How much should you ‘give’ at the read-through? Ask Jack Nicholson

Read-throughs are tricky scenarios. There’s usually an informal vibe, people mill and exchange pleasantries by the coffee machine next to bowls of fruit and biscuits in some hotel meeting room before casually sitting down to face each other at rows of tables arranged to form a square. You reach into your bag and pull out the script (which you may have had for a day or two if you’re lucky). Then, with the coffee still steaming in front of you and a biro in hand (just to look uber professional), the read-through begins.

This is all fine when the scenes are laid back and conversational, you stick to your principles, strike a relaxed tone and make eye contact whenever possible. The dilemma presents itself when the material shifts into a higher gear with scenes demanding emotional melt downs and fits of rage. HOW FAR SHOULD YOU GO?

Option 1. Give a reading that makes sense of the text while holding back enough emotionally so everyone knows you’re ‘not really giving it full out’.

Option 2. Give a good 70-80% representation of the emotional demands of the scene and risk everyone thinking that was you ‘in top gear’ (cue call from producer in the morning saying “they’ve gone in a ‘new direction’ with the role”.

Option 3. Throw all your inhibitions out the window and rip straight in to the text with the same commitment and gusto as if it were 2am in the morning and you were meant to wrap at midnight.

There’s probably no right answer and you’d be wise to judge every situation as you find it in that given moment. Or you could just do what JACK NICHOLSON did at the read-through for A Few Good Men and crank it straight up to eleven.

I remember the table read through. People are just throwing it out there, not really trying. Then as soon as Jack Nicholson began to read his part he gave the performance that he gave in the movie that day.

As soon as he spoke, everyone at the table went…”Oh we’re really doing this”.

NOAH WYLE on Jack Nicholson

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If you’re unsure, just ask yourself…What would Jack do?