Stanislavski's System

Konstantin Stanislavski "All of our acts, even the simplest, which are so familiar to us in everyday life, become strained when we appear behind the footlights before a public of a thousand people. That is why it is necessary to correct ourselves and learn again how to walk, sit, or lie down. It is essential to re-educate ourselves to look and see, on the stage, to listen and to hear." - Stanislavski (Konstantin Stanislavski quotes) "Realistic" drama was said to be born in the late 1800s, however before that, no director or actor trainer had succeeded in creating a method in order to instil believability in a character through the actor. There were some actors and actresses that used their own individual talent to achieve this, but there was not a developed system or method that one could teach or even pass on to the future generation of actors. In the midst of this thirst of authenticity, Konstantin Stanislavski - actor and director extraordinaire - developed his own system over a lifetime. "When we are on stage, we are in the here and now" - Stanislavski (Konstantin Stanislavski quotes) Due to the fact that he was born into a wealthy family of merchants, Konstantin Sergeievich Alekseiv, had to begin his service to the family business, but soon realized that nothing could overpower his love for theatre. His family too shared some of his enjoyment for theatre and built

  • Word count: 3736
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Wicked Play Review

Danielle Fellguth 9/6/10 4° Literary Critique: Wicked My friend and I went to go see the second to last showing of the popular, surrealistic musical Wicked on September 4th, 2010 in San Francisco at the Orpheum Theater. The production is generally a success on its own terms; however, I don't think it is as flawless as everyone seems to think it is. The productions starts at the end of the plot which is a bit dramatic, goes back in time and continues to move forward until it, once again, reaches that dramatic ending. In essence, the production completes a circle which works because showing the audience the ending first grabs their attention immediately after the show begins and makes them wonder what events must have occurred in order for the characters to end up in their current situation. It also works because it's clear that only part of the ending is revealed in the beginning of the show which still leaves some surprises in store for the audience and gives them something to look forward to--finding out the rest of the ending. Choreography was definitely a significant element in Wicked. I found that it contributed to the story a lot by allowing the audience to actually see the emotions that the characters are feeling in the form of movement, or more specifically, dance. Choreography was especially helpful when trying to figure out what the characters in the ensembles

  • Word count: 946
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Streetcar Named desire comparison

American Drama - an Overview of A Streetcar Named Desire and Long Day's Journey into Night Biographical Background Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953) Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) - Long Day's Journey Into Night published in February 1956, posthumously, and won the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Drama - Yale Nota Bene 2002 edition is 61st printing of Long Day's Journey Into Night - O'Neill won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1936; he also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama four times - generally regarded as America's finest dramatist, and Long Day's Journey Into Night as America's finest play and one of the finest plays of the twentieth century - O'Neill admired his contemporary, the poet Hart Crane, whose first collection White Buildings he helped publish - O'Neill was born in a Broadway hotel room in Times Square; the site is now a Starbucks with a commemorative plaque on the outside wall - he spent his summers in New London, Connecticut - suspended from Princeton University, spent several years at sea during which time he suffered from depression and alcoholism - elder brother Jamie - recovered from tuberculosis in a sanatorium in 1912-13 - deep love for the sea which is a prominent motif in many of his plays - part of the modern movement to revive the classical heroic mask from ancient Greek theatre - married three times; Carlotta, addressed in the dedication, being his

  • Word count: 2784
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Performance Review: An ENIGMA (Live)

Performance Review: An ENIGMA Derren Brown (Live) First time viewer will appreciate more than regular fan This is primarily a review of Derren Brown's Enigma show which is in theatres from 2009 to 2010, although it will touch on aspects of his earlier performances. Derren Brown is a performer who uses 'magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship' to create a fairly unique experience for the viewer. I have seen all of Derren's shows on DVD and was curious how different the live experience would be. I was expecting at least a few things to go wrong as I assumed that his 'live' DVDs would contain at least a small element of editing. Impressively Derren was flawless on the night and at the time I could not see how any of the tricks were done, despite feeling like I had watched him every second of his act (Derren often comments that these are the easiest people to convince, the ones who watch intently!). It is worth pointing out at this stage that I will not be going into any detail about the tricks. Derren asks for people not to reveal details of the tricks, to prevent spoiling events for future attendees. This is understandable but it does reveal that the same techniques are used each night and that there is less 'magic' and more 'misdirection' than you would maybe suspect on the night. I felt confident that just by attending for a second night would

