Stanislavski: The Basics

209 Pages·2013·1.3 MB·English

by  Rose Whyman

Theatre/
Performance Studies
knowledge begins with the basics
Konstantin Stanislavski was one of the greatest
innovators of twentieth-century theatre and the
pioneer of a revolutionary new system of actor
training. Stanislavski: The Basics is an engaging
introduction to his life, thought and impact and
S
examines Stanislavski’s:
t
• life and the context of his writings a Rose Whyman
• major works in English translation n
• ideas in practical contexts i
s
• impact on modern theatre.
Stanislavski
l
a
With further reading throughout, a glossary of terms
and a comprehensive chronology, this text makes
v
the ideas and theories of Stanislavski accessible to
students everywhere. s
k
Rose Whyman is Senior Lecturer in Drama and
Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham, UK. i
She is the author of The Stanislavski System of Acting:
Legacy and Influence in Modern Performance (2007).
W
h
y
R
m
o
as
ISBN 978-0-415-49297-3 cover design: K ne
eenan
9 780415 492973
www.routledgestudents.com
STANISLAVSKI
THE BASICS
Konstantin Stanislavski was one of the greatest innovators of
twentieth-century theatre and the pioneer of a revolutionary new
system of actor training. Stanislavski: The Basics is an engaging
introductiontohislife,thoughtandimpactandexaminesStanislavski’s:
(cid:1) life and the context of his writings
(cid:1) major works in English translation
(cid:1) ideas in practical contexts
(cid:1) impact on modern theatre.
With further reading throughout, a glossary of terms and a
comprehensive chronology, this text makes the ideas and theories
of Stanislavski accessible to students everywhere.
Rose Whyman is Senior Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Arts at
the University of Birmingham. She is the author of The Stanislavski
System of Acting: Legacy and Influence in Modern Performance (2007).
The Basics
ACTING EVOLUTION
BELLAMERLIN SHERRIELYONS
AMERICANPHILOSOPHY FILMSTUDIES
NANCYSTANLICK AMYVILLAREJO
ANTHROPOLOGY FINANCE(SECONDEDITION)
PETERMETCALF ERIKBANKS
ARCHAEOLOGY(SECONDEDITION) HUMANGENETICS
CLIVEGAMBLE RICKILEWIS
ARTHISTORY HUMANGEOGRAPHY
GRANTPOOKEANDDIANANEWALL ANDREWJONES
ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE INTERNATIONALRELATIONS
KEVINWARWICK PETERSUTCHANDJUANITAELIAS
THEBIBLE ISLAM(SECONDEDITION)
JOHNBARTON COLINTURNER
BUDDHISM JOURNALISMSTUDIES
CATHYCANTWELL MARTINCONBOY
THECITY JUDAISM
KEVINARCHER JACOBNEUSNER
CONTEMPORARYLITERATURE LANGUAGE(SECONDEDITION)
SUMANGUPTA R.L.TRASK
CRIMINALLAW LAW
JONATHANHERRING GARYSLAPPERANDDAVIDKELLY
CRIMINOLOGY(SECONDEDITION) LITERARYTHEORY(SECONDEDITION)
SANDRAWALKLATE HANSBERTENS
DANCESTUDIES LOGIC
JOBUTTERWORTH J.C.BEALL
EASTERNPHILOSOPHY MANAGEMENT
VICTORIAS.HARRISON MORGENWITZEL
ECONOMICS(SECONDEDITION) MARKETING(SECONDEDITION)
TONYCLEAVER KARLMOOREANDNIKETHPAREEK
EDUCATION MEDIASTUDIES
KAYWOOD JULIANMCDOUGALL
EUROPEANUNION(SECONDEDITION) THEOLYMPICS
ALEXWARLEIGH-LACK ANDYMIAHANDBEATRIZGARCIA
PHILOSOPHY(FIFTHEDITION) ROMANCATHOLICISM
NIGELWARBURTON MICHAELWALSH
PHYSICALGEOGRAPHY SEMIOTICS(SECONDEDITION)
JOSEPHHOLDEN DANIELCHANDLER
POETRY(SECONDEDITION) SHAKESPEARE(THIRDEDITION)
JEFFREYWAINWRIGHT SEANMCEVOY
SOCIALWORK
POLITICS(FOURTHEDITION)
STEPHENTANSEYAND MARKDOEL
NIGELJACKSON
SOCIOLOGY
THEQUR’AN KENPLUMMER
MASSIMOCAMPANINI
SPECIALEDUCATIONALNEEDS
JANICEWEARMOUTH
RACEANDETHNICITY
PETERKIVISTOAND
TELEVISIONSTUDIES
PAULR.CROLL
TOBYMILLER
RELIGION(SECONDEDITION)
TERRORISM
MALORYNYE
JAMESLUTZANDBRENDALUTZ
RELIGIONANDSCIENCE THEATRESTUDIES
PHILIPCLAYTON ROBERTLEACH
RESEARCHMETHODS WORLDHISTORY
NICHOLASWALLIMAN PETERN.STEARNS

