The use of gesture is a profound and essential tool for conveying emotions, intentions, and character depth.
Gestures are the physical expressions that actors employ to communicate with their audience. This could be a hand movement, a facial expression, or even the posture of their body.
I’ve taught movement to the acting students at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) for 7 years now, and of their two year curriculum there’s an ENTIRE module dedicated solely to the study of gestural language.
Why?
Because non-verbal presentation is the platform from which the verbal (text) is projected. For the actor, the specificity and authenticity of physical language grounds and dances with the text in delivery (even if it’s just an extended silence with the tapping of the fingers on a table).
Gestural language can also convey an immense amount of information about the character (and their inner world) without a single word being uttered.
There are SEVERAL ideas and categories of gesture which we explore in our two-year curriculum, but here are the four essential gestures actors need to know.
The Four Most Essential Gestures Actors Need to Know:
Signature Gesture
This is a gesture that we instantly identify with a certain character. It is a habitual gesture that the character does with regularity.
It could be non-functional, e.g. constantly rotating a wedding ring, rubbing the earlobe or stroking a beard. Or it could be intentional, like the way Donald Trump brings his hands back and forth during his speeches.
One of the ways an actor can start to physically unlock a character is to explore a possible signature gesture for the character.
Shadow Gesture
This is a gesture that expresses what the character is feeling subconsciously. Whilst it isn’t intended by the ‘character’ to be displayed, IT IS intended to be shown by the ‘actor playing the character.’ This gesture allows the audience to have a deeper understanding of the character’s inner world.
For example: a nervous biting of the lips, a frustrated tapping of a finger, or the rolling of the eyes.
Social Gesture
Any character is located within a community or culture. Social gesture looks at the unique gestures that are particular to that community or culture. It is the non-verbal gestural language of the ‘tribe’ your character belongs to.
For example: In Thailand, people greet one another with the ‘Wai’ (pronounced way). This elegant gesture entails a slight bow, with palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. Another example could be a particular hand gesture that a street gang uses to communicate solidarity.
Symbolic Gesture
Whilst a lot of gestures are non-verbal symbols or signs that replace language (eg. a head nod means ‘yes’, pressing a finger against lips means ‘be quiet etc),
I prefer to to use the term ‘symbol’ more poetically, and to challenge the actor to create a gestural poetry with their choices.
In this study the actor actively explores and creates gestures that symbolise an action the character is consciously or subconsciously wanting to do.
For example: placing a hand across the heart when talking to someone can sometimes symbolise that the speaker is speaking from the heart, BUT it could also mean (and this is less common) that the speaker is protecting their ‘heart/emotional space,’ and does not want to let the person they are interacting with into that space. It depends your intention and how you play the gesture.
To end...
Gestures in acting enhance storytelling and marry the actor to their character.
The study of gesture develops a consciousness in the actor that increases their understanding of their body as an instrument of communication.
In the moment of ‘acting’ they are NOT consciously determining which gesture they are doing. In the moment of acting they are simply instinctively ‘acting’.
It is the study beforehand and the increased physical awareness which informs inspired, creative, and poetic choices in the moment.
Ultimately, mastering the art of gesture in acting requires practice, observation, and a deep understanding of human behaviour.
It’s about harnessing the power of non-verbal communication to create compelling, multi-dimensional characters that resonate with audiences on a profound level.
Gesture is NOT just an accessory to acting; it is a fundamental language that enriches the craft and elevates performances to new heights.
These are the gestures actors need to know.
I hope this helps!
-Andrew 🙂