Stage acting is more difficult than on-screen – Actor

FOR more than two hours, actor Bern Khobby sustained the attention of his audience as he sang, danced and acted all by himself in Kobina Ansah’s, latest play, Saints in A Devil’ Shoes, a monologue recently staged at the National Theatre.

And the ease with which he did it, one would think it came easily to him, but Bern Khobby reveals it was no walk in the park for him.

He admitted that it was tough holding the attention of the audience for over two hours, it required him to master his cues, stay energetic, and connect deeply with the audience to keep the performance engaging and believable.

Sharing his insight into the world of acting, Bern Khobby disclosed that stage plays offered a more intense experience compared to on-screen acting.

According to Khobby, the immediacy of live theatre, where actors and audience share the same space, created a unique energy that was hard to replicate in film or television and even worse in a monologue where one had to hold the attention of the audience for hours.

“The connection with the audience is direct and palpable. Every performance is a one-time experience, and the energy of the crowd can either elevate or challenge you. It’s a thrilling experience that keeps you on your toes.

“Unlike on-screen acting, where scenes can be retaken and edited, stage plays demand perfection in the moment,” he said in an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Monday, April 28.

Bern Khobby said when on stage, one could not afford to forget lines or miss a cue, adding that the adrenaline rush that came with live performances was unmatched and that was what attracted him to stage plays over and over again.

“When you’re on stage, you can’t afford to forget your lines or miss a cue. It’s very intense, and so I was excited with the positive reviews I had after my monologue in ‘Saints in A Devil’ Shoes’.

“Stage and screen acting are both difficult. I believe that if you truly understand acting and want to become a great, experienced, and method actor, then you need to have stage experience. Hollywood stars such as Denzel Washington still do stage plays.

“There’s no room for mistakes, and you can’t check your script. You must memorise your lines, your movements, everything. The process is intense and heavy”, he added.

Bern Khobby played Sika Blankson, a man who shares his struggles with debt, a failed marriage, and personal loss while hiding from debt collectors in a house that once belonged to a deceased classmate in the ‘Saints in the Devil’s Shoes’, a one-man musical stage play written by Kobina Ansah and produced by Scribe Productions.

He admitted that it was tough holding the attention of the audience for over two hours.

“The story and the script are very good, and that helped me because trust me, if one person is talking for two hours, it can get boring. But you need full energy, you have no opportunity to drop your energy. If you do, you lose your audience.

When asked how he managed to sing, dance, and act all by himself, he laughed and attributed his success to the grace of God, passion, hard work, determination, and an unwavering commitment to see his endeavours through to a successful end.

Bern Khobby has featured in several screen and stage productions including With You Every Moment, Dede, Madam, To Have and To Hold, Finding Daisy, and He Said She Said. The ‘Saints in the Devil’s’ Shoes is his fourth play with Scribe Productions.

In addition to acting, Bern Khobby also sings, is an MC, a model, and an insurance sales and marketing representative.