Phil Davis: The process of acting. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cassidy, Gary; Knox, Simone
• Other Names: Lacey Stephen guest-editor.; Knox Simone guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Critical studies in television. Volume 13:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 315
• Page End: 332
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Phil Davis -- acting -- invisible acting -- lamprotes -- Vera Drake -- The Curse of Steptoe -- Bleak House -- Sherlock; Television -- Periodicals; Television criticism -- Periodicals; 384.5505
• DOI: 10.1177/1749602018785833
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1749-6020

Abstract

Phil Davis has had a distinguished career, receiving widespread acclaim for his 'invisible' acting. This article illuminates Davis' approach to acting via a transcribed interview conducted at the 'Acting on Television' symposium at the University of Reading in 2016. This material is framed by a contextualising introduction that proposes that John Flaus' concept of lamprotes is useful for understanding Davis' acting. The interview is structured by four case studies exploring Davis' work across a range of medium/genre contexts: feature film Vera Drake, docudrama The Curse of Steptoe, drama serial adaptation Bleak House and crime drama Sherlock .