Building a Character
Páginas: 8 (1896 palabras)
Publicado: 11 de octubre de 2011
Building a Character
by CONSTANTIN STANISLAVSKI
(1863-1938)
Stanislavski’s first book, An Actor Prepares concentrates on the inner imaginative process. The next book in the series, Building a Character, deals with the physical realization of character on the stage – expressions, movement, speech etc. It was originally intended to be published as part of the same book, but the decisionwas taken to publish separately due to the length of ‘AAP’.
What follows is a very brief summary of each chapter in Building a Character.
1. TOWARDS A PHYSICAL CHARACTERISATION
"Each person evolves an external characterization out of himself according to his intuition and his observation of himself and others."
[pic]
Tortsov demonstrates ‘external disguises’ to his students. Eg.He pulls his mouth into different positions (which alters the way he speaks), walks as if he is lame, walks with a humped shoulder, turns his feet out, etc. Each time, his character is transformed. Tortsov also comments how as he takes on these external disguises, his internal faculties are stimulated. “His inner faculties responded to the external image he (Tortsov) created”
2. DRESSING ACHARACTER
[pic]
In this chapter, as part of a dressing up exercise, Kostya creates a character, which he names, "the Critic". His makeup, shoes, costume, physical characterization etc transform him, but he comments, “…while I was playing the part of ‘The Critic’ I still did not lose the sense of being myself…. I derived him from my own nature. I divided myself, as it were, into twopersonalities. One continued as an actor, the other was an observer.
CHARACTERS AND TYPES
[pic]
This chapter explores the difference between stereotypical (or vague) characterization and the creation of individuality. It describes the physical creation of old age by examining the given circumstances of old age (the hardening of muscles, the stiffening of joints, the inability to bend theknees more than 90 degrees, ect).
3. MAKING THE BODY EXPRESSIVE
[pic]
Advocates the use of gymnastics and ballet to develop and control the use of the body. The director claims that a body with physical defects distracts from the impression he creates. He stresses the importance of exercise for the body as well as the mind. For example, he links acrobatics and tumbling with anactor ‘jumping’ into a difficult moment on stage. Thorough rehearsal and training is vital to ensure that the ‘jumps’ become second nature.
“When you have developed will-power into your bodily movements and actions, it will be easier for you to carry it over into living your role and you will learn how, without thinking, to surrender yourself instantly and utterly into the power of intuition andinspiration.”
4. PLASTICITY OF MOTION
We need “simple, expressive actions with an inner content”
"External plasticity is based on our inner sense of the movement of energy."
The director claims that motion has to become part of your being. “Energy, heated by emotion, charged with will, directed by the intellect” stirs you to external activity.
Every actor must be aware ofindividual muscles and joints. We have to learn to walk.
The director encourages students to imagine the fluid passage of a ball of mercury through the muscular system, in order to imagine and then create fluency in movement. He links this fluency to the unbroken line. He states that energy must travel along an unbroken line to create fluency and plasticity of movement.
Tempo-rhythm is essentialto plasticity.
“The inner line of movement… is the basis of plasticity”
“At the foundation of plasticity of movement one must establish an inner flow of energy”. This must be coordinated with “the measured beat of tempo and rhythm”.
“External plasticity is based on our inner sense of the movement of energy”.
5. RESTRAINT AND CONTROL
[pic]
"An actor must rid himself of all...
by CONSTANTIN STANISLAVSKI
(1863-1938)
Stanislavski’s first book, An Actor Prepares concentrates on the inner imaginative process. The next book in the series, Building a Character, deals with the physical realization of character on the stage – expressions, movement, speech etc. It was originally intended to be published as part of the same book, but the decisionwas taken to publish separately due to the length of ‘AAP’.
What follows is a very brief summary of each chapter in Building a Character.
1. TOWARDS A PHYSICAL CHARACTERISATION
"Each person evolves an external characterization out of himself according to his intuition and his observation of himself and others."
[pic]
Tortsov demonstrates ‘external disguises’ to his students. Eg.He pulls his mouth into different positions (which alters the way he speaks), walks as if he is lame, walks with a humped shoulder, turns his feet out, etc. Each time, his character is transformed. Tortsov also comments how as he takes on these external disguises, his internal faculties are stimulated. “His inner faculties responded to the external image he (Tortsov) created”
2. DRESSING ACHARACTER
[pic]
In this chapter, as part of a dressing up exercise, Kostya creates a character, which he names, "the Critic". His makeup, shoes, costume, physical characterization etc transform him, but he comments, “…while I was playing the part of ‘The Critic’ I still did not lose the sense of being myself…. I derived him from my own nature. I divided myself, as it were, into twopersonalities. One continued as an actor, the other was an observer.
CHARACTERS AND TYPES
[pic]
This chapter explores the difference between stereotypical (or vague) characterization and the creation of individuality. It describes the physical creation of old age by examining the given circumstances of old age (the hardening of muscles, the stiffening of joints, the inability to bend theknees more than 90 degrees, ect).
3. MAKING THE BODY EXPRESSIVE
[pic]
Advocates the use of gymnastics and ballet to develop and control the use of the body. The director claims that a body with physical defects distracts from the impression he creates. He stresses the importance of exercise for the body as well as the mind. For example, he links acrobatics and tumbling with anactor ‘jumping’ into a difficult moment on stage. Thorough rehearsal and training is vital to ensure that the ‘jumps’ become second nature.
“When you have developed will-power into your bodily movements and actions, it will be easier for you to carry it over into living your role and you will learn how, without thinking, to surrender yourself instantly and utterly into the power of intuition andinspiration.”
4. PLASTICITY OF MOTION
We need “simple, expressive actions with an inner content”
"External plasticity is based on our inner sense of the movement of energy."
The director claims that motion has to become part of your being. “Energy, heated by emotion, charged with will, directed by the intellect” stirs you to external activity.
Every actor must be aware ofindividual muscles and joints. We have to learn to walk.
The director encourages students to imagine the fluid passage of a ball of mercury through the muscular system, in order to imagine and then create fluency in movement. He links this fluency to the unbroken line. He states that energy must travel along an unbroken line to create fluency and plasticity of movement.
Tempo-rhythm is essentialto plasticity.
“The inner line of movement… is the basis of plasticity”
“At the foundation of plasticity of movement one must establish an inner flow of energy”. This must be coordinated with “the measured beat of tempo and rhythm”.
“External plasticity is based on our inner sense of the movement of energy”.
5. RESTRAINT AND CONTROL
[pic]
"An actor must rid himself of all...
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