KONSTANTIN KONSTANTIN SERGEYEVICHSERGEYEVICH

STANISLAVSKISTANISLAVSKI

1863 - 19381863 - 1938

WHO WAS HE?WHO WAS HE?

Konstantin Konstantin Sergeyevich Sergeyevich StanislavskiStanislavski ( (RussianRussian: : Константин Константин Сергеевич Сергеевич СтаниславскийСтаниславский) ) was a was a RussianRussian actoractor and and theatre directortheatre director

RUSSIARUSSIA

Why is he so important to Why is he so important to Theatre?Theatre?

He provided a He provided a rehearsal system rehearsal system that allowed actors that allowed actors to create to create characters in which characters in which they & an audience they & an audience could believe. This could believe. This is known as is known as “The “The System”System”

Stanislavski was Stanislavski was the first person to the first person to develop a cogent & develop a cogent & practical practical system system of of actingacting – He – He remains one of the remains one of the most important most important influences on actor influences on actor training todaytraining today

In ContextIn Context

Since its infancy at the beginning of the Since its infancy at the beginning of the 1919thth Century, Russian theatre had been Century, Russian theatre had been controlled by placing it under censorship & controlled by placing it under censorship & the police, in the provinces, theatre was the police, in the provinces, theatre was little regarded or even knownlittle regarded or even known

By the time Stanislavski came to work in By the time Stanislavski came to work in the professional theatre, standards were the professional theatre, standards were haphazard, punctuality was poor & there haphazard, punctuality was poor & there was often drunkenness backstage this was often drunkenness backstage this ‘behaviour’ took a lot of time to deal with‘behaviour’ took a lot of time to deal with

Rehearsals in 19Rehearsals in 19thth Century Century RussiaRussia

Rehearsals when they occurred were often Rehearsals when they occurred were often performed mechanically with physical performed mechanically with physical movements superficially repeatedmovements superficially repeated

Actors would simply inhabit the stage & deliver Actors would simply inhabit the stage & deliver the lines, downstage centre frontthe lines, downstage centre front

The dominant forms at the time were opera, farce The dominant forms at the time were opera, farce & melodrama which relied on Stock Characters& melodrama which relied on Stock Characters

There was hardly any There was hardly any exploration of characterexploration of character

The Art of ActingThe Art of Acting

Despite this Despite this Stanislavski was Stanislavski was fascinated by the fascinated by the Art of ActingArt of Acting

His early life & His early life & privileged privileged background background allowed him to allowed him to create alternatives create alternatives for theatrefor theatre

Key TextsKey Texts

Stanislavski’s search for a new style of Stanislavski’s search for a new style of acting is well documented, he wrote 3 acting is well documented, he wrote 3 books as a guide to his system:books as a guide to his system:

An Actor Prepares, Building A An Actor Prepares, Building A Character & Creating A RoleCharacter & Creating A Role

Each is clearly structured & easy to Each is clearly structured & easy to readread

1897 Moscow Arts Theatre1897 Moscow Arts Theatre

Stanislavski founded Stanislavski founded the the Moscow Arts Moscow Arts TheatreTheatre & & established a clear established a clear set of ideals the style set of ideals the style of performance had of performance had to be to be clear, sensitive, clear, sensitive, detailed & truthful,detailed & truthful, the highest standards the highest standards were expected at all were expected at all timestimes

The TextsThe Texts

The Desire to CreateThe Desire to Create

The books are written The books are written from the perspective of from the perspective of the young fictitious the young fictitious actor, “Kostya” who is actor, “Kostya” who is trying to improve his trying to improve his skill. He attends skill. He attends classes with the classes with the fictitious Director, fictitious Director, “Tortsov” who leads “Tortsov” who leads him through a range of him through a range of experiences that help experiences that help him understand the art him understand the art of actingof acting

This teacher-student This teacher-student format is effectiveformat is effective

It allows Stanislavski It allows Stanislavski an endearing medium an endearing medium for presenting for presenting common mistakes or common mistakes or obsessions without obsessions without sounding patronising sounding patronising or judgementalor judgemental

So what isSo what is The System?The System?

““There are no formulas….on how to There are no formulas….on how to become a great actor, or how to play become a great actor, or how to play a part….it is made up of steps a part….it is made up of steps towards the true creative state of an towards the true creative state of an actor on the stage”actor on the stage”

(Stanislavski…..An Actor Prepares)(Stanislavski…..An Actor Prepares)

The SystemThe System

To achieve a normal living state….an actor To achieve a normal living state….an actor

has to behas to be

a)a) Physically free, in control of free musclesPhysically free, in control of free muscles

b)b) Attention must be alertAttention must be alert

c)c) Must be able to listen & observe on stage Must be able to listen & observe on stage as in real life, be in contact with the as in real life, be in contact with the person playing opposite him/herperson playing opposite him/her

d)d) Must believe in everything that is Must believe in everything that is happening on stage that is related to the happening on stage that is related to the playplay

(1) ACTION(1) ACTION

Everything that happens on the Everything that happens on the stage must happen for a stage must happen for a PURPOSEPURPOSE

On stage you must act On stage you must act WITH A WITH A PURPOSEPURPOSE

(2) The MAGIC “IF”(2) The MAGIC “IF” In working on a role you should ask yourself; In working on a role you should ask yourself;

What would I do if I was in this situation?” The What would I do if I was in this situation?” The magic “if” acts as a lever, lifting us from the magic “if” acts as a lever, lifting us from the plane of reality into the world where it is possible plane of reality into the world where it is possible to create the world of imaginationto create the world of imagination

““AS IF” AS IF” doesn’t ask you to believe something is doesn’t ask you to believe something is real you all know it isn’t – You simply act real you all know it isn’t – You simply act AS IF AS IF you were in those circumstancesyou were in those circumstances

AS IF LEADS US TO ACTIONAS IF LEADS US TO ACTION

““What would happen if”...........What would happen if”...........