  • Word count: 1036
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Themes in Macbeth

Themes in Macbeth Shakespeare implements a number of themes into Macbeth, that enable the audience to have a better understanding of the plot and characters; and also to create an alternate set of ideas and motives to the general play itself. Shakespeare uses soliloquies, asides and a number of other dramatic techniques to add emphasis and further depth to the themes. The major themes are: the corruption of ambition, appearance versus reality, light and dark and guilt and conscience. The 'corruption of ambition' serves as a significant theme in relation to the tragedy of Macbeth and the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The witches seem to be the source of ignition of Macbeth's ambition, as they predict that he will become Thane of Cawdor and later King. This ambition builds as Macbeth is respectively appointed Thane of Cawdor, and later King Duncan's son, Malcolm is appointed Prince of Cumberland, heir to the throne. Shakespeare implements a soliloquy through which the audience is revealed a deep insight into Macbeth's thoughts and ambitions as he establishes that he has a 'vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself and falls on th'other'. Lady Macbeth also portrays here strong ambition for Macbeth's kingship, as he calls on evil spirits to 'unsex' her so that she may persuade and manipulate her husband into murdering Duncan. Their initial ambition leads them to

  • Word count: 1582
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Ibu usman awang

Latar Belakang Puisi Puis Ibuku dihasilkan pada tahun 1984. Usman Awang meupakan seorang sasterawan yang berjiwa rakyat. Beliau juga berani menyatakan pendapatnya. Baginya, selagi seseorang tidak berani menyatakan pendapatnya, seseorang itu tidak layak digelar penulis. Hal ini mungkin kerana beliau sendiri berasal daripada keluarga miskin dan disebabkan itu beliau hanya berpeluang bersekolah sehingga darjah enam. Isu-isu kemiskinan dan pendidikan juga dapat dilihat dalam sajak ini. Usman Awang juga pernah menjadi buruh paksa ketika pendudukan Jepun. Hal inilah yang menjadikan beliau faham tentang masalah dan kesempitan yang dialami oleh golongan buruh. Tambahan pula, puisi ini telah ditulis semasa zaman pemerintahan Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohammad. Hal ini dapat dilihat apabila sebahagian daripada puisi ini dikaitkan dengan situasi yang berlaku pada masa itu dimana ekonomi negara bertukar daripada kegiatan pertanian kepada perindustrian. Usman Awang merupakan salah seorang penulis yang mengasaskan Angkata Sasterawan 50 yang ditubuhkan pada tahun 1950. Moyo persatuan ini adalah Seni Untuk Rakyat. Penulis dalam angkatan ini sering menghasiklan karya yang berkisar tentang isu masyarakat. Maksud Stanza 1 : Harapan dan impian seorang ibu terhadap anaknya agar dapat menjadi insan yang berguna kelak. Stanza ini juga memaparkan impian yang dimiliki oleh golongan miskin agar

  • Word count: 1860
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Escapism and power as entwined themes in Anouilhs Antigone and Ibsens A Dolls House.

Debjani Mukherjee World Literature essay Escapism and power as entwined themes in Anouilh's Antigone and Ibsen's A Doll's House. Escapism is the ability of a person to leave his or her physical surroundings, and transcend into a world of their own, in order to flee the harsh truth of reality. This ability can give an individual power, or make them lose it. This concept is highlighted in Anouilh's Antigone and Ibsen's A Doll's House, through the subtle use of symbols, foreshadowing, and imagery. In this light, escapism and power can be seen as themes with a linked purpose; to drive the play forward by building up emotions that culminate in acts of rebellion at the end of each play. With reference to this, escapism as a means to gain and lose power, and power as a trigger for escapism will be analyzed in this essay. Escapism as a means to gain power is portrayed in Anouilh's play Antigone through his protagonist. Although mentioned only once, the 'grey world' that Antigone is so fascinated with serves as a symbol for her escapist persona. She says 'It was beautiful. The whole world was grey when I went out. And now - you wouldn't recognize it. It is like a post card: all pink, green, and yellow.'1 The colour grey alludes to bleakness, imagery of a world without colour, which could connote to a world without men or human interference. Her dislike for the world with

