I am a theatre student from montreal, Canada. I'm currently doing a production of 12 Angry Jurrors as a class exercise. The problem is, however, i have an incompetant director. I don't mean to put this man down but to give a bit of background to understand my question, we are week to go on, and he has yet to talk to our schools prop department and lighting crew to get what we need. It's not only his incompetancy I have trouble with, but I don't agry with his artisitc choices, and this is where my question comes in. How do you as an actor deal with someone's criticism and constant pushing in a certain direction, when you know in your gut, that the choices are not organic and natural to you? Now just to elaborate so one doesn't think I'm a picky actor who doesn't want to try things out. His direction for a final speech in which the antagonist completely breaks down was directed to be on his knees. (I mean a little melodramatic isn't it). So once again, I need advice on how to work with a director who is forcing you to make choices that just don't feel right (keep in mind my performance is graded).
Thanks

As the director will possibly be doing the grading, give it what is wanted.
It would be difficult later to have the grade changed, so your stuck with it!
As your a student/apprentice learning the trade. What you might perceive is futile, in fact can be of value & a good grounding, when you come to doing your own thing.
You will meet up & hopefully work for all sorts of directors, good ones & complete Wally?s, at any time or other.
Take it on board & use it for your own benefit.
The director has given the basic plan, fame work & construction materials. Now it is your job to mix the mortar & build it.
There is an old adage;- That if you want to succeed in this game, it takes 80% attitude, with the balance made up of aptitude & whatever.
Hang in there get the credit & Chookas for the future.

thanks for the advice. Love the mortar analogy, it puts things into perspective.

I would ask myself the following questions.

1) Is the director going to be doing the grading?
2) If not, does he have any input to the grading process?

If the answer to either question is 'Yes' then I would do my best to go along with the director's wishes - perhaps you could change an aspect of your character's make-up so that what the director wants makes a bit more sense.

If the answer to both questions is 'No' then I would take the director's start and end points and work out my own journey.

Have you tried talking to the director about your concerns?

Good luck

It may depend on how you are graded. If you are to be graded solely on the performance, you have a reason to be concerned. A lot of theatre courses don't grade you on performance alone but how you approached the part, how you interacted with others during rehearsals and so on; you may also be asked to put your own comments to paper as part of the coursework. If that is the case, you can always point out (politely) areas where the director's choices did not match your own.

I agree that you should have an informal chat with your director and express your concerns. But don't be agressive to start with; get his/her side of the story first. There may be circumstances outside your control and his control and it will always be good to see it from the other person's point of view.

For example don't start by saying "doing the speech on the knees is corny and stupid" (I'm sure you wouldn't anyway!) but ask his advice saying "I'm not clear as to why that speech should be done that way - maybe it's just me, but I don't really understand". That's both polite, and shows that you take the director seriously.

Always allow for the possibility that the director has a valid point. Melodramatic presentation *is* appropriate in, erm, melodrama, for example. And we are used to low-key acting in films and TV (well, sometimes) where a good actor and director can achieve in a single facial expression what Shakespeare can only do in four lines of iambic pentameter. OK, slight overstatement. But be empathic; understand the director. Or try to.

Slightly offtopic:

I had a friend who had director problems - the director was putting some very explicit jokes into a family pantomime and it was unpleasant and unneeded. She didn't confront the director directly, but innocently asked (in front of the whole cast) that she really didn't understand the meaning of the lines, and could the director explain it to her and the cast... Result: Red-faced director, cut lines.

This is all wounderfull advice and very applicable to my situation. and in response to the unrelated redfaced director. Oh i've tried that tactic. It's wounderfull when you can politely point out your lack of comprehension. However my director (the same one i'm having the issue with now) took it as a direct atack and proceeding in having an interview with me to talk about my attitude problem. Funny how the most pleasent and polite student in the class seems to have attittude. Anyway..I digress and guess I'm venting frustration

Venting frustration here is fine, especially if it means you can go back and really get up their nose by dealing with things calmly!

I don't know what your school/college has for pastoral care, but is there another member of staff you can confide in at this stage? Conflicts between student and teacher are not unknown. If there is someone you can turn to and that someone is objective, trustworthy and rational, I recommend you do it. If you are depending on these grades (i.e. they are not just routine exams but affect your future career) you need to register your concerns NOW.

If things go badly for you in the examination and you complain afterwards that your director was no good, it will look like sour grapes. If you make some comments now, you can at least show that you made an effort. Same remarks as before, though. Be polite, don't be abrasive, and keep in mind the possibility that you might still be wrong!

Alternatively, just keep your head down and do what he wants on this occasion. This is particularly true if the director is also doing the grading. It may not always seem so, but (assuming you're at school) you have your life ahead of you and plenty of time to overcome a setback like this. Sounds daunting, perhaps, but true. If nothing else, remember that the rest of the class are in the same situation. I try to say to myself "oh well, that's a story to tell my grandchildren...."