Acting and Actor Training
Acting and actor training study the art of performing a role and the systematic methods—from Stanislavski's psychological realism to physical and ensemble approaches—by which actors develop their craft.
Definition
The study of the art of acting and the systematic methods used to train performers for the stage.
Scope
This topic covers theories and techniques of acting and the major training traditions: Stanislavski's system and its American adaptation in Method acting, Meyerhold's biomechanics, Brecht's gestic acting, Grotowski's physically demanding poor theatre, and contemporary psychophysical and ensemble methods. It addresses questions of emotion, presence, embodiment, and the relation between the actor and the character.
Core questions
- How does an actor build and embody a character?
- What is the relation between an actor's emotion and the role?
- How do the major training systems differ in aims and methods?
- What constitutes stage presence and truthful performance?
Key concepts
- the Stanislavski system
- Method acting
- given circumstances
- emotion memory
- biomechanics
- psychophysical training
Key theories
- The Stanislavski system
- Stanislavski's psychologically grounded approach in which the actor pursues the character's objectives, uses given circumstances and emotion memory, and seeks truthful, organic behavior on stage.
- Poor theatre and the holy actor
- Jerzy Grotowski's rigorous physical and spiritual training that strips theatre to the actor–spectator relationship, demanding total self-revelation through disciplined bodily technique.
History
Modern actor training begins with Stanislavski's systematic effort to make stage acting truthful and repeatable; his work was adapted into American Method acting, contested by Meyerhold's biomechanics and Brecht's gestic acting, and radicalized by Grotowski's physically intense poor theatre, giving rise to the diverse psychophysical and ensemble approaches taught today.
Debates
- Feeling versus technique in acting
- A long-running debate, anticipated in Diderot's paradox of the actor, concerns whether convincing performance comes from genuinely felt emotion or from controlled external technique.
Key figures
- Konstantin Stanislavski
- Vsevolod Meyerhold
- Jerzy Grotowski
- Lee Strasberg
Related topics
Seminal works
- stanislavski1936
- grotowski1968
- mitter1992
Frequently asked questions
- What is Method acting?
- Method acting is an American development of Stanislavski's ideas, especially associated with Lee Strasberg, that emphasizes drawing on the actor's own emotional memories and experience to inhabit a role.
- Is the Stanislavski system the same as the Method?
- No. The Method is one interpretation of Stanislavski's evolving system; Stanislavski himself later emphasized physical action, and other teachers stressed different aspects of his work.