Action and Reaction

One of Newton’s laws states, “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” The idea is this, when a ball rolls across the floor and hits another ball, the energy/momentum of the first ball is transferred to the second ball and the first may stop and the second pick up the motion. Picture a cue ball going across a pool table and hitting a second ball next to a pocket. If hit correctly, the cue ball will stop in place and the second ball will fly into the pocket. “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

Rather than picturing a cue ball on a pool table, imagine a slapstick. When the slapstick moves forward and hits a clown in the buttocks, there is an opposite and equal reaction. The clown jumps in the air with hands flung high. The energy of the slapstick is transferred to the clown. He receives the momentum and motivation to jump and scream! Action and reaction just happened.

In your physical performance, think about action and reaction. Is it too big? Is it too small? Playing with the size of your reaction brings comedy to the situation.

Consider action and reaction as it pertains to the emotional responses of your character also.

When the auguste enters the stage area, how does the whiteface react to his presence? There should be a reaction to the action.

When an old woman slips on a banana peel in front of a group of bystanders, how does the group react? One may laugh. Another may jump forward immediately to try to help the lady. Another may scream surprised by the fall. The action should bring forward not only a physical reaction, but also an emotional one.

When a priceless prop is broken on stage, how does your character emotionally respond to that? With each action, there should be a reaction. How does it make you feel? Show that to your audience.

You have a funny idea. You present it, but nobody laughs. Maybe it’s a funny idea, but you are not presenting it well. Look at your physical actions and your emotional content. If you have the right actions and emotional response, the audience’s reaction will happen. It’s Newton’s law! By your actions you trigger audience response or you discourage it. If you are not gaining good response, examine your actions and reactions.

Realize, the audience’s emotion often mirrors the performer’s. If I am uncomfortable on stage, the audience will be uncomfortable. If I’m relaxed, my audience will relax. If I'm angry, that unknowingly may transfer to my audience.

In life, challenges often present themselves. How does one react to an action which results in a negative situation? Each of us DO have a choice. We cannot choose what happens to us, but we may choose how we react to the circumstances around us.

Often times, I must conscientiously choose a positive attitude and positive response to a negative situation. A while ago, a good friend of mine lost a loved one. At that point, he reacted. I’m glad to say that he chose the response he did. Sometimes, when bad things happen, people react one of two ways – they either run away from God, or they run to Him. May I recommend the second one? No matter what happens around us, we have a choice in our reaction.