Stanislavsky.......Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
Taylor Russo
I need help. I have to direct a scene for MacBeth as if I was
Stanislavsky. If anyone can help me or give me any kind of information
(books, websites, common knowledge, etc.) I would be very grateful.
You can write to me directly at tru...@marlboro.edu or post it.
Thank you so much.
Taylor
none
My God, man......all you have to do is either go to your library (there must be tons of
books on him) Look for subjects relating as well-- the Moscow Arts Theatre, Anton
Chekhov, Uta Hagen (trained by him, and uses his techniques).
As for the web, if you go to any of the search engines (yahoo and hotbot are my favorites)
you will get thousands of listings of websites. If you don't have access to retrieve
search engines, e-mail me and I'll help you out.
Stan is verrrrrrrry accessible......., do not fear
CRW
(to e-mail, remove the x from the address)
Nathan Thomas
Taylor Russo wrote:
>
> I need help. I have to direct a scene for MacBeth as if I was
> Stanislavsky.
> Taylor
Well, you might start with a slim, but powerful volume by Jean Benedetti
called "Stanislavski: An Introduction." This will provide a helpful
introduction to the man and his work. I would also look to the books
written *by* him. (A common mistake, though, is to look at the first
book -- "An Actor Prepares" -- and assume that's the total focus of
Stanislavski. It's not.) You might also look at Gorchakkov's accounts
of Stanislavski directing in "Stanislavski Directs." But I wouldn't
urge this for someone just starting out as a director for a couple of
reasons: 1) It's helpful to be familiar with the Russian plays
discussed in the book and 2) Stan changed his working practices
throughout his life and experimented much. But Stan was able to try
some far-out sorts of things only because he already had years and
years of professional work to serve as a basis for those experiments.
Peace,
Nathan
thom...@pilot.msu.edu
Plantgrrrl
As was already mentioned, Stanislavsky is pretty easy to get info on.
However, for a look at another side of his life, i.e. being a playwright
whose play he directed, check out Bulgakov's book Black Snow. It's really
funny, and shows a whole new light to the revered guy I've heard about in
my four years in university theatre.
Matt Brown
Be careful, though in your interpretation of Stanislavski. Many
askewed interpretations exist. Be sure you read more than An Actor
Prepares. And remember, Stanislavski himself said that his ideas and
method were an idea a way of approaching that evolved even the day he
died, and he knew it did not work for everyone.
Also remember that Stanislavki dealt with Realism. A movement that
occurred after Shakespeare, so to direct Macbeth ala Stanislavski is a
strange request. Directing Checkov or Ibsen ala Stanislavski would be
more appropriate if you wanted to do it just like him.
But check out the works of Micheal Checkov (not Anton) to see clear
interpretations of the Method.
Nathan Thomas
Matt Brown wrote:
> Also remember that Stanislavki dealt with Realism. A movement that
> occurred after Shakespeare, so to direct Macbeth ala Stanislavski is a
> strange request. Directing Checkov or Ibsen ala Stanislavski would be
> more appropriate if you wanted to do it just like him.
Greetings:
Errr. . . .Uhmmm. . .. Then how would you account for Stanislavski's own
on-going and passionate interest in Shakespeare -- notably Othello. The
Moscow Art Theatre opened its doors with the play "Tsar Fydor
Ivanovitch" -- hardly a modern, 'kitchen sink' drama. Stanislavski
spent at least as much time on the speaking of verse as any other aspect
of actor training. Nothing odd about the assignment from a historical
vantage point.
>
> But check out the works of Micheal Checkov (not Anton) to see clear
> interpretations of the Method.
Again, historically, Stanislavski probably would have pointed more
readily to Vakhtangov as an interpreter. And Stanislavski relied upon
Boleslavski in the early years, particularly in the training of supers
for the big shows. Chekhov certainly presents an interesting
perspective on Stanislavski's system (the Method usually reserved for
describing Lee Strasberg's work).
Just trying to keep the history as clear as possible. 8-)
Understanding now why Burnett Hobgood would just sigh sometimes,
Nathan
thom...@pilot.msu.edu