MEMORIZE LINES
Memorize lines like a true Shakespearean actor.
Remembering lines can be tough but I will show you a proven way that is 2,500 years old that even Shakespeare himself used. This fast and easy way to memorize lines, is called THE MIND PALACE
The mind palace actually dates back thousands of years, all the way back to 477 B.C. Shakespeare used this method with his actors at the Globe Theater in London when he wanted his actors to memorize lines.
Here’s the concept of how this works. Imagine the window in your room is open and you look out where 2 bumble bees are buzzing away carrying a question mark.
Then next to the window is a chair. In that chair is a Noble person sitting, and in that space is crazy weather. He’s surrounded by wind and snow.
Next imagine a human brain. That brain is in pain and is suffering.
Now let’s go back and review. In the window is 2 bees carrying question marks, next was a noble man in bad weather, and following that was a human brain suffering in pain. Maybe you’ve already figured out what I’ve done but if you haven’t, I just took the first few lines of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy. We have taken these lines and placed pictures around the room to give us queues to memorize lines.
“To be or not to be?, that is the question
Whether ’tis nobler
In the mind to suffer.”
So you may be wondering, “How did Shakespeare use this to memorize lines?”. When he had the Globe Theater constructed, he already had this technique in mind. He had five doors built and each door was a different color. He had five columns built and each column was a different color. Each door and column were locations that his actors would imagine their lines and see them interacting with the columns or the doors.
For other locations they would also use paintings, steps or even exit signs within the theater. They would take their lines and create pictures or brain triggers. They would place these images around the room so that if they ever were to get stuck all they had to do was look around to help remember.
You can create your very own mind palace by standing in the doorway of each room in your house. Number 5 pieces of furniture 1,2,3,4,5. Then go to the next room 6,7,8,9,10. Then the next 11,12,13,14,15 and so on. When you complete that close your eyes and say them forwards and backwards until you have them memorized. Then take your lines and turn them into pictures and imagine them around the pieces of furniture in your house. When you are up on the stage just think back to your house to help you remember your lines when you feel stuck.
