Acting Out a Fight

Again, T - could stand for Traveler
and, F - could be for Friend

T and F were in the middle of a conversation when this idea occurred to T.

‘Let’s act out a fight between us, as it could happen in future’

‘Okay’, F agreed without protest.

What followed was ten minutes of intense acting and superb rehearsal. T has had an exposure to theatre and was not exactly the worst actor in Delhi. F seemed a natural. There was no breaking out into laughter or breaking off the act.


The act had a beginning, middle and an end. F won of course, but T shouted otherwise.

‘Hey, isn’t that great, we could actually act out the fight’ chuckled F.

'I am impressed to say the least!' T really was impressed.'Felt, kind of good, acting out this fight' F was amused.

‘Yeah, and I am wondering that how these things would change if the fight was for real. I mean the same words and expressions would end up hurting us.’ T was thinking.

‘Hmm, the words would be just the same but our tone, pitch and body manners would do the damage.’ F was thinking as well.

‘I guess there is a big learning in this. Whenever we get into such situations of anger, frustration, bitterness and fighting, which is not exactly our natural or normal state, we should remember that we are merely acting. This is just a rehearsal and we are actors, not the characters that we are playing. That the emotions of joy, anger, pain, angst and bitterness are of the characters, not ours. We should just be faithful to the roles that we play and not think that we are those characters themselves. That would make things so simple’ T was preaching now.

‘The tough part is most actors get too engrossed in their roles and think that those emotions are their own. Imagine, it would be so funny then for them to feel real pain, agonise and die as many times as their characters die.’ F was grinning.

‘Yeah, some people call it method acting and rake millions out of it’. T added.

F was silent for a long time, T knew that the old topic has ended and no further discussion would ensue.

‘What are you thinking?’ T asked finally.

‘Will you really fight with me like that? Mmm? ’ F asked and looked up to T, like a small pup would look up to it's master in the morning begging for a morning stroll.  

‘It’s hard to avoid fights and disagreements; they are a part of the game. They….’ T was interrupted before his long monologue.

‘Fight like that, in real?’ F interrupted and asked again.


‘Mmmm..we would use this lesson of acting out!’ T replied.

‘Yeah, let’s do one more’ F was grinning again.