Actors are revealing the importance of deep understanding in remembering lines, rather than mindless repetition. By focusing on the character’s motivation, background, and mood, actors can recall lines naturally during performances. This approach enabled a septuagenarian actor to memorize all 10,565 lines of Milton’s “Paradise Lost” through deep understanding, not rote memorization. This strategy of deep understanding can benefit anyone in everyday life, enhancing memory retention. Deep processing, providing meaning and associations, promotes better retention than shallow processing. Meaningful associations help with recalling information more easily. John Seamon, author and professor, emphasizes the significance of deep understanding in memory retention.
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-actors-remember-their-lines/