Stanislavsky method (Stanislavski's system)
The Stanislavsky method, also known as Stanislavski's system, is a foundational approach to actor training developed by Russian actor and producer Konstantin Stanislavsky. Rather than creating a new acting style, Stanislavsky aimed to analyze and refine the techniques that successful actors used to enhance their performances. His work emerged in response to the dramatic shift from the emotionally driven theatrical styles of the nineteenth century to the realism that characterized twentieth-century plays. Central to his philosophy is the belief that actors should draw from their own life experiences to authentically portray their characters, emphasizing the importance of emotional memory and character motivation.
Stanislavsky's method includes several key components, such as given circumstances, subtext, and objectives, which help actors connect deeply with their roles. He also introduced the idea of "circles of attention," which guides actors in focusing on their environment and interactions while performing. His influence extends beyond his time, inspiring contemporary acting techniques, including method acting, which was developed by Lee Strasberg. Though modern theater has seen shifts away from strict realism, many still regard Stanislavsky's principles as essential for creating believable, resonant performances.
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Stanislavsky method (Stanislavski's system)
The Stanislavsky method, or Stanislavsky system, is a dramatic training system developed by Konstantin Stanislavsky (often spelled Constantin Stanislavski), a Russian actor and producer. He was not trying to develop a new style of acting, but he was trying to break down the methods great actors used to hone their craft. Stanislavsky was concerned with the shift in dramatic styles from nineteenth-century works that relied on highly emotional language to the realism of twentieth-century dramas. He diverted from traditional acting education, which held that an actor should become the character and not draw on their personal experiences to bring emotion to the role. Stanislavsky explained his theories in several books, including An Actor Prepares (1936), Building a Character (1949), and My Life in Art (1924).
Stanislavsky was devoted to realism in theater—the portrayal of real life on stage. He also developed and advocated naturalism in acting, or the belief that a character's environment and relationships form their personality.
Background
Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky (whose real name was Konstantin Sergeyevich Alekseyev) was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1863. His family was wealthy, and he began performing in community theater when he was fourteen. As a young man, he secretly joined a professional troupe, although his father eventually approved of his choice. He went on to direct and produce. He was meticulous in his craft, taking careful notes of his work and the methods used by other actors. Works of the late nineteenth century often involved high emotion. Actors were focused on becoming the characters they played rather than creating believable performances by finding and using emotion from within themselves.
At the start of the twentieth century, plays were evolving to include more drama and realism. Stanislavsky wanted to discover and document the actions that helped successful actors. His efforts led him to a new philosophy of acting.
For Stanislavsky, a character was more than what was represented on the stage. Their life did not begin with an entrance and end with an exit. He believed that actors needed to draw on their life experiences, and a wide range of emotions, to bring genuine feeling to roles. An actor should understand the motivations of a character, and to do so, one had to understand the entirety of the character's life.
In 1898, Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko founded the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT). They conceived of the organization as a theater to flout all conventions, of acting, staging, costumes, and interpretation. The troupe's work was based on Stanislavsky's system of dramatic training, while Nemirovich-Danchenko steered the MAT toward a contemporary repertoire. The theatre's first performance was in October of 1898, and it left the audience strongly divided over Stanislavsky's naturalism. The MAT players soon won over audiences. During the debut season, the organization produced Aleksey Tolstoy's Tsar Feodor Ioannovich and Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. Over the next decade, the MAT presented Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard, as well as Maxim Gorky's Lower Depths. Nemirovich-Danchenko also influenced the MAT to perform plays by Henrik Ibsen and contemporary Russian playwrights, and to adapt novels by authors including Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
While Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union, beginning in the 1920s, Stanislavsky steered the MAT in a direction to suit the socialist leaning of his country. The organization continued to adhere to naturalism. In 1987, the MAT was divided by political turmoil, and it split into two troupes.
Overview
Stanislavsky believed that to be successful—to connect to the audience—an actor must identify with a role. He believed improvisation is necessary in preparing for a role, and he wanted actors to delve within themselves during rehearsals.
His system of helping an actor draw on emotions comprises eight parts: given circumstances, emotional memory, method of physical actions, subtext, "if," objective, super-objective, and the through line.
The given circumstances are the information contained in the script. This includes age and relationships to other characters.
The actor finds emotional memory in their life experiences by focusing on an event that triggered an emotional response similar to what the character experiences.
Through method of physical actions, the actor connects a physical action with an emotional experience.
While a script contains the text, the subtext is what lies behind the words—the meanings and reasons for what takes place.
Stanislavsky wanted an actor to consider what one would do "if" they were in the character's situation, and discover a motivation.
The objective is the reason for actions, completing the thought, "I wish to…." A play is likely to include a number of objectives, leading to the super-objective, which is the core reason for the overall purpose of the play. The through line is the direct path to the super-objective, if such a course can be found. Using Stanislavsky's system, an actor might analyze a script and break it down into objectives.
Stanislavsky's system also incorporates circles of attention. The first circle of attention, which he also called Solitude in Public, requires the actor to focus on themselves. In the second circle, the actor is aware of the nearest influences, such as the character being addressed, while the third circle incorporates the rest of the production. Circles of attention do not expand to include awareness of the audience.
Actors need to consider tempo and rhythm, both within themselves and in the production. Tempo refers to the speed of actions and emotions, while rhythm describes the depth of the experience. Stanislavsky felt that an actor should view their body as an instrument, which needs training and tuning. This refers not only to preparing for any physical exertion required in a role but also to emotional depth and vocal training.
The guidelines Stanislavsky devised to achieve success as an actor continue to inspire actors and directors. The Stanislavski Centre at the Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance maintains a collection of writings, videos, DVDs, and other materials that are available for researchers. The center also holds workshops related to Stanislavsky's system and hosts performance events.
Method acting is a school of training developed by Lee Strasberg, who based his method on Stanislavsky's work. Method acting has been taught at the Group Theatre, the Actors Studio, and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Strasberg's method focuses on using memory to achieve truthful acting.
As theater has evolved—for example, modern plays are less naturalistic—some in the industry question the usefulness of Stanislavsky's system. Others note that art frequently requires adaptation, and Stanislavsky's techniques still have a place in theater.
Bibliography
Ates, Alex. "The Stanislavsky Method of Acting." Backstage, 30 May 2023, www.backstage.com/magazine/article/the-definitive-guide-to-the-stanislavsky-acting-technique-65716. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
Bastién, Angelica Jade. "Hollywood Has Ruined Method Acting." Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/08/hollywood-has-ruined-method-acting/494777. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.
Benedetti, Jean. Stanislavski: An Introduction. 4th ed., Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022.
Billington, Michael. "S Is for Stanislavsky." Guardian, 17 Apr. 2012, www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/apr/17/modern-drama-konstantin-stanislavsky. Accessed 28 Oct. 2016.
"Miracle on 44th Street: A Portrait of the Actor's Studio." PBS, 13 Oct. 1997, www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/actors-studio-about-the-actors-studio/525. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
"Naturalism and Stanislavski." BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zxn4mp3/revision. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
Stanislavsky, Konstantin, and Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood. Stanislavski’s Legacy: A Collection of Comments on a Variety of Aspects of an Actor’s Art and Life. Revised and expanded ed., Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2017.
Toporkov, Vasiliĭ Osipovich. Stanislavski in Rehearsal, translated by Jean Benedetti, 2nd ed., Routledge, 2023.
"What Is Method Acting." Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, newyork.methodactingstrasberg.com/what-is-method-acting. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.