Silence in Performance and Communication
- Bernadette
- Performance , Communication
- 16 Jan, 2025
The Importance of Silence
Silence.
It’s disconcerting.
Silence can feel so heavy and loud. In my experience, people are uncomfortable with silence for various reasons. Let’s say there’s a power dynamic where you’re in a room with someone who has control over your fate. Maybe you’re waiting on news from somebody and you can’t help but want to know what they’re about to say. Maybe you’re nervous on stage and you feel like you need to go fast when it’s your turn so that other people can get to their turn faster, or you just want to get off the stage ASAP.
In my opinion, silence is just as important, if not more important, than the words on the page. A pregnant pause can be so powerful because it can indicate the importance of what follows. For example, there’s a conflict that’s very escalated and heated, but then a moment of silence occurs between the warring parties, thus leading to a result - whether it’s continuing the tension, or maybe the tension abruptly dissipates. Maybe it’s a doctor delivering bad news and everybody deep down knows what’s coming on bated breath, but the doctor has to compose himself first. He knows that the information he’s about to give is going to change lives forever. Let’s say on a happier note, the silence is right before a good friend gives you some really exciting news about her life. Or maybe it’s played up for comedic effect - it can make for an awkward situation where two people start talking and quickly run out of things to talk about.
Exploring the Use of Silence
I encourage you to explore the use of silence; the use of pauses. Feel how your performance changes when you add these nuances in. At first, silence will feel awkward. A few seconds can feel like a few minutes. You’ll probably start to feel uncomfortable, maybe even feel a little scared or feel like you’re taking too long. Experiment with silence in the ways that you read your script. Maybe you take a deep sigh between two lines and pause. Maybe you take silence at the beginning and you wait to deliver the line for one reason or another. You can also utilize it as a very important moment to listen to your scene partner. There’s various possibilities, and of course, they will all depend on the context of the scene.
Tips for Harnessing Silence
- Be Comfortable with Uncomfortable: Silence can be awkward initially, but with practice, you’ll become more comfortable with it.
- Listen Actively: Use silence to listen to your scene partner or audience. This can enhance your understanding and connection.
- Experiment with Pauses: Try different types of pauses and see how they affect your performance. A deep sigh, a moment of thought, or a brief pause can all have different effects.
Conclusion
Please don’t skip over this! Silence is just as important as anything else on the page. If you can harness this power, for lack of better words, it will put you above the competition because you understand. So sit, be silent, get comfortable with being uncomfortable and see what happens.
Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with silence in the comments below!
