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Movement means:

• where the actors move on the stage, what this communicates to the audience and the effect this has upon the drama
• the physical methods actors use to help with characterisation, eg moving quickly, lightly or slowly
• the way actors use weight and space to communicate character
• how actors move in relation to other characters onstage, eg fearfully, threateningly or in a friendly manner

This clip shows actors at the Soho Theatre in London experimenting with movement and body language. Does the way the actors try different approaches to an attempted kiss change our reading of the characters' relationship?

Movement and motivation

Choice of movement must take into account not only the feelings of a character at any given moment in a play, but what’s most effective in terms of visual impact. For instance, stillness during an emotional monologue might be very powerful, but other scenes may demand greater pace and variety of movement to keep the audience engaged.

Try to link movement with the motivation of a character. A new thought may inspire a character to rise from a chair. You must also consider how emotions inspire movement. Making a difficult decision could cause a character to pace up and down the stage. Rising panic might be communicated by repetitive nervous movements which increase in frequency as fear and tension build.