Waja say??

I see mumbling actors are in the news again (see 19/7/13) following the BBC's production of Jamaica Inn (which I didn't watch).  I reckon it all goes back to Marlon Brando who famously used the Stanislavski Method when preparing for his role in "On The Waterfront" and muttered and slurred his way through his part as a punch-drunk boxer.  Strangely I didn't find him that difficult to follow in that film, but the idea that in order to produce a good performance you had to fully immerse yourself in the character became the done thing.  Dustin Hoffman went to extreme lengths in preparing for his role in "Marathon Man" as a man at the end of his physical and mental tether by going without sleep and not eating properly.  He was surprised to see his co-star Sir Laurence Olivier looking urbane and sophisticated and asked him how he managed to get himself into his part.  The great man looked at him and said "It's called acting, dear boy".