“The main difference between the art of
the actor and all other arts is that every other artist may create whenever he
is in the mood of inspiration. But the artist of the stage must be the master
of his own inspiration and must know how to call it forth when it is announced
on the posters of the theater. This is the chief secret of our art.” – Konstantin Stanislavski
Ø
Konstantin
Stanislavski (1863 – 1938)
§
Russian
actor
§
Theater
director
§
Teacher
and co-founder of the famous Moscow Art Theater
§
Discovered
that acting could be learnt, and created a system which enabled a person to
train as an actor step by step
§
It
took 30 years during which his object of study was the “creation of an
artistically conceived image of life and of living, truthful human beings on
stage” – (Acting World)
§
Rejected
the widespread opinion (of his time) that a gifted actor needs no technique;
suggesting instead that an actor with great talent and subtle means and nuances
needs more technique than others
Ø
Stanislavski’s
system
§
Requires
actors to utilize emotional memory (remember past experiences and emotions)
§
When
the actor comes on stage, it’s not the beginning – rather the continuation of a
set of preceding circumstances
§
A
need to develop a wide range of emotions by observing people & through
experience so that on stage actions and reactions appear part of the real world
rather than a make-believe one
§
Widely
practiced in the Soviet Union & USA (began in 1920) – still exists in many
schools/ professional workshops (ex: Actors Studio in NYC)
§
“A
conscious and professional approach to acting” – (Wiki)
§
A
great contribution to the world of theater – “revolutionary theatrical
development” – (Krying Sky)
Ø
Director’s
approach to the system
§
Risk – some directors see this method as a
risk to their control of the production, for since the characters are based on
emotions deeply rooted within the actors, a scene may take an unexpected
direction
§
Other
directors find it helps to uncover unexpected nuances/ façades of the characters & actions
during rehearsals
§
Many of today’s Hollywood actors are
Method actors (ex: Stella Adler, Marilyn Monroe, Anthony Quinn, Mala Powers,
etc.)
Stanislavski’s
System is not to be confused with Lee Strasberg’s Method Acting!
 |
| A young Konstantin Stanislavski (Kryingsky.com) |
§
I reiterate: they are similar, but not
identical!
§
MA – An actor is attempting to truly become the entire
character, swallowing their emotions, predispositions and characteristics and
inhibiting them as if they were their own
§
SS – The performer must remain somewhat separate from
the character in order to properly understand their persona’s motivations and
goals, analyzing their actions and reactions without becoming completely
submerged and overwhelm by the evoked emotions and feelings
Information from:
·
Encyclopedia
Britannica Online
·
Wikipedia
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