STANISLAVSKI
THE BASICS
Rose Whyman
For Brian Door, with all my love and thanks, as ever.
Firstpublished2013
byRoutledge
2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,OxonOX144RN
SimultaneouslypublishedintheUSAandCanada
byRoutledge
711ThirdAvenue,NewYork,NY10017
RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness
©2013RoseWhyman
TherightofRoseWhymantobeidentifiedasauthorofthisworkhasbeenasserted
byherinaccordancewithsections77and78oftheCopyright,DesignsandPatents
Act1988.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedorutilisedin
anyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,nowknownorhereafter
invented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orinanyinformationstorageor
retrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublishers.
Everyefforthasbeenmadetotracecopyrightholdersandobtainpermissionto
reproducematerial.Anyomissionsbroughttotheattentionofthepublisherwillbe
remediedinfutureeditions.
Trademarknotice:Productorcorporatenamesmaybetrademarksorregistered
trademarks,andareusedonlyforidentificationandexplanationwithoutintentto
infringe.
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Whyman,Rose.
Stanislavski:thebasics/RoseWhyman.
p.cm.–(Thebasics)
Includesbibliographicalreferences.
1.Stanislavsky,Konstantin,1863–1938.I.Title.
PN2728.S78W492014
792.02’8092–dc23
[B]
2012023194
ISBN:978-0-415-49294-2(hbk)
ISBN:978-0-415-49297-3(pbk)
ISBN:978-0-203-07760-3(ebk)
TypesetinBemboandScalaSans
byTaylor&FrancisBooks
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements viii
A note to readers ix
1 Stanislavski’s life and context 1
2 Basic training 22
3 Analysis of the play 50
4 Consolidation and spontaneity 86
5 Embodiment of the role 112
6 Stanislavski’s influence and legacy 137
Appendix 1: Synopsis of and extract from Tennessee
Williams’ (2009) The Glass Menagerie,
London: Penguin, Characters and Scene 1
pp. xv–9, lines 1–136 168
Appendix 2: Synopsis of Arthur Miller’s Death of a
Salesman – Certain Private Conversations in Two Acts
and a Requiem 177
Chronology 181
Glossary 185
Bibliography 189
Index 192
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Victoria Door for much help and support, also
Valerie Finegan, Roy Thompson, Janyce Hawliczek and Martin
Leach.OtherfriendsandcolleaguesfromtheProfessionalAssociation
of Alexander Teachers have helped in a variety of ways.
Talia Rodgers from Routledge and, for the Basics series, Andy
Humphries, Rebecca Shillabeer and Sophie Thomson have been an
invaluable source of advice and support.
Iam grateful to MattTurner,Tamara Abrossimova, Bella Merlin,
Tanya Lipatova, Suresh Patel, Maggie Gale, Maria Shevtsova,
John Warrick and Robert Ellerman.
Lastly,thanksgotomyfamily,John,Lynne,Laurie,Tom,Georgia
and Eddie and I would also like to remember the encouragement
given me by my parents, Rose and Lawrence Whyman.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Copyright © 1945,
renewed1973TheUniversityoftheSouth.Reprintedbypermission
of Georges Borchardt, Inc. for the Estate of Tennessee Williams.
A NOTE TO READERS
In the early part of the twentieth century, Konstantin Sergeievich
Stanislavski, the Russian director and actor, developed a way of
training actors, which is known as the system. Though the system
is very well-known, aspects of Stanislavski’s work have been
misunderstood and misinterpreted, both in Russia and the West.
The first translations of Stanislavski’s books into English were
heavilyeditedand containedinaccuracies, whichhave compounded
problems of understanding. New translations have been published
only recently: My Life in Art (2008a), An Actor’s Work (2008b) and
An Actor’s Work on a Role (2010). Stanislavski: The Basics aims to
explain the system and the significance of Stanislavski’s work for the
contemporaryactor,usingthenewtranslations,aspartofareassessment
oftheworkandevaluationofitscontinuedimportance.
Chapter 1 gives a brief biography and indicates Stanislavski’s
development as an artist, identifying the principles on which the
system is based. Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 analyse the system, aiming to
offer the student actor a basis for their own use and experiment,
providing the tools to explore truth in acting conceptually and
practically. Chapter 2 begins with a consideration of Stanislavski’s
ideas about the actor’s basic training. The processes of research,
analysis, rehearsal and performance of a role are described, with
explanations of Stanislavski’s key terms and comparisons with the