Your pocket guide to De-role

What it contains

This guide is a resource of the Arts Wellbeing Collective. The content was created, reviewed and informed by Arts Centre Melbourne.

About this guide

We spend so much time meticulously getting into character – thinking, feeling, speaking, and moving as someone else – how much time and energy do you spend getting out of character?

It can take more than a quick debrief and a post-show high five! Getting out of character properly can help you avoid:

• Poor mental health and wellbeing from ineffective or absent de-role practice
• Character creep and character bleed
• Blurred boundaries between actor and character
• Intrusive thoughts, feelings or behaviours that are not your own

At the time of writing, there are no formal research-based guidelines for getting out of character. The following ideas are drawn from anecdotal evidence and clinical experience.

Hopefully you will find tips and tricks to help you return to your wonderful self!