Advice about actors, and show!!!!!!

[ParisInTheAutumn]

I would really appreciate advice from people. Basically I am directing (for the first time) three one act plays and one actor who is in two of them has not really learnt his lines and I'm not sure what to do. I've tried to encourage him and try to help him learn his lines, as well as teling him he'll let eople down if he doesn't learn his lines. There is one more rehearsal before the dress rehearsal and the play is being shown in exactly one week. One of the plays is just him and another actor and this other actor has told me how worried she is about the lack of progress he is making. There are two other male actors in the other plays and they have shown themselves to be good at learning lines. The lead actress wants me to ask one of them to do it. The problem is they both have commitments throughout this week, and I am not sure about asking them behind the guy's back, but then I am thinking if i tell him i am doing it, it could discourage him from doing further work on it. Any advice?

[Han]

You have my sympathy - it's a horrible situation as a director, with everything else you have to worry about, having an unco-operative actor to deal with. The advice I would give is:

1. Sit the guy down and really underline the problems you're having. Don't let him turn it into a joke, or make empty promises. If necessary, have your producer with you, but I would suggest not having the other actress as it might get emotional/personal.

2. Try incentives - he learns lines, you buy a drink.

3. Threaten to remove him from the show if you believe it will be damaging to the production - look for an understudy NOW. I wouldn't advise asking either of the other two actors to take over, they're obviously too busy and extra stress could affect their own performances. Also, avoid dishonesty - don't do it behind their back.

In my experience, it's the dress rehearsal that really shocks an actor into line-learning (assuming they've left it that late). One of the most important things to do (if you haven't already, and you have rehearsals left) is not allow them to have a script and not use a prompt. Instead, give them an experience of exactly what it will be like on stage for them and their co-actor. The shock should work. It will be excruciating, but hold firm and don't be intimidated!

Best of luck!