ACTOR’S CRAFT

The actor’s profession necessitates rigorous emotional labour, defined as the management of feeling to create a convincing public display (Hochschild 17). While this task requires advanced Emotional Intelligence (EI), specifically in self-awareness and emotional regulation, theatrical pedagogy, particularly within African university systems like the University of Benin (UNIBEN), often lacks formal, structured psychological training. The traditional assumption that emotional competence is a residual outcome of technical training critically overlooks the documented psychological hazards, such as emotional spillage and boundary erosion, inherent in techniques like emotional memory (Hetzler 15). Thisacademic void poses a serious ethical and professional challenge, risking the long-term psychological integrity of student performers. This qualitative, phenomenological study sought to critically analyse the subjective, livedemotional experiences of UNIBEN student performers in relation to the four branches of theSalovey and Mayer EI ability model (189). Employing purposive sampling, the researchconducted in depth, semi structured interviews with five student actors actively engagedindepartmental productions. The data collection focused on eliciting narratives concerningemotional preparation, self control tactics, and critical evaluations of the existing curriculum. The thematic analysis prioritised the identification of communal coping strategies andsystemic pedagogical deficiencies. The study was strictly delimited to the UNIBENTheatreArts Department to ensure contextual rigour and transferability of findings to similar Africaninstitutions. The empirical data confirmed a significant imbalance in EI skill acquisition. The studentsdemonstrated highly developed interpersonal EI (social perception and empathy), relyingheavily on observation and somatic markers to achieve collaborative harmony. Performeraccounts consistently affirmed that empathy and observation were the most effective toolsforcrafting believable characters. Conversely, the findings exposed a critical deficiencyinintrapersonal EI (emotional regulation). All high level performers reported relyingonthepsychologically taxing method of deep acting, resulting in pervasive evidence of boundaryfailure. Instances of carrying character attitudes home and feeling emotionally weigheddownpost rehearsal were common, demonstrating that the aesthetic pursuit of 'truthfulness' activelycompromises psychological sustainability. Students' self reported protective measures—such as prayer, music, and simple self reminders—were deemed individualistic and criticallyinadequate, confirming the absence of institutional de roling protocols. Furthermore, thedatashowed that a high emotional facilitation skill often outpaced regulatory capacity, heightening the risk of affective overwhelm. This research concludes that the UNIBEN theatre training model is systemically incomplete, inadvertently graduating performers who are emotionally vulnerable. The curriculumsuccessfully teaches emotional access but fails entirely to teach emotional containment. Thispedagogical oversight transfers the burden of psychological safety fromthe institutiontotheindividual student, creating an unethical professional hazard. The study strongly recommendsa paradigmatic shift in UNIBEN’s training philosophy. Future pedagogy must formallyintegrate mandatory performance psychology modules, structured de roling rituals, andemotional containment exercises into the curriculum to ensure that the psychological
11resilience of the actor is defined, taught, and assessed as a core professional competency, alongside traditional voice and movement training. Keywords: Emotional Intelligence (EI), Actor’s Craft, Emotional Regulation, DeepActing, UNIBEN, Boundary Failure, Theatre Pedagogy