An Actor's Work on a Role

by Konstantin Stanislavski, Constantin Stanislavski

An Actor’s Work on a Role is Konstantin Stanislavski’s exploration of the rehearsal process, applying the techniques of his seminal actor training system to the task of bringing truth to one’s chosen role.

Originally published over half a century ago as Creating a Role, this book was the third in a planned trilogy – after An Actor Prepares and Building a Character, now combined in An Actor’s Work – in which Stanislavski sets out his psychological, physical and practical vision of actor training.

This new translation from renowned scholar Jean Benedetti not only includes Stanislavski’s original teachings, but is also furnished with invaluable supplementary material in the shape of transcripts and notes from the rehearsals themselves, reconfirming 'The System' as the cornerstone of actor training.

Genres: Theatre, Nonfiction, Drama, Film, Art, Education, Plays

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2013

About the author

Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski
Alternative spelling profile for Constantin Stanislavski

Reviews

[AskHistorians]

This and An Actor Prepares and Building a Character are not academic books on theatre history. But they are far too important and influential to ignore. In the Actor Prepares Trilogy, Stanislavski defines acting as a very serious activity requiring immense discipline and integrity. He lays out a system for acting that demands a kind of psychological realism that was rarely seen in pre-19th Century acting styles. It is common for teachers of acting to regard the works of Stanislavski as the beginning of the modern era in terms of how young theatre artists are trained.

[Mark Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 3 of THE classic actor's handbook, and though "Method Acting" is essentially out of style, you have to know where the art has been to understand where it is now. It's still a fascinating read, as it was written during the discovery of the technique itself.

[Caleb Philbrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stanislavsky's first in his set of three books on method acting. He breaks up a role into three parts: the study, emotional experience, and physical embodiment. Then he gives to examples, which are boring. First part is worth it.

[LeeLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make me great. Stanney. Make me ACT.

[Salembrocolilectora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me pareció muy inspirador y lo recomendaría a todos los cantantes líricos.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this (or this translation) better than the first two of what is considered his trilogy.

[Christopher Seewah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful addition to the trilogy. Having now read all 3 books I find myself much more drawn to this one in particular. Loved it.

[Arthur Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

🤩🤩

[Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

necessarily obtuse, unhelpful without praxis of course

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5ish

[Neno · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Não é sem motivo que nossa palavra “drama” é derivada da palavra grega, que significa “eu faço”.

Explorar cada vez mais sua própria natureza também é talvez, a melhor forma de multiplicar almas. Com o acaso imposto e a adaptabilidade natural, somos coagidos a exercitar essa multiplicação que vem percorrendo um longuíssimo caminho de refinamento, desde a heresia à estruturação de uma moral fugaz que batalha para descobrir as mais sublimes formas de expressar nossa escala insuficiente.
Stanislavski encerra sua coletânea submetendo suas incorporações a mais práticas psicotécnicas e as avaliando equitativamente no aspecto mais importante: atingir o momento da criação através da vivacidade. A própria vivacidade, responsável por florescer uma vertente profunda que visa suprir o sentimento de distância: A filosofia existencialista. Nietzsche, um dos pais dessa vertente diz: O que importa não é a vida eterna, mas a eterna vivacidade das alegrias sem futuro.
O diretor também reforça sobre a importância das tentações, entenda: “Uma cópia ruim de um bom modelo é pior do que um bom original de traçado medíocre”. O aguçamento da dualidade visa sintetizar a deliberada lógica de pensamento no ator para que haja poucas, senão nenhuma sugestão externa sobre a correlação de seus sentimentos pessoais e as formas escolhidas para ultrapassar de forma convincente o desafio renascentista: o controle da promiscuidade e resoluções práticas do mistério impetrado na raiz de cada expressão.
Em suma, o trabalho consiