Stanislavski was born Konstantin Sergeyevich Alexeyev in Moscow on January 5, 1863, More than one hundred years prior, Konstantin's ancestor had broken the chains of serfdom that bound the family and gained immediate status and wealth as a merchant. By the time Konstantin was born, the Alexeyev business of gold and silver thread production had made the family name well known throughout the world.
The family also organized a theatre group called the Alexeyev Circle. Throughout his ascent to a major role on the stage, Konstantin maintained obligations to his family business, organizing shareholder meetings and keeping the accounts in order. However, his preoccupation with all aspects of theatrical production eventually made him a leading member of his family's theatre group.
In 1898, in cooperation with Vladimir Nemirovich- Danchenko, Stanislavski founded the Moscow Art Theatre, Russia's first ensemble theatre. To reach a "believable truth," after years of research with actors of the Moscow
- What was it about 19th Century Russian Theatre that Stanislavski rejected?
Stanislavski rejected the idea of melodrama & over-performed character interpretations. He protested against “mechanical” acting, exploitation of art, bathos, the art of representation, and “theatricality”. Instead he aimed to create a real, artistic, scenic truth by examining the psychological aspects of life by manipulating the subconscious via conscious physical action.
4. What was the name of the theatre company Stanislavski began with the Russian actor Nemirovich in 1897?
As he progressed independently, Stanislavski began to further challenge the traditional stage approach. In 1898, in cooperation with Vladimir Nemirovich- Danchenko, Stanislavski founded the Moscow Art Theatre, Russia's first ensemble theatre.
- Name two famous playwrights whom Stanislavski admired and worked with?
Stanislavski succeeded like no producer or director before him in translating the works of such renowned playwrights as Chekov and Gorki, whose writings were aptly suited to his method. With their social consciousness and emphasis on the importance of imagery and theme rather than plot, they were blank canvasses on which Stanislavski could exercise his artful hand.
- What did Stanislavski mean by the term subtext?
According to Stanislavski, an important aspect of building a character pertains to the subtext. The subtext is the meaning behind the words of the text. For Stanislavski, the subtext is the inward “life of a human spirit...” that constantly flows under the words of a role. Words are only a part of a given moment on stage, and are related to thoughts, bodily expressions, and images. Actors need to see images and transmit those images to the acting partner. Images need to grow in detail and become richer.
7. What did Stanislavski mean by the term psychological realism?
Stanislavski’s principle theory of acting was that of psychological realism. In other words, acting should be an art that teaches an actor how to consciously produce natural action; it must teach the actor how to awaken consciously his/her subconscious creative self and how to consciously create action that is usually subconsciously expressed as a result of conscious thought. He discovered that there is no inner experience without outer physical expression, but if an actor on stage performs only physical actions, this violates the psycho-physical union and her performance is mechanical and dead.
- What did Stanislavski mean by the term Given Circumstances?
It was Stanislavski’s belief that the performer must conceive of the situation in which a character exists, which Stanislavski referred to as the ‘given circumstance’
Specific points to consider are: In what kind of space does an event take place: formal, informal, public, domestic? How does it feel? What is the temperature? The lighting? What has gone on just before? What is expected in the moments ahead? Again, those questions must be answered in concrete terms.
- Stanislavski wanted his actors to always act with a purpose- what do you think he meant by this?
An important principle of Stanislavski's system is that all action onstage must have a purpose. This means that the performer's attention must always be focused on a series of physical actions linked together by the circumstances of the play.
Stanislavski determined these actions by asking three essential questions: What? Why? How?
An action is performed, such as opening a letter (the what). The letter is opened because someone has said that it contains extremely damaging information about the character (the why). The letter is opened anxiously, fearfully (the how), because of the calamitous effect it might have on the character. These physical actions, which occur from moment to moment in a performance, are in turn governed by the character's overall objective in the play.
- Name two ways in which Stanislavski's legacy lives on today.
The ways in which Stanislavski’s legacy lives on today are mainly through the actors and actresses of today’s performing arts.
Stanislavski’s book ‘An Actor Prepares’ is still a popular buy for practising actors, and a more recent interpretation of his work is ‘Acting: a handbook of the Stanislavski method’ by Tony Cole represents how Stanislavski’s system has affected the actors of today and how his methods are applicable to a modern ensemble.
His system of theories for acting is practised all over the world. Stanislavski studied how people act in everyday life and how they communicated feelings and emotions; and then he found a way to accomplish the same things onstage. He developed a series of exercises and techniques for the performer, which had the following broad aims:
1. To make the outward behaviour of the performer - gestures, voice, and the rhythm of movements- natural and convincing.
2. To have the actor or actress convey the goals and objectives-the inner needs of a character. Even if all the visible manifestations of a character are mastered, a performance will appear superficial and mechanical without a deep sense of conviction and belief.
3. To make the life of the character onstage not only dynamic but continuous. Some performers tend to emphasize only the high points of a part; in between, the life of the character stops. In real life, however, people do not stop living.
4. To develop a strong sense of ensemble playing with other performers in a scene.
These broad aims are still appropriate to the performing arts today, and his methods for achieving these aims are practised by professionals and students alike. Methods such as Stanislavski’s relaxation techniques, his concentration and observation methods, the importance of specific circumstances in a naturalistic performance, and the methods for achieving a sense of inner truth, are practised and recommended today.