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“The Method”

“The Method”. An introduction to Stanislavski. What is good acting?. Every age/culture has an idea of what constitutes good acting…but this definition may well be significantly different…. Consider Ancient Greece: Euripides scolding actors for “disrespecting” the grave mixolydian mode

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“The Method”

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  1. “The Method” An introduction to Stanislavski

  2. What is good acting? • Every age/culture has an idea of what constitutes good acting…but this definition may well be significantly different…. • Consider Ancient Greece: Euripides scolding actors for “disrespecting” the grave mixolydian mode • Shakespeare: Hamlet’s advice to the actors

  3. Hamlet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkrqhLTG7j4

  4. But… • Consider: • Shakespearean actors are speaking mostly poetry • Actors are all male • Is this really a plea for “realism” or “naturalism” as we know it?

  5. Remember…. • Our (current) approach to acting is not the culmination of a process of “cultural evolution” • Other views exist…and are “right” too. • For example…Kabuki and Kathakali • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc&list=PL22E6AD76E3F4EE21&index=3 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1c37mFAKG0

  6. Before Stanislavski • Several “isms” e.g., realism, naturalism. Largely concerned with situation, setting with some effect on acting style…which remains largely “classical acting • Germany: Wagner - anti-realistic Art should be dealing in ideals/illusion, not domestic realities. Historical accuracy in scenery/costume, minute attention to detail in order to bring the illusion to life. • Germany: Saxe-Meiningen - historical accuracy in sets, costumes, ensemble work with crowd scenes. • But:…problem with realism, naturalism in part is lack of appropriate scripts to enable actors to achieve the goal of approaching “real life” in their performances.

  7. Consider…. • The art of theatre develops in a way that might be described as dialectical process

  8. Alfred Jarry • “anti-realism” UbuRoi (1896) sometimes called the first absurdist play

  9. Constructivism VsevolodMeyerhold Biomechanics Circus-like setting & exaggerated physicality (executed in 1940) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoq8_90id2o

  10. Appia & Craig Both working independently worked on similar philosophical approach to set & lighting. Appia particularly interested in the Work of Wagner. As technology improved, potential of stage lighting to enhance, illustrate, Illuminate the action. Set as enhancing action, working with creative lighting choices and Interplay of light and shadow.

  11. A Setting by G. Craig

  12. “The Divine Sarah”Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) • “I believed at once everything she said….” (Freud on one of her performances) • “…arguably, she was the most famous actress of the 19th century” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjvz0MSZy-A • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbYnGJQ-ku0

  13. Moscow Art Theatre • Formed in 1898 by Konstantine Stanislavski and Vladimir Danchenko • Anton Chekhov’s plays particularly suited to the Stanislavski “method” • Maxim Gorky’s play, The Lower Depths another triumph for the method.

  14. The Stanislavski System • A continuation of movement toward a more natural acting style • Psycho-physical process (co-incident with advances in psychology as a science, e.g., Pavlov) • Adapted by U.S. practitioners, e.g., Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio (a.k.a. “the method”)

  15. Key elements • Emotional memory • Psycho-physical action • The magic if • Motivation • Objective • Super-objective

  16. Classical vs. Method • Kenneth Branagh (1989) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM • Laurence Olivier (1944) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9fa3HFR02E

  17. A final admonition… We asked Stanislavski about the method. “Create your own method,” he said to us. “Don’t depend slavishly on mine. Make up something that will work for you! But keep breaking traditions, I beg you.”

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