  • Word count: 1412
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Sin and Ego in Crime and Punishment

Sin and Ego Psychology The actions of Raskolnikov in Fydor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment illuminate the complexity of his character. Raskolnikov rationalizes his murders and evil deeds, and feels compelled to take action when fellow tenants suggest that the two old sisters are "...Cursed wr-r-etches!" (Dostoyevsky 101). He determines that some people do not deserve to live; therefore, he feels justified in carrying out the murders. Raskolnikov neither questions the morality of his actions, nor considers them as sins. Instead, he remains detached and objective. Exploring Raskolnikov's motivations for his actions and the psychology behind his actions are the predominant themes in this chapter. Prior to committing the murders, Raskolnikov is motivated by his unfortunate circumstances. Destitute and alienated in the emotionally-suffocating environment of St. Petersburg, Raskolnikov finds himself feeling compelled to take some form of action by murdering Alyona and, later, Lizaveta. Raskolnikov is motivated primarily by his dire financial circumstances. By killing Alyona, Raskolnikov knows that he can rob her and improve his life. Following her murder, Raskolnikov "[takes] the keys out at once," (Dostoyevsky 95) and uses them to unlock a large box which contains "items made of gold, bracelets, chains, earrings, and hatpins" (Dostoyevsky 101). Interestingly, he feels no

  • Word count: 1174
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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If we were to assume that Shakespeare's depiction of Gertrude and Ophelia represents Shakespeare's view of women, what strengths and weaknesses would he ascribe to women?

If we were to assume that Shakespeare's depiction of Gertrude and Ophelia represents Shakespeare's view of women, what strengths and weaknesses would he ascribe to women? Hamlet being one of Shakespeare's most famous plays has only two women characters, Ophelia and Gertrude. Gertrude, who was Hamlet's mother, and Ophelia who was Hamlet's love, played a very significant role in Hamlet, because they helped shape the characters. In the time period that Shakespeare lived in, women were not allowed onto the stage and they had very little to no rights. If it was assumed that Shakespeare's depiction of Gertrude and Ophelia represent his view on women then a reflection would be seen of the idea that women were as powerless as they were in Elizabethan times, however both Ophelia and Gertrude both have redeeming qualities as well numerous weaknesses. Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius and the sister to Laertes, is the most one-dimensional character in Hamlet. Ophelia is beautiful and gentle and is in love with Hamlet; however, due to her father and brother lecturing her on the impossibility of their love Ophelia withdraws from Hamlet. This is Ophelia's first flaw, even though it was expected of women in Shakespearean times to obey the males in their lives. When Polonius orders her to stop seeing Hamlet, Ophelia replies with "I shall obey my lord" (Act I scene iii, 142) there is no fuss

  • Word count: 1560
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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Slumdog millionaire

Some critics and filmmakers argue that the French New Wave merely represent a time of upheaval and change within French cinema represented by diverse works of a few young directors. The term French New Wave or La Nouvelle Vague refers to the work of a group of French film-makers between the years 1958 to 1964. The film directors who formed the core of this group, Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Charbol, Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer, were once all film critics for the magazine Cahiers du Cinema. Other French directors, including Agnes Varda and Louis Malle, soon became associated with the French New Wave Movement. During the late 1950s and early 1960s young film-makers in many countries were creating their own "new waves", for example the working-class cinema of the "angry young men" in Britain, but the new wave movement in France turned out to be the most influential. The French New Wave director's background in film theory and criticism was a major factor in this. They changed notions of how a film could be made and were driven by a desire to forge a new cinema. The Cahiers du Cinema critics were highly critical of the glossy, formulaic and studio-bound French cinema of the 1940s and 1950s, but praised the work of 1930s French film-makers Jean Renoir and Jean Luc- Godard and the work of the Italian neo-realists, including Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De

  • Word count: 1271
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Drama
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