Different styles of direction - Are you a sledgehammer?

Different styles of direction is something you come across often when working as an actor, and being able to adapt and absorb the swings and blows is a skill that will leave you in good stead (and employed!) if you become a professional that is known for taking direction well . Interpreting direction efficiently and clearly is your job. Directors don´t care if you are uncomfortable lying a certain way, or are over-exerting yourself by screaming too many times etc, they are the ones with a vision you are the tool. Can you imagine a hammer telling the builder that it would prefer it hit the nail differently? You are the hammer, the production is the nail and the director is going to smash the production into shape using all of you, it is up to you to decide if you are a little tack hammer, a rubber mallet or a sledgehammer.. At the moment I am working with a producer/director/author/musical director/choreographer/actress, and I am a swinging ball, you know the ones attatched to a crane that they swing into the sides of buildings! We have a week to prepare a musical for a school, yes a week. Obviously a prissy little tack hammer won´t get the job done, in fact instead of writing this I really ought to be learning my lines but whilst the analogy of the a sledgehammer was in my head I thought I would grab a quick break and write about it. Are there any particular styles of direction that you have come across or use that you can share with us? I am going to write more on this soon, but fear of performing after only a weeks rehersing has grabbed me again and I´m going back to learn the songs..