An Actor's Work / Edition 1

by Konstantin Stanislavski

Overview

Stanislavski’s ‘system’ has dominated actor-training in the West since his writings were first translated into English in the 1920s and 30s. His systematic attempt to outline a psycho-physical technique for acting single-handedly revolutionized standards of acting in the theatre.

Until now, readers and students have had to contend with inaccurate, misleading and difficult-to-read English-language versions. Some of the mistranslations have resulted in profound distortions in the way his system has been interpreted and taught. At last, Jean Benedetti has succeeded in translating Stanislavski’s huge manual into a lively, fascinating and accurate text in English. He has remained faithful to the author's original intentions, putting the two books previously known as An Actor Prepares and Building A Character back together into one volume, and in a colloquial and readable style for today's actors.

The result is a major contribution to the theatre, and a service to one of the great innovators of the twentieth century.

This Routledge Classics edition includes a new Foreword by the director Richard Eyre.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138688384
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/22/2016
Series:	Routledge Classics
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	762
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Konstantin Stanislavsky (1863-1938) was a Russian actor and theatre director. He was the co-founder (with Nemirovich-Danchenko) of the Moscow Art Theatre, which took the international theatre world by storm when he began producing the plays of Anton Chekhov in 1898.

Table of Contents

Introduction Declan Donnelan Translator's Foreword Jean Benedetti Preface Konstantin Stanislavski Year One 1. Amateurism 2. The stage as art and stock-in-trade 3. Action 4. Imagination 5. Concentration 6. Muscular release 7. Bits and tasks 8. Belief and the sense of truth 9. Emotion memory 10. Contact and communication 11. Adaptation 12. Psychological drives 13. Psychological drives in action 14. The Actor's creative state 15. The Supertask, through-action 16. The subconscious and the Actor Year Two 17. Transition to physical embodiment 18. Physical education 19. Voice and speech 20. Perspective 21. Tempo-rhyth 22. Logic 23. Physical characteristics 24. Finishing touches 25. Charisma 26. Ethics and discipline 27. External creative state 28. General creative state 29. The system Appendices Glossary of Key Terms Afterword Anatolij Smelianski

Editorial Reviews

'A lively new translation by Jean Benedetti… Stanislavksi was provocative, controversial - and, asAn Actor's Work confirms, a genius' - The Times

'A volume that clearly communicates the entire system … it should be made required reading. -The Guardian

'Getting the system straight from the horses mouth … An Actor's Work should be a manual not just in drama school, but but on any course where students are taught to assess texts and arugments critically' - Times Literary Supplement

'A landmark achievement in Stanislavski studies … essential reading for anyone interested in acting, practically or academically, at all levels from schools to the industry.' - Times Higher Educational Supplement

'Benedetti, the author of several previous books on Stanislavski, has both improved and expanded upon the Hapgood editions, and the result is a longer yet much more readable text. ' –Libray Journal

'The twin bibles of acting books, Stanislavsky's An Actor Prepares and Building a Character, have been recently re-translated into a single tome.' - American Theatre'A far more authentic Stanislavsky.' – Laurence Senelick, Tufts University, Boston

'More complete, much more accurate, and more readable [than the previous translation].’ –Richard Hornby, University of California, Riverside

'Benedetti has done an excellent job… an elegantly presented and valuable volume… This volume is essential reading for anyone interested in acting, practically or academically, at all levels from schools to the industry.' - Times Higher Education

'…Jean Benedetti's translation is fresh, immediate, highly readable, very witty, and, above all, accessible.' - Dramatics

'This volume is a must for theater collections. Essential.' – CHOICE

From the Publisher

This new translation by Benedetti of Stanislavski's famous works An Actor Prepares and Building a Character will be greeted with excitement by actors everywhere. The actor training system developed by Stanislavski in the early 20th century for the Moscow Art Theatre had a profound impact on acting styles around the world and forms the basis for nearly all contemporary actor training. The original English translations that appeared in the 1930s gave rise to several different American interpretations, the best known of which is method acting. For decades, the translations by Elizabeth Hapgood have been the standard text for actors interested in the Stanislavski system. Benedetti, the author of several previous books on Stanislavski, has both improved and expanded upon the Hapgood editions, and the result is a longer yet much more readable text. Essential for all theater collections and highly recommended for all public libraries.-Katherine Litwin, Pierre Berton Resource Lib., Woodbridge, Ont.

Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal