Stanislavski in E-flat© Chris Mindel
Dec 1, 2000
I recently saw a professional production of the musical "Man of La Mancha," and there
was one aspect of it that I particularly enjoyed. There was an actor on stage playing the
guitar, and he really was playing the guitar. (Just a side note of musical history.
Don Quixote is alive close to the date the story itself was published: 1605. The six
stringed guitar played in the production I saw was invented in 1790. Who cares if the
instrument didn't exist in the time the musical is supposed to take place? Kinda bothered
me.) Many times in plays and movies, actors are called upon to play instruments. Some
really do play, others fake it well. Alas, many can't fake it for all their acting worth!
Two actors in particular, featured in two demanding roles, stand out as good examples of
what actors should do. In the movie Bird, Forest Whitaker portrays Charlie
Parker. And, Mr. Whitaker actually trained in the saxophone for the role. So his playing
is convincing, because he knows what he is doing. The second round of kudos for good
acting goes to Gary Oldman for his performance in Immortal Beloved, as Ludwig van Beethoven. Mr.
Oldman is a piano player, and the shots of him playing are convincing because he
actually is playing. Other actors fake it well. Their job is, after all, to make you and me believe that they are
someone other than themselves. But there are a few clues to spot those actors who didn't
even take a second to research the instrument they are playing. Let's look at some. The Saxophone
The most obvious way to spot a person who doesn't know anything about the saxophone
is the absence of a reed. The second clue is that the mouthpiece is upside down. I admit,
these "clues" are normally visible in sculpture and paintings, but they do trickle their way
to the silver screen. Another clue is to watch where the fingers of the right hand are.
Many saxophones have a pearl key on the front high-F key. If the actor keeps her or his
first finger over this key, they obviously don't know what they are doing. You can also
watch to see if they are fingering actual notes, or just moving their fingers. For the very
observant, try to recognize the brand of saxophone. Would a professional player use a
student model? Gotcha! These same "clues" can tip you off to almost any false
woodwind player. Brass Instruments
Check to make sure the actor is blowing while the notes are being played. Is the
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