Trish Arnold's Movement Training for Actors

Trish Arnold (1918-2017) was a pioneer in the field of movement. Her work stands alongside that of movement practitioners such as Litz Pisk, Jacques Lecoq and Rudolf Laban in its influence on international theatre, film and drama-school training. Until now, her practice has never been written down in its entirety, but has been passed from body to body, through one-to-one teaching between movement practitioners. 'All you have is yourself, no words, no script in hand, no music to dance to, nothing to hide behind. It was just me – the pure expression of my desire.'

Lizzie Ballinger's intimate and groundbreaking book provides the first full exploration of Arnold's movement training for actors, focusing on the context, practice and evolution of Arnold's work, and its legacy in theatre-making today. Beginning with Arnold's journey into theatre from a dance background, Ballinger describes her own mentorship with Movement Director and Choreographer Jane Gibson, Arnold's first mentee, and provides a detailed and honest reflection on how she learned to teach this work.

Supplemented throughout by beautiful illustrations of her movements, alongside Arnold's original notes and sketches, this book gives a clear and concise explanation of how to embody Arnold's movements. With no words, no script, and no music to guide the performer, this approach demands a profound level of self-expression and embodied understanding. The work requires the actor to strip away all external crutches and confront the raw essence of their physical and emotional being. It is a practice of becoming fully present, shedding layers of learned behaviors and habitual tensions to reveal the pure, authentic self.

Arnold's training emphasizes the importance of breath, alignment, and a deep, somatic connection to the body. Through a series of exercises and explorations, actors are guided to cultivate a heightened awareness of their physicality, learning to move with greater fluidity, responsiveness and expressive power. The work also delves into the realm of emotional embodiment, encouraging performers to tap into their deepest wells of feeling and channel them through their bodies.

Ballinger's book serves as a vital resource for actors, directors, and movement practitioners, offering a comprehensive introduction to Arnold's revolutionary approach. By illuminating the principles and practices at the heart of this work, it empowers readers to unlock their own creative potential and engage in a more visceral, embodied form of performance. Through this work, the actor becomes a true artist of the body, a conduit for the raw, unfiltered expression of the human experience.

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