Learning lines

Anyone got any good tecniques for learning lines?

I'm trying to learn my speech but really struggling.

I have someone joining me on Thursday to "polish it" but its going to be difficult if I can't deliver it.

I've learnt about 10 minutes of 45.

I do have problems "seeing words and numbers" I did have a test for Dyslexia as a kiddie but it proved inconclusive. Whatever that bloody means. But to give you example if you gave me a telephone number I would only be able to remember the first number.

Anyway - any advice would be welcome.

Quote: bigfella @ April 5 2010, 6:15 PM BST

I have someone joining me on Thursday to "polish it" but its going to be difficult if I can't deliver it.

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Do you think you'd still have to pay?

Quote: Leevil @ April 5 2010, 6:17 PM BST

Do you think you'd still have to pay?

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And learning the lines?

Try breaking it down and learn little sections at a time? There's still a few days to go so I reckon there's time to do it. Don't start panicking....yet.

What speech?

I've heard reading each individual line rapidly can help if you do it multiple times.

In my stnadup I write more than I need and then read it and practise till I'm comfortable with it. Then after a while I can half improv half do it from memory.

I'm not a very good standup though....

A fully memorised speach is not always good.

I had to learn 3,000 words for an essay last year. I recorded myself saying it and read along as I listened to it back. I hated the sound of my own voice even more by the end of it, but I got full marks on the essay.

Thanks for the ideas all.

The stupid thing is it's all about me. So you would think I would I know it....

Breaking it into chunks is wisest, and take some cards with key points wriitten on just in case you go blank. And die a hideous lingering death in front of a room full of people. All staring coldly at you... Good luck!

I saw on TV the most important thing is to adopt the actor's stance and roar before every line. Come to think of it, it was Blackadder 3 so best ignore that.

Don't envy you having to memorise so much. Because I do all the editing on the Slaggs' scripts, I know when someone is reading them wrong and can usually interrupt with the correct line but I find it harder actually having to deliver them as an actor.

I always record any scripts I've got to learn on my dictaphone. I find it the best way. Though reading a section then saying it out loud is also a good technique.

Quote: chipolata @ April 5 2010, 8:02 PM BST

And die a hideous lingering death in front of a room full of people. All staring coldly at you!

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You've been to one of our gigs?

Quote: SlagA @ April 5 2010, 8:03 PM BST

You've been to one of our gigs?

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Quote: SlagA @ April 5 2010, 8:03 PM BST

You've been to one of our gigs?

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I'm not sure, did you guys holding up the Welsh Assembly with a bag full of sheep excrement and explosives until they agreed to bring "People of the Valley" count?

Lots of good ideas above, but if your memory is really that shocking (join the club) then I don't see anything wrong with reading from script, even politicians do that now. Memorising lines of songs, poems, even jokes is totally beyond me, I have gone out many a time and had to sneak out the piece of paper from my pocket, sometimes to remind me why I'm there. Nothing wrong with it.

Neat cue cards are quite respectable really.

You can do the old joke of taking up a 1000 then throwing them over your shoulder.
Everyone will think you're going to give a long speach and be delighted when you don't.