Transcript Stanislavski and the Moscow Arts Theatre (MAT)

Stanislavski and the
Moscow Art Theatre (MAT)
Inspired by Saxe Meiningen
Players
Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
The first modern director
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1874-1890- most admired company in the West
Very methodical in his approach
Play specific design. Designer becomes important
Historical accuracy
Ensemble – NO STARS!!!
Long rehearsals
Unified Production Concept
– One person responsible for ensuring unity
– Director became the authority
– Director creates a production concept from research of play’s
themes
– Built around an image, metaphor or other concepts.
• May place the play in another time to help highlight a theme
Stanislavski 1863-1938
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Co-founded MAT in 1898
He was an actor, director and teacher.
Not a natural actor.
Wanted to find a systematic way to
become a great actor
Questions – Key for Inspiration
• Relationship – What to I think of the other
character? What do (I think) they think of me?
• Objective – What do I want?
• Purpose – What will make me happy? Why do I
want to achieve my objective?
• Obstacle – What is in the way?
• Text – What do I say?
• Subtext – What do I mean when I say…
• Evaluations – What do I think of doing but don’t
do?
Other questions
• What are my given circumstances?
• Magic IF
• Super Objective – What do I want most in
life?
• Through Line – What is the connection
between all of my behaviors/actions in the
play?
Dividing up the play
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Acts
Scenes
Units or Episodes
Beats
– Came from when Russian teachers came to
America to teach the system. They were
saying “bits” but the actors understood “beats”
so beats became the common term
• Basic Actions and Basic Events
Qualities of an objective
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Want
Change
Obtainable
Comes with action
– If I do nothing to achieve it, it’s a dream
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Happiness
Enjoyable to act
Pictures and Impressions
Uses an infinitive verb
– I want to be remembered
– I want to be the winner
Objectives have qualities
• Short term objectives
– Very clear, visible and short term.
• Cutting cucumbers
• Medium term objectives
– Fairly clear pictures or impressions
– Longer time duration
• Making a salad
• Long term objectives
– not very clear pictures, sometimes more of an
impression.
• My blind date
Action
• What do I do to achieve my objective?
• Main actions and Basic Actions
• Verbs not nouns
– I attack, I flirt, I submit, I plead, etc
• Micro action – I enjoy or I regret
• Basic Biological actions
– I attack, I shrink/run away, I rest
– Super Objective – I want to survive
Super Objectives
• Overriding desire in a play
• What do I want
Obstacles
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Physical
Social
Mental
Can be other objectives