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The Origin of Stanislavski's System

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Tracing the impact of Stanislavski’s System on Strasberg’s Method By Emerentia Eletitia van Heerden Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Drama) at the University of Stellenbosch. Supervisor: Prof. Edwin Hees December 2007 DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. ……………………………. ……………………………. Signature Date Copyright © 2007 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ABSTRACT This thesis explores the development of the Stanislavski system and the elements that influenced the growth of his theories and their impact on Strasberg’s work. In other words, the thesis has an explicitly historical orientation, and is not intended as a training manual for contemporary actors. It describes the many challenges Stanislavski faced in trying to change the conditions actors worked under and the quality of acting in the Russian theatre of his day. It discusses how certain theatre practitioners influenced him and the development of his system, which he saw as more of a helpful guide in moments of difficulty concerning the acting process and process of creation of a character. It further discusses Stanislavski’s relationship with Anton Chekhov, along with his learning experiences while working with actors at the Moscow Art Theatre. The thesis then discusses the impact of Stanislavski’s approach on Strasberg’s method. This includes tracing how Stanislavski’s system travelled to America and how it came to be introduced to Lee Strasberg. It then follows Strasberg’s learning experience at the American Laboratory and how he adapted and applied what he learnt there of the Stanislavski system into the Americanized version known as ‘The Method’ that he used while involved with The Group Theatre from the 1930s and later in The Actors Studio and his private classes from 1949 onwards. The thesis concludes with commentary on, and critiques of, Stanislavski’s system and Strasberg’s method from students who studied under them, fellow actors and their fellow theatre practitioners and contemporaries. i OPSOMMING Die tesis ondersoek die ontwikkeling van die Stanislavski sisteem en die elemente wat die ontwikkeling van sy teorië beïnvloed het, asook hoe dit die ontwikkeling van Strasberg se metode beïnvloed het. In ander woorde het die tesis ‘n uitdruklike historiese oriënteering en is nie bestem as ‘n handleiding vir hedendaagse akteurs nie. Dit beskryf die menigte uitdagings wat Stanislavski in die gesig moes staar in sy pogings om die toestand en kwaliteit van die Russiese teater te verbeter. Dit bespreek die invloed wat sekere teaterkundiges op hom gehad het asook op die ontwikkeling van sy sisteem, wat hy meer as ‘n hulpmiddel in moeilike oomblikke in die proses van toneelspel en in die kreatiewe proses van karakter ontwikkeling gesien het. Die tesis sluit in die verhouding tussen Stanislavski en Anton Chekhov, asook die groei en ontwikkeling ondervindinge wat Stanislavski by die Moskow Kunste Teater deurgegaan het terwyl hy met die akteurs gewerk het. Die tesis bespreek dan die impak wat Stanislavski se sisteem op Strasberg se metode gehad het. Dit sluit in hoe Stanislavski se sisteem tot in Amerika gevorder het en hoe die sisteem aan Lee Strasberg bekendgestel is. Dit volg dan Strasberg se opvoedkundige ondervinding by die Amerikaanse Laboratorium Teater en hoe hy, wat hy daar van Stanislavski se sisteem geleer het, aangepas het tot die Amerikaanse weergawe van die sisteem wat bekend gestaan het as ‘Die Metode’ wat hy gebruik het terwyl by Die Groep Teater van die 1930s asook by die Akteurs Studio en sy privaat klasse wat hy aangebied het vanaf 1949. Die tesis sluit af met kommentaar en kritiek op Stanislavski se sisteem en Strasberg se metode deur studente wat onder hulle studeer het, akteurs wat saam hulle gewerk het en menigte teaterkundiges en tydgenote. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ...........................................................................................................I OPSOMMING .......................................................................................................II CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...........................................................................1 CHAPTER 2: THE ORIGIN OF STANISLAVSKI’S SYSTEM .............................5 2.1. Russian theatre before the Moscow Arts Theatre ....................................................................... 5 2.1.1. Growing up .................................................................................................................................. 7 2.1.2. Stanislavski and the Society of Arts and Literature..................................................................... 8 2.1.3. Major influences on Stanislavski............................................................................................... 11 2.1.3.1. Ludwig Chronegk ...................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.3.2. Thommaso Salvini ..................................................................................................................... 12 2.1.3.3. Ernesto Rossi ............................................................................................................................. 13 2.2. The Moscow Art Theatre (MAT)................................................................................................ 14 2.2.1 The culmination of two men’s aspirations ................................................................................... 14 2.2.2. Chekhov and the MAT ................................................................................................................. 16 2.2.3. Moving away from dictatorship.................................................................................................... 24 2.2.4. The start of a ‘system’ .................................................................................................................. 26 2.2.5. Affective memory......................................................................................................................... 27 2.2.6. First disappointments with the system.......................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 3: STANISLAVSKI’S SYSTEM AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IN AMERICA ...........................................................................................................31 3.1. The Stanislavski system ...................................................................................................................... 31 3.1.1. The work on the actor .................................................................................................................... 34 3.1.1.1. Concentration............................................................................................................................. 35 3.1.1.2. Imagination................................................................................................................................37 3.1.1.3. Communication.......................................................................................................................... 38 3.1.2 The work on the role...................................................................................................................... 39 3.1.2.1. Round-the-table analysis............................................................................................................ 40 3.1.2.2. Units and objectives................................................................................................................... 41 3.1.2.3. Method of analysis through physical actions............................................................................. 42 3.1.2.4. Active analysis........................................................................................................................... 43 3.2. The First Studio .................................................................................................................................. 44 3.3. From Russia to America .................................................................................................................... 45 3.3.2. Stanislavski’s publications............................................................................................................ 47 3.3.3. The tour to America...................................................................................................................... 51 iii CHAPTER 4: LEE STRASBERG AND ‘THE METHOD’...................................54 4.1. Lee Strasberg before the American Laboratory Theatre (ALT).................................................... 54 4. 2 Strasberg at the American Laboratory Theatre.............................................................................. 55 4.3. The Group Theatre and The Method ............................................................................................... 58 4.4. The Actors Studio: A Brief History.................................................................................................. 65 4.5. Strasberg and teaching at The Actors Studio .................................................................................. 66 4.5.1 The first stage of actor training....................................................................................................... 67 4.5.1.1. Relaxation.................................................................................................................................
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