An Actor Prepares
Encyclopedia
An Actor Prepares is a novel
that was first published in 1936. It is the first volume of the translations of Konstantin Stanislavski
's books on acting
, which were published as a trilogy
in English, though originally meant to be published as two books in Russia
. An Actor Prepares was initially meant to be the first half of a volume on the inner preparation of an actor, while the second half (later published in English as Building a Character) was meant to cover the outside work on the actor. The English volumes also include Creating a Role.
of a student named Kostya during his first year of training in Stanislavski's 'system'. Kostya and his fellow students have little to no experience in acting. As they go through the class, Tortsov, their teacher
and director, addresses the many assumptions they have formed that do not coincide with the 'system'. The book endeavours to teach the 'system' indirectly, through example. It also argues that the 'system' is not a particular method, but a systematic analysis of the 'natural' order of theatrical truth.
The 'system' that he describes is a means both of mastering the craft of acting and of stimulating the actor's individual creativeness and imagination
. It has influenced the majority of performances we see on the stage
or screen
.
The book is autobiographical and deals with many different areas of acting skills, including action, imagination, concentration of attention, relaxation of muscles, units and objectives, faith and a sense of truth, emotion memory, communion, adaptation, inner motive forces, the unbroken line, the inner creative state, the super-objective and the subconscious mind. Tortsov, the Director, explains all these art forms in great detail, and thereby transforms An Actor Prepares into a type of textbook
.
The book begins when Kostya and his fellow students are waiting for their first lesson with the Director. They are excited and nervous at the prospect of meeting, and are surprised when he tells them that their first exercise is to put on a few scenes from a play. Kostya and two of his friends perform scenes from Othello
, with Kostya taking the leading role. Afterwards the Director tells them their mistakes.
At the end of the book the students remember back to this first exercise and Kostya reflects on how much they have learnt since then. They remember sitting in a chair in a way which interests an audience, and looking for a brooch
convincingly. The exercises are designed to teach them the topics mentioned above and also to teach the reader.
Unfortunately, due to the complications in manuscript acquisition which occurred during the Second World War, the volume covering the outside work of an actor and thus completing Stanislavski's basic analysis of the Actor was not published until more than a decade after An Actor Prepares, leaving many English speaking actors and directors to assume it as a stand alone volume.
An Actor Prepares deals with the imaginative process, techniques of relaxation and concentration, and the inward preparation an actor must undergo to explore a role to its full. Stanivslavski introduces concepts such as the "magic if", "affective memory", "unbroken line" and many more now-famous rehearsal techniques.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
that was first published in 1936. It is the first volume of the translations of Konstantin Stanislavski
Konstantin Stanislavski
Constantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski , was a Russian actor and theatre director. Building on the directorially-unified aesthetic and ensemble playing of the Meiningen company and the naturalistic staging of Antoine and the independent theatre movement, Stanislavski organized his realistic...
's books on acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
, which were published as a trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
in English, though originally meant to be published as two books in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. An Actor Prepares was initially meant to be the first half of a volume on the inner preparation of an actor, while the second half (later published in English as Building a Character) was meant to cover the outside work on the actor. The English volumes also include Creating a Role.
Summary
The book takes the form of the diaryDiary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
of a student named Kostya during his first year of training in Stanislavski's 'system'. Kostya and his fellow students have little to no experience in acting. As they go through the class, Tortsov, their teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and director, addresses the many assumptions they have formed that do not coincide with the 'system'. The book endeavours to teach the 'system' indirectly, through example. It also argues that the 'system' is not a particular method, but a systematic analysis of the 'natural' order of theatrical truth.
The 'system' that he describes is a means both of mastering the craft of acting and of stimulating the actor's individual creativeness and imagination
Imagination
Imagination, also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses...
. It has influenced the majority of performances we see on the stage
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
or screen
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
.
The book is autobiographical and deals with many different areas of acting skills, including action, imagination, concentration of attention, relaxation of muscles, units and objectives, faith and a sense of truth, emotion memory, communion, adaptation, inner motive forces, the unbroken line, the inner creative state, the super-objective and the subconscious mind. Tortsov, the Director, explains all these art forms in great detail, and thereby transforms An Actor Prepares into a type of textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
.
The book begins when Kostya and his fellow students are waiting for their first lesson with the Director. They are excited and nervous at the prospect of meeting, and are surprised when he tells them that their first exercise is to put on a few scenes from a play. Kostya and two of his friends perform scenes from Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
, with Kostya taking the leading role. Afterwards the Director tells them their mistakes.
At the end of the book the students remember back to this first exercise and Kostya reflects on how much they have learnt since then. They remember sitting in a chair in a way which interests an audience, and looking for a brooch
Brooch
A brooch ; also known in ancient times as a fibula; is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material...
convincingly. The exercises are designed to teach them the topics mentioned above and also to teach the reader.
Unfortunately, due to the complications in manuscript acquisition which occurred during the Second World War, the volume covering the outside work of an actor and thus completing Stanislavski's basic analysis of the Actor was not published until more than a decade after An Actor Prepares, leaving many English speaking actors and directors to assume it as a stand alone volume.
An Actor Prepares deals with the imaginative process, techniques of relaxation and concentration, and the inward preparation an actor must undergo to explore a role to its full. Stanivslavski introduces concepts such as the "magic if", "affective memory", "unbroken line" and many more now-famous rehearsal techniques.