ABSTRACT
Anthropologists produce texts, and this has an impact on the way they listen; they concentrate mostly on words and write down words, even if a word is only the tip of the iceberg, which can only occur because it is carried through breath and the need to respond. Actors undergo a different education of attention. It is trivial to state that they must listen to their partners on stage, but this is more difficult than it sounds in such an artificial situation because the text is given in advance. The only possibility is to explore how a sigh, the colour of a voice and a whisper resonate in oneself and in others. The classification of laughter, an interjection such as ‘hey’ or a word is of no importance to actors; what matters is how people respond to each other. Listening attentively enables actors to react immediately and precisely, a skill that anthropologists need as well. This chapter is dedicated to the actor, reciter and teacher Christiane Zerda. It introduces acting exercises on human sounds and their resonance and unfolds the education of attention they allow for regarding anthropological research and teaching.
