Stanislakski

An actor prepares for the performance of a lifetime ... or some sad
tale about a mother receiving bad news about her son ... everywhere
you do its do or die ... the end is nigh.
Fortunately the most potent image in this book about the great acting
school of Stanislakski evokes a terror that is easily quelled by
paying attention to the oppositing back in themes, allegories,
cliches or call language what you will.
One that struck me as vivid was the notion of the actor looking at
the mirror and seeing oneself reflected there to, without a shadow
of doubt an undeniable reality, but the writer of this book on
Stanislaksi insists that this is wrong and the view is that
the inner being of the actor should be as important as the
externals.
For example, the soul or spirit must be pushed out into
the role the actor is about to play... certainly it was a key
idea in the Swinging Sixties ... everybody but everybody
was keen to display their inner self ,  talk about the
soul, and the religious imagery tookover from the
daily facts of life ... its a wonderfully poetic notion
of acting ... and its great if you have bare your soul
on the stage and not bore the audience to death.
Today''s market is keen on brievity, cleanliness,
and a strict line of discipline that shows you as an
actor or indeed drama lecturer or Professor of
Drama can last the way through without running
out of steam, money or anything else or a facet needed
for the day to day existence of dramatic
interchange within the theatre and university!
Happy reading ... excellent stuff!