The changing determinants of UK television acting

Few aspects of archive television drama are more redolent of the era in which they were produced than the performance style employed – a factor which all too often prompts incomprehension, disbelief or even ridicule from those who seek to impose purely immanent readings upon them. In order to fully comprehend the acting styles of yesteryear, it is necessary to gain some understanding of the circumstances under which they were produced. This article therefore sets out to examine the various determinants of television acting, and how they have changed between the era of live, multi-camera studio drama and the present day.