There’s an important tenet in theatre that I want to share with you.
It’s this: if a prop gets dropped, or if something falls off someone’s costume, pick it up.
Young actors often miss this. They’re thinking, “That wasn’t supposed to happen, so I should ignore it.”
But the audience can’t ignore it. They will be distracted by the dropped glove, the page that fell out of the book, the unzipped zipper, until it’s dealt with.
A more experienced performer makes a decision and takes action. Even though he wasn’t explicitly told in rehearsal, “Hey, if your scene partner’s shawl slips off her shoulder and is trailing behind her on the floor, go pick it up and hand it back to her,” he knows that needs to happen.
The moment of decision is what’s important here. We have all been in situations when the unexpected happens, and we’re not sure if we’re supposed to do anything about it. Remember this: most people won’t act. Most people will be afraid of doing the wrong thing. Most people will think it’s not their job.
Make a decision to fix the problem. It doesn’t have to be the “most right” decision; it just has to serve the moment. Pick up the prop. Zip the zipper. Hand the shawl back.
Make the decision so everyone can move on.
