning playwriting, he said that, in the crafting of a play, you must dispense with any part of it that does not relate to the protagonist's quest.In this book, he again makes us see the power of simplification. He says actors need to forget about the elaborate explanations coming from the "scholars" and just look at the bare bones reality of what acting is. Pretending. He says "This is what I see the actor doing: Invent nothing, deny nothing. This is the meaning of character." He also says, "The simple performance of a great deed, onstage or off, is called 'heroism'". He says a number of other provocative things and then proves each and every one of them. And these proofs are a strong counter-argument to what many acting teachers and scholars are saying. What he tells the actor to do is practical, real, doable and powerful. That is why I gave it three stars, why I will suggest that any actor who acts in any play I write reads this book, and why I believe this book is nourishment not only for the actor, but for the playwright and for just about anybody else in the theatre who wants to know how great performances can be sculpted from a written text.

I've worked professionally as an actor for years but have only recently got round to reading this book - I wish someone had handed it to me sooner. It's a really insightful view into the practicalities of living and working as an actor and it strips back so many of those frustrating and pretentious ideas that are so often bandied around the theatre world. Down to earth and refreshing. If you perform, write or direct please read this.

Like many acting teachers, David Mamet spends more than half his time talking about how terrible all other acting teachers are, and how all other methods are a complete waste of time.Then after about half the book he starts to give some not very well explained tips (which anyway I think come from Meisner,) such as, keep your attention outside of yourself, do the scene ‘as if’ it were something important and personal to you, etc etc.He admits he wanted to be an actor but wasn't very good. (Would you give advice to violin players if you were never very good?)The book is well written (hence two stars), but the content is disappointing.Hopefully elsewhere he writes about writing, since that is what he is good at.

A book which was hightly recommended to read by a lecture, as a training actor i found it useful to read and will be rereading it through out my life. Some of it i felt was contradictory to what we are learning but makes sense when looked at on a bigger picture. arrived on time and the condition was good.

The greatness of this book says more than I could ever attempt to do. This is a great product at a good price swiftly expedited.

Excellent book but was very unhappy with the damage the book had incurred, was put in its package or stored carelessly which resulted in the front cover being bent and damaged. Got a refund so all is good