Sanford Meisner was an actor and acting teacher at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York who developed his own style of teaching known as The Meisner Technique to train truthful acting. Over the years he worked with a diverse range of actors and directors including Sydney Pollack, David Mamet, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Gregory Peck and more.

From all the techniques in “serious” acting we’ve found The Meisner technique the most helpful for improv, so we’ve developed this course for improvisers who are keen to know more.

Meisner technique helps create a strong emotional connection between you and your scene partner, as you find everything you need is with the other person. Through repetition exercises you gain an increased awareness of the emotional and physical offers from your scene partner, and the liberating ability to spontaneously act on impulse with pure honesty.

We’ll be training the two core muscles at the heart of Meisner’s work: seeing clearly and responding truthfully. You’ll learn to tune in fully to your scene partner, notice every offer (even the small ones) and respond honestly. This training will help you to get out of your head, deepen your emotional availability and build scenes that have weight, connection and real stakes.

During the course you will explore Meisner’s core concept of ‘living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.’ We’ll use classic Meisner exercises – repetition, knock at the door, independent activity and emotional preparation – alongside scene work where we will put listening, emotional truth and responsiveness into practice.

Whether you’re new to Meisner or returning to it to apply it to improv, this is for performers who want to let go of self-consciousness and build scenes that are rich, truthful and affecting.