Arte Dramático

An Actor’s Work
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-readEnglish-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 ActorPrepares 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.

Konstantin

Stanislavski
An Actor’s Work
A Student’s Diary

Translated and edited by Jean Benedetti

First published 2008 by Routledge 2 ParkSquare, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, 0X14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2007. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor& Francis Group, an informa business Translation, text and Afterword © 2008 Routledge Translator’s Foreword and editorial matter © 2008 Jean Benedetti Introduction © 2008 Declan Donnellan All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying andrecording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Stanislavsky, Konstantin, 1863–1938. [Rabota aktera nad soboi. English] An actor’s work : a student’s diary / KonstantinStanislavski ; translated and edited by Jean Benedetti. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Method (Acting) I. Benedetti, Jean. II. Title. PN2062.S7613 2008 792.02′8–dc22 2007045357
ISBN 0-203-93615-9 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN10: 0–415–42223–X (hbk) ISBN10: 0–203–93615–9 (ebk) ISBN13: 978–0–415–42223–9 (hbk) ISBN13: 978–0–203–93615–3 (ebk)

To Maria Petrovna Lilina, whohas shared my labours, my best teacher, beloved actress, ever devoted help-meet in all my theatrical endeavours, this book is dedicated.

C ONTENTS

Introduction by Declan Donnellan Translator’s foreword by Jean Benedetti Publisher’s acknowledgements An Actor’s Work, original draft preface [extracts] YEAR ONE: EXPERIENCING An Actor’s Work, introduction 1. Amateurism 2. The stage as art andstock-in-trade 3. Action, ‘if ’, ‘Given Circumstances’ 4. Imagination 5. Concentration and attention 6. Muscular release 7. Bits and Tasks 8. Belief and the sense of truth 9. Emotion Memory 10. Communication 11. An actor’s adaptations and other elements, qualities, aptitudes and gifts 12. Inner psychological drives 13. Inner psychological drives in action 14. The actor’s inner creative state 15. TheSupertask, Throughaction 16. The subconscious and the actor’s creative state

ix xv xxiii xxiv

3 5 16 37 60 86 119 135 152 195 229 258 273 283 292 306 322

viii contents
YEAR TWO: EMBODIMENT 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. Transition to physical embodiment Physical education Voice and speech Perspective of the actor and the role Tempo-rhythm Logic and sequence...