Cue Tears: On the Act of Crying

Crying is a complex and ambiguous emotion that is often used in conversations about emotions. Tears can signal positive and negative affects, be sincere or simulated, and have been extensively studied in the context of acting and spectatorship. Daniel Sacks' book "Cue Tears: On the Act of Crying" explores the mechanisms of tear production, internal and external techniques used by actors to weep, and the effects of tears in performance situations. The book draws on a range of instances from literature, theater, performance art, visual art, and cinema, and also incorporates the author's autobiographical and personal experiences with tears.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 214 pages
Publication date: 31 July 2024
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Crying holds a privileged place in conversations around emotions as an expression of authentic feeling. And yet, tears are ambiguous: they might signal the most positive and negative of affects; they might present a sincere revelation of self or be simulated to manipulate others. Unsurprisingly, tears figure prominently on stage and on screen, where actors have experimented with the mechanics of making tears. Cue Tears: On the Act of Crying uses tears as a prism through which to see some of the foundational problems and paradoxes of acting and spectatorship anew, including matters of authenticity and sincerity, the ethics of the witness, the interaction between a speech act and its affective force, liveness and documentation.

Across seven semi-autonomous essays, Cue Tears looks at the mechanisms of tear production, internal and external techniques that actors use to weep, and the effects of tears in performance situations on the stage, in the gallery, and in the classroom. The writing moves with a light touch between theory and criticism of a broad range of instances from literature, theater, performance art, visual art, and cinema, while also embracing a strong autobiographical and personal slant. Author Daniel Sacks' father was a biochemist who studied tears and collected his son's tears for research during his childhood. These "reflex tears" were produced as a physical response to irritation—an eye stretched past the point of blinking, a cotton swab up the nose. This childhood occupation coincided with his first years taking acting classes, trying to learn how to cry "emotional tears" onstage through psychological stimulation and the recollection of memory. Cue Tears investigates these memories and methods, finding that tears both shore up and dissolve distinctions between acting and reality, between the self and the other, and between the performer and the audience.

One of the key themes of Cue Tears is the idea of authenticity. Sacks argues that tears are a powerful tool for conveying authenticity because they are a direct expression of the self. When an actor cries, they are not just pretending to be sad or angry; they are actually experiencing those emotions. This authenticity can be particularly powerful in performance situations, where the audience is expecting a certain emotional response. However, Sacks also notes that tears can be manipulated to create a false sense of authenticity. Actors can use techniques such as blinking, sniffing, and wiping their eyes to create tears that look more real, but these techniques can also be seen as a form of deception.

Another theme of Cue Tears is the ethics of the witness. Sacks argues that tears are a powerful tool for witnessing the truth. When an actor cries, they are not just expressing their own emotions; they are also witnessing the emotions of the other characters in the scene. This can be particularly powerful in performance situations where the audience is expected to empathize with the characters. However, Sacks also notes that tears can be used to manipulate the audience's emotions. Actors can use techniques such as crying in a way that is designed to evoke a specific emotional response, such as sadness or anger, without actually conveying the truth of the situation.

The interaction between a speech act and its affective force is another key theme of Cue Tears. Sacks argues that tears can have a powerful impact on the meaning of a speech act. When an actor cries, they are not just saying words; they are also expressing their emotions. This can be particularly powerful in performance situations where the audience is expecting a certain emotional response. However, Sacks also notes that tears can be used to undermine the meaning of a speech act. Actors can use techniques such as crying in a way that is designed to evoke a specific emotional response, such as sadness or anger, without actually conveying the truth of the situation.

Liveness and documentation are also important themes of Cue Tears. Sacks argues that tears are a powerful tool for creating a sense of liveness in performance situations. When an actor cries, they are not just acting; they are actually experiencing the emotions of the moment. This can be particularly powerful in performance situations where the audience is expecting a certain emotional response. However, Sacks also notes that tears can be used to undermine the sense of liveness in performance situations. Actors can use techniques such as crying in a way that is designed to evoke a specific emotional response, such as sadness or anger, without actually conveying the truth of the situation.

In conclusion, Cue Tears: On the Act of Crying is a fascinating and thought-provoking book that uses tears as a prism through which to see some of the foundational problems and paradoxes of acting and spectatorship anew. Sacks argues that tears are a powerful tool for conveying authenticity, the ethics of the witness, the interaction between a speech act and its affective force, liveness and documentation. While tears can be manipulated to create a false sense of authenticity, they can also be used to convey the truth of the situation. Cue Tears is a must-read for anyone interested in the art of acting and spectatorship.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 136 x 203 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472056903