KONSTANTIN SERGEYEVICH STANISLAVSKI

1. KONSTANTIN SERGEYEVICHSTANISLAVSKI 1863 - 1938

2. WHO WAS HE? • Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski (Russian: Константин Сергеевич Станиславский) was a Russianactor and theatre director

3. He provided a rehearsal system that allowed actors to create characters in which they & an audience could believe. This is known as “The System” Stanislavski was the first person to develop a cogent & practical system of acting – He remains one of the most important influences on actor training today Why is he so important to Theatre?

4. In Context • Since its infancy at the beginning of the 19th Century, Russian theatre had been controlled by placing it under censorship & the police, in the provinces, theatre was little regarded or even known • By the time Stanislavski came to work in the professional theatre, standards were haphazard, punctuality was poor & there was often drunkenness backstage; this ‘behaviour’ took a lot of time to deal with

5. Rehearsals in 19th Century Russia • Rehearsals when they occurred were often performed mechanically with physical movements superficially repeated • Actors would simply inhabit the stage & deliver the lines, downstage centre front • The dominant forms at the time were opera, farce & melodrama which relied on Stock Characters • There was hardly any exploration of character

6. The Art of Acting • Despite this Stanislavski was fascinated by the Art of Acting • His early life & privileged background allowed him to create alternatives for theatre

7. Key Texts • Stanislavski’s search for a new style of acting is well documented, he wrote 3 books as a guide to his system: • An Actor Prepares, Building A Character & Creating A Role • Each is clearly structured & easy to read

8. 1897 Moscow Arts Theatre • Stanislavski and his colleague, Nemirovich-Danchenko, founded the Moscow Arts Theatre & established a clear set of ideals the style of performance had to be clear, sensitive, detailed & truthful, the highest standards were expected at all times

9. The Texts

10. The books are written from the perspective of the young fictitious actor, “Kostya” who is trying to improve his skill. He attends classes with the fictitious Director, “Tortsov” who leads him through a range of experiences that help him understand the art of acting This teacher-student format is effective It allows Stanislavski an endearing medium for presenting common mistakes or obsessions without sounding patronising or judgemental The Desire to Create

11. So what isThe System? “There are no formulas….on how to become a great actor, or how to play a part….it is made up of steps towards the true creative state of an actor on the stage” (Stanislavski…..An Actor Prepares)

12. The System To achieve a normal living state….an actor has to be • Physically free, in control of free muscles • Attention must be alert • Must be able to listen & observe on stage as in real life, be in contact with the person playing opposite him/her • Must believe in everything that is happening on stage that is related to the play

13. (1) ACTION • Everything that happens on the stage must happen for a PURPOSE • On stage you must act WITH A PURPOSE

14. (2) The MAGIC “IF” • In working on a role you should ask yourself; What would I do if I was in this situation?” The magic “if” acts as a lever, lifting us from the plane of reality into the world where it is possible to create the world of imagination • “AS IF” doesn’t ask you to believe something is real you all know it isn’t – You simply act AS IF you were in those circumstances • AS IF LEADS US TO ACTION “What would happen if”...........

15. (3) GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES • The “MAGIC IF” can only be sustained in the context of “THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES” • “The Given Circumstances” are the basis for an actor & his/her role, created by the playwright, director, designer & form the context for an actor to ask “WHAT IF?” • These are:

16. (4) IMAGINATION • The Actor needs imagination • Before you speak any lines or do anything you need to know • WHO you are • WHERE you came from • WHY you are there • WHAT you want WHAT other people say about you • Without this knowledge, you will be acting without your imagination………

17. (5) CIRCLES OF ATTENTION • Designed to help actors relax & focus on stage • Actor’s attention on stage can be ‘scattered’ – too aware of the audience • “Public Solitude” 3 Different Circles

18. (6) UNITS • Actors must break down a play into smaller sections called UNITS • How do you define a unit? • Look for where a new action begins • Find a title that captures the essence of each unit • For each unit ask yourself, “What happens here?” Look at some examples from a text…….

19. (7) OBJECTIVES • In every unit there is a creative objective – a purpose or goal • Therefore you need to define your character’s objective in each unit • An objective should be believable & should make you want to carry it out • Every physical action contains a psychological element

20. (8) EMOTION MEMORY • Our own lives offer a rich store of experiences, memories, observations & insights • Actors need a broad point of view to interpret different plays & create the life of people from different places & times • Nobody has sufficient material for all roles, so you must observe other people closely…observe & draw on your past emotional experiences

21. (9) COMMUNION • Actors sometimes don’t listen to their partner in a scene; they switch off & wait for their cue • Stanislavski always maintained that if actors want to hold the audience’s attention, they must concentrate on uninterrupted exchange of thoughts & feelings with other actors • If your feelings are conveyed to the other actors & affect them – the audience will be carried away – if they can’t reach your partner standing next to you, they won’t reach the audience

22. (10) SUPEROBJECTIVE- The Ruling Idea • As you create your character’s objectives, you can begin to get a sense of an overall goal – a line running through the play – a superobjective • “I want to kill the king” or “I want to make her love me” the ruling idea of the play • When you have found the superobjective it acts like a magnet as all the other objectives fall into place. THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE SYSTEM

23. You now have the basic elements of Stanislavski’s “System” Stanislavski argued that his “System” is based on “Nature’s Laws” The actor’s natural creativity cannot be forced. The elements of the system are designed to create the conditions that help the actor to live on stage

24. The method of physical action • Towards the end of his career, Stanislavski, always a highly pragmatic director, observed some of his young actors developing a highly introverted style of acting. He proposed therefore a modified approach to creating a role by beginning with creating the physical state first. The Method style of acting, still highly popular in the USA, ignores this development.