(3) GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES(3) GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES

The The “MAGIC IF”“MAGIC IF” can only be sustained in can only be sustained in the context of the context of “THE GIVEN “THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES”CIRCUMSTANCES”

““The Given Circumstances” are the basis The Given Circumstances” are the basis for an actor & his/her role, created by the for an actor & his/her role, created by the playwright, director, designer & form the playwright, director, designer & form the context for an actor to ask context for an actor to ask “WHAT IF?”“WHAT IF?”

These are:These are:

The circumstances areThe circumstances are

(4) IMAGINATION(4) IMAGINATION

The Actor needs imagination The Actor needs imagination Before you speak any lines or do anything you Before you speak any lines or do anything you

need to knowneed to know WHO WHO you areyou are WHERE WHERE you came from you came from WHY WHY you are thereyou are there WHAT WHAT you want you want WHAT WHAT other people say about other people say about

youyou

Without this knowledge, you will be acting Without this knowledge, you will be acting without your imagination………without your imagination………

Let’s Try this practically, Let’s Try this practically, REMEMBER….REMEMBER….

(5) CIRCLES OF ATTENTION(5) CIRCLES OF ATTENTION

Designed to help actors relax & focus Designed to help actors relax & focus on stageon stage

Actor’s attention on stage can be Actor’s attention on stage can be ‘scattered’ – too aware of the ‘scattered’ – too aware of the audience audience

““Public Solitude”Public Solitude”

3 Different Circles3 Different Circles

(6) UNITS (6) UNITS

Actors must break down a play into Actors must break down a play into smaller sections called smaller sections called UNITSUNITS

How do you define a unit?How do you define a unit?Look for Look for where a new action beginswhere a new action beginsFind a title that captures the essence Find a title that captures the essence

of each unit of each unit For each unit ask yourself, “What For each unit ask yourself, “What

happens here?”happens here?”Look at some examples from a text…….Look at some examples from a text…….

(7) OBJECTIVES(7) OBJECTIVES

In every unit there is a creative In every unit there is a creative objective – a purpose or goalobjective – a purpose or goal

Therefore you need to define your Therefore you need to define your character’s objective in each unitcharacter’s objective in each unit

An objective should be An objective should be believable & believable & should make you want to carry it outshould make you want to carry it out

Every physical action contains a Every physical action contains a psychological elementpsychological element

A PATHWAY……A PATHWAY……

When you have When you have divided a role into divided a role into units & defined the units & defined the character’s character’s objective in each objective in each unit, you have a unit, you have a kind of channel or kind of channel or pathway through pathway through the playthe play

(8) EMOTION MEMORY(8) EMOTION MEMORY

Our own lives offer a rich store of experiences, Our own lives offer a rich store of experiences, memories, observations & insightsmemories, observations & insights

Actors need a broad point of view to interpret Actors need a broad point of view to interpret different plays & create the life of people from different plays & create the life of people from different places & timesdifferent places & times

Nobody has sufficient material for all roles, so Nobody has sufficient material for all roles, so you must observe other people closely…you must observe other people closely…observe & draw on your past emotional observe & draw on your past emotional experiencesexperiences

(9) COMMUNION(9) COMMUNION Actors sometimes don’t listen to their partner Actors sometimes don’t listen to their partner

in a scene; they switch off & wait for their cuein a scene; they switch off & wait for their cue

Stanislavski always maintained that if actors Stanislavski always maintained that if actors want to hold the audience’s attention, they want to hold the audience’s attention, they must concentrate on uninterrupted exchange must concentrate on uninterrupted exchange of thoughts & feelings with other actorsof thoughts & feelings with other actors

If your feelings are conveyed to the other If your feelings are conveyed to the other actors & affect them – the audience will be actors & affect them – the audience will be carried away – if they can’t reach your partner carried away – if they can’t reach your partner standing next to you, they won’t reach the standing next to you, they won’t reach the audienceaudience

(10) SUPEROBJECTIVE(10) SUPEROBJECTIVE- The Ruling Idea- The Ruling Idea

As you create your character’s objectives, you As you create your character’s objectives, you can begin to get a sense of an overall goal – a can begin to get a sense of an overall goal – a line running through the play – a line running through the play – a superobjectivesuperobjective

““I want to kill the king” or “I want to make her I want to kill the king” or “I want to make her love me” the ruling idea of the playlove me” the ruling idea of the play

When you have found the superobjective it When you have found the superobjective it acts like a magnet as all the other objectives acts like a magnet as all the other objectives fall into place. fall into place. THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE SYSTEMSYSTEM

You now have the basic You now have the basic elements of Stanislavski’s elements of Stanislavski’s

“System”“System”Stanislavski argued that Stanislavski argued that

his “System” is based his “System” is based

on “Nature’s Laws”on “Nature’s Laws”

The Actors natural The Actors natural creativity cannot be creativity cannot be forced. The elements of forced. The elements of the system are the system are designed to create the designed to create the conditions that help conditions that help the actor to live on the actor to live on stagestage