Konstantin Stanislavsky/ Stanislavski
"Stanislavski's legacy is a system that allows actors to follow a detailed programme of work designed to lift their performances to a higher artistic plane. Stanislavski's "System" is based on his research, anaylsis and practice as an actor and director" ( Tourelle & McNamara: 1998)
RESOURCES:
BOOKS:
Allen, D. (1999) Stanislavski for Beginners, London: Writers & Readers
Brestoff, R.(1995) The Great Acting Teachers and their Methods, A Smith and Kraus Book, USA.
Gordon, M. (1987) The Stanislavski Technique: Russia: A Workbook for actors, New York: Applause
Merlin, B. (2003) Konstantin Stanislavsky, London: Routledge
Mitter, S. (1993) Systems of Rehearsals: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Grotowski and Brook, London: Routledge
Stanislavsky, K. (1980) An Actor Prepares, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen ( first published in Britain in 1937)
Stanislavsky, K. (1990) An Actor's Handbook, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen
Stanislavsky, K. (2000a) Building a Character, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen
Stanislavsky, K. (2000b) Creating a Role, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen
Tourelle, L. & McNamara, M. (1998) Performance: a practical approach to Drama, Melbourne: Heinemann
WEBSITES:
Stanislavsky - Wikipedia
Stanislavsky: Actor's training - Routledge
Theatrelinks
Realism and Naturalism - The Drama teacher
The Stanislavski system - Sawoski
FIVR TRUTHS - HL Solo
BOOKS:
Allen, D. (1999) Stanislavski for Beginners, London: Writers & Readers
Brestoff, R.(1995) The Great Acting Teachers and their Methods, A Smith and Kraus Book, USA.
Gordon, M. (1987) The Stanislavski Technique: Russia: A Workbook for actors, New York: Applause
Merlin, B. (2003) Konstantin Stanislavsky, London: Routledge
Mitter, S. (1993) Systems of Rehearsals: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Grotowski and Brook, London: Routledge
Stanislavsky, K. (1980) An Actor Prepares, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen ( first published in Britain in 1937)
Stanislavsky, K. (1990) An Actor's Handbook, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen
Stanislavsky, K. (2000a) Building a Character, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen
Stanislavsky, K. (2000b) Creating a Role, trans. Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, London: Methuen
Tourelle, L. & McNamara, M. (1998) Performance: a practical approach to Drama, Melbourne: Heinemann
WEBSITES:
Stanislavsky - Wikipedia
Stanislavsky: Actor's training - Routledge
Theatrelinks
Realism and Naturalism - The Drama teacher
The Stanislavski system - Sawoski
FIVR TRUTHS - HL Solo
Stanislavsky/Stanslavski's System - An Actor Prepares
When looking at Stanislavski's work, actors focus on his first book An Actor Prepares. The other two books - Building Character and Creating Role build and expand on the ideas put forward in the first book. This section focusses on the ideas from the first book. An Actor Prepares uses the form of semi fiction class led by Tortsov (aka Stanislavsky).
Chapter 1: The First Test
The first chapter show actors attempting characters that are ego driven and influenced by the acting styles of the 19th century. This means they cannot create interesting and believable characters.
Chapter 2 : When Acting is an Art
In this chapter, Tortsov outlines the four different schools of acting : living a role; representing a role; mechanical acting; overacting and exploitation.
Chapter 3 : Action - Action, If and Given circumstances
These key areas are focused on during the chapter but also mentioned through out are imagination, feelings, inner motives, and concentrated attention.
ACTION: Actors should be engaged in truthful, honest action. There is inner action and outer action - both have useful aspects. Every moment and line of text consists of an action.
IF: " What if ?" or "What would you do if...." - here we see the power of the imagination and that if asking the right "If" can move them to truthful action.
GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES : There are all the pieces of information that help actors interpret their character : story of the play; its facts; events; epoch; time and place of action; condition of life; the sets; the costumes; props; lighting and sound effects.
Chapter 4: Imagination
Real life must be converted to the stage using the imagination. It is a muscle that must be trained and exercised.
In script analysis Stanislavsky asks the actor to answer the six fundamental questions:
Who am I?
Where am I?
When am I here?
Why am I here?
For what reason am I here? - What do I want to achieve - Action
How shall I go about it? Future actions
Chapter 5: Concentration of Attention
The smallest circle is the actor in character. The actor is use to create a sense of being along in public - also know as public solitude. The next circle the person next to you in the scene, whilst the next circle includes the whole stage and the other actors, props and set. The biggest circle is the stage and the auditorium. Thus the audience watches the performance through the "fourth wall"
Chapter 6: Relaxation of Muscles
This chapter talks about the fact that you cannot do psychological character work if you are too tense. There is the concept of 'isolated act" of fine tuning the psycho-physical instrument. The inner and outer sensation are linked.
Chapter 7 : Units and Objectives
The script analysis can be divided into units or bits. This is a section of text in which a character is trying to achieve an objective. An objective is the main desire that is motivating a character's behavior in the scene. it should be expressed in an active verb. Some 21st practitioners spend time naming units. As Merlin(2003: 95) says ' if your objectives don't excite you as an actor, then scrap them and start again; textual analysis is a passionate affair not an academic exercise!"
Chapter 8 : Faith and a Sense of Truth
Faith and a sense of truth are created when the smallest physical action is linked with the given circumstances.
Chapter 9 : Emotional Memory
This area is also know as affective memory and sense memory. This is recalling situations which can link to the life of the character. This can include the muscular reaction to an event, emotional feelings and imagination. All these combine to help you recreate your character's feelings on stage. It is important that as an actor you can control the emotions being used.
Chapter 10 : Communion
The exchange of energy between one actor and another. which allows for attention on the other actor to occur.
Chapter 11: Adaption
Communion and Adaption happen simultaneously. When we are in "communion" with another actor then we adapt to each other. There are four different types of adaption : mechanical; motor; intuitive; semi-conscious.
Chapter 12: Inner Motive Forces
There are three main influences: intellect ( thought centre), feelings ( emotion centre) and the physicalisation of these ( will or action centre)
Chapter 13: The Unbroken Line
The inner and outer processes that make the character tick. This means filling in the details that are not detailed by the playwright.
Chapter 14: The 'Inner' Creative State
Stanislavsky decleared that " the fundamental objective of our psycho-technique isto put us in a creative state in which our subconcious will function naturally" (Stanislavsky:1980:281)
Chapter 15: The Super Objective
The super objective is the character's main goal in the play.
Chapter 16: on the Threshold of the Subconscious
In the last chapter, Stanislavsky attempts to bring together all the key concepts covered in the book.
( Merlin:2003; Stanislavsky:1980; Tourelle & McNamara: 1998)
Chapter 1: The First Test
The first chapter show actors attempting characters that are ego driven and influenced by the acting styles of the 19th century. This means they cannot create interesting and believable characters.
Chapter 2 : When Acting is an Art
In this chapter, Tortsov outlines the four different schools of acting : living a role; representing a role; mechanical acting; overacting and exploitation.
Chapter 3 : Action - Action, If and Given circumstances
These key areas are focused on during the chapter but also mentioned through out are imagination, feelings, inner motives, and concentrated attention.
ACTION: Actors should be engaged in truthful, honest action. There is inner action and outer action - both have useful aspects. Every moment and line of text consists of an action.
IF: " What if ?" or "What would you do if...." - here we see the power of the imagination and that if asking the right "If" can move them to truthful action.
GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES : There are all the pieces of information that help actors interpret their character : story of the play; its facts; events; epoch; time and place of action; condition of life; the sets; the costumes; props; lighting and sound effects.
Chapter 4: Imagination
Real life must be converted to the stage using the imagination. It is a muscle that must be trained and exercised.
In script analysis Stanislavsky asks the actor to answer the six fundamental questions:
Who am I?
Where am I?
When am I here?
Why am I here?
For what reason am I here? - What do I want to achieve - Action
How shall I go about it? Future actions
Chapter 5: Concentration of Attention
The smallest circle is the actor in character. The actor is use to create a sense of being along in public - also know as public solitude. The next circle the person next to you in the scene, whilst the next circle includes the whole stage and the other actors, props and set. The biggest circle is the stage and the auditorium. Thus the audience watches the performance through the "fourth wall"
Chapter 6: Relaxation of Muscles
This chapter talks about the fact that you cannot do psychological character work if you are too tense. There is the concept of 'isolated act" of fine tuning the psycho-physical instrument. The inner and outer sensation are linked.
Chapter 7 : Units and Objectives
The script analysis can be divided into units or bits. This is a section of text in which a character is trying to achieve an objective. An objective is the main desire that is motivating a character's behavior in the scene. it should be expressed in an active verb. Some 21st practitioners spend time naming units. As Merlin(2003: 95) says ' if your objectives don't excite you as an actor, then scrap them and start again; textual analysis is a passionate affair not an academic exercise!"
Chapter 8 : Faith and a Sense of Truth
Faith and a sense of truth are created when the smallest physical action is linked with the given circumstances.
Chapter 9 : Emotional Memory
This area is also know as affective memory and sense memory. This is recalling situations which can link to the life of the character. This can include the muscular reaction to an event, emotional feelings and imagination. All these combine to help you recreate your character's feelings on stage. It is important that as an actor you can control the emotions being used.
Chapter 10 : Communion
The exchange of energy between one actor and another. which allows for attention on the other actor to occur.
Chapter 11: Adaption
Communion and Adaption happen simultaneously. When we are in "communion" with another actor then we adapt to each other. There are four different types of adaption : mechanical; motor; intuitive; semi-conscious.
Chapter 12: Inner Motive Forces
There are three main influences: intellect ( thought centre), feelings ( emotion centre) and the physicalisation of these ( will or action centre)
Chapter 13: The Unbroken Line
The inner and outer processes that make the character tick. This means filling in the details that are not detailed by the playwright.
Chapter 14: The 'Inner' Creative State
Stanislavsky decleared that " the fundamental objective of our psycho-technique isto put us in a creative state in which our subconcious will function naturally" (Stanislavsky:1980:281)
Chapter 15: The Super Objective
The super objective is the character's main goal in the play.
Chapter 16: on the Threshold of the Subconscious
In the last chapter, Stanislavsky attempts to bring together all the key concepts covered in the book.
( Merlin:2003; Stanislavsky:1980; Tourelle & McNamara: 1998)