Stanislavski
Konstantin Stanislavski
is one of the greatest modern theatre practitioners. He take the approach that
actors should inhabit the role they are playing and the actor should not just
know there lines but say the motivation for those lines. Giving detail of the
characters life onstage as well as offstage. We established this as being a naturalistic
performer.
Stanislavski’s background
Stanislavski’s
real name was Konstantin Sergeyevich Alexeyev but he adopted the stage name of
Stanislavski in 1884. He was born in 1963 into a family of the most affluent
families in Russia. He lived until the age of 75 dying in 1938. His family
loved theatres and he was put into amateur theatre as a boy. He changed his
name is 1885 so he could separate his theatre work for his family name. In 1887
his father approved of his work and he eventually became an established figure.
Moscow Art Theatre
The company
was founded in 1898 by Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich Danchenko. Stanislavski
only contributed to paying for the foundation and did not play the bills this
was because the company was a joint stock company. This created a strong collaboration
behind the company. The company was successful and hugely influential in the
world of theatre and continued until it split into 2 troupes in 1987. When Stalin
controlled Russia, Stanislavski wanted to appease him to ensure he could
continue with theatre. During the time he was in proved the companies work reflected
a political voice represented socialist realism. He was able to remain a follower
of realism even though the theatre company’s plays promoted socialist political
beliefs. It remained this way until 1970 when there was movement back towards
the essence of Stanislavski methods.
The system
This term
refers to the methods used by Stanislavski to foster a good performance in his
actors. It focuses mainly on helping an actor recall the emotions needed for a
role. Don’t confuse ‘method acting’ with the System. Method acting is how
Stanislavksi’s work was interpreted by others, in particular, actors and
directors in the film industry.
Emotional
memory- uses a real life experience to feel the emotions
Method of
physical action- using a simple action to express different emotions.
Subtext-
this is the meaning and motivation hidden behind the lines
If-
put themselves into the characters situation.
Given circumstances-
the information of the character that you start with and the play as a whole.
Objective-
this is the reason for our actions and our objective to get through a
barrier.
Super objective-
an over-reaching objective that is normally linked to the overall outcome in
the play.
Through line-
is the journey that is perceived as a clear path to the super objective.
Using Stanislavski
Circle of
attention
The first
circle of attention is having a sense of isolation to create the character and
avoid unnecessary tension. In the second circle you are addressing the
character around you. Then in the third circle there is the rest of the
production. In this circle of attention there is no connection with the
audience
Tempo and
rhythm
He felt that
an inner and outer tempo and rhythm were vital to link the movements to expression
of emotion and feelings. He linked the tempo speed to feeling and the rhythm to
intensity or depth of experience.
Physical action
He felt
actors bodies should be like an instrument and there body should be tuned for
the role they are going to perform. For example the role maybe athletic or
vocally demanding
Improvisation
He wanted
actors to reach deep into their characters by improvisation however If they
keep their emotions in their inner circle they could lose cohesion.
Chekov
Technique of Acting
(PSYCHOLOGICAL GESTURE)
- · Characterization (Imaginary Body & Centre)
- · Composition (Balance & Form)
- · Psychological Gesture (embodies the psychology and objective of the character)
- · Feeling of Style (specific to genre)
- · Feeling for Truth ( to all elements)
- · Feeling of Ease (to sit with a feeling of ease vs. to relax)
- · Feeling of Form (own body & movement through space)
- · Feeling of Beauty (living beauty & harmony in all characters)
- · Feeling of Entirety (aesthetic wholeness)
- · Qualities (sensations and feelings; coaxed not commanded; movement creates emotion)
- · Body (psycho-physical exercises)
- · Imagination, Radiating/Receiving, Improvising and “Jewellery” (final stages/uniqueness)
- · Ensemble, Focal Point, Objective, Atmosphere.
