Somewhere way back in my training I read this comment, which was a Russian director's response when asked what was most important for actors to work on. I never forgot it, and today in Vancouver I couldn't agree more. When I work with my students or go to the theatre or watch tv, the thing that concerns me most often is lack of voice.  By that I mean: I can't hear or understand; the voice lacks the power and flexibility to carry the emotions and thoughts required by the text; the voice is simply uninteresting or even irritating.  What's to be done?  Quite a few students and other actors mention having taken The Voice Intensive here.  Sounds good, is good, but the work has to be ongoing, lifelong, daily.  I get the impression sometimes that many local actors think their voices are "fine" and that there's no need to upset the natural apple cart with a lot of artificial exercises.  Just truth, naturalness, and "doing it" will suffice.  I think this is a mistake.  Every time I sit in The Playhouse, The Stanley, PTC, Roundhouse, wherever, and can't hear or understand, I think it's a mistake.  Now, I have physical coming up and I'll get my hearing checked, but I don't think that's the problem.  Symptomatic of the problem is the fact that a major festival like Bard on the Beach has no voice coach. Say what?  Want to be in the same league as Stratford or the RSC?  Get a voice coach, and an Alexander teacher while you're at it.  You can't afford not to.  The larger of the two Bard theatres screams out, "Get me a voice coach!"  Sometimes I think the domination of film and tv in this town has something to do with the lack of voice.  But, on screen, give me Ben Kingsley, Brent Carver, Judy Dench, Seana McKenna, or Colm Feore over pretty but squeaky anytime.  So what's the solution?  Voice, voice, and more voice. There are good voice teachers in town (Trish Allen for one).  Sadly, Patsy Rodenburg (the best) only comes as close as L.A. so far.  But she has books and a video out, available at Biz.  But first, we need an acknowledgement that things aren't fine when we're not sharing our whole truth, and the truth of the writers, with the audience!

                                                              Respectfully, Donald Adams