The Stanislavsky system of acting : legacy and influence in modern performance / Rose Whyman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Whyman, Rose.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Method acting.

Stanislavsky, Konstantin, 1863-1938.

Stanislavsky, Konstantin.

Physical Description:

xviii, 297 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Summary:

Konstantin Stanislavsky, the Russian director, actor and co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre, was the originator of the most influential system of acting in the history of Western theatre. Many of Stanislavsky's concepts are widespread in popular thought on acting; this book offers a timely evaluation of the basis of his ideas, discussing whether the system has survived because Stanislavsky made discoveries about acting that are, and always have been, scientifically verifiable, or whether his methods work on a practical basis despite an outdated theory. Drawing on information that has become available in recent years in Russia, the book examines how the development of Stanislavsky's system was influenced by scientific discoveries in his lifetime, and compares Stanislavsky's methods with those of Evgeny Vakhtangov, Michael Chekhov and Vsevolod Meyerhold. A full understanding of these ideas is crucial for anyone interested in acting and actor training today.

Contents:

1 Science, nature and acting: the context for Stanislavsky and the system 1

2 Experiencing: the emotional and spiritual actor 38

3 Incarnation: the actor as machine 104

4 Challenges to the system: Vakhtangov and Michael Chekhov 154

5 Challenges to the system: Meyerhold 204

6 Theory and practice of the system 238.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-285) and index.

ISBN:

9780521886963

0521886961

OCLC:

184906307

Online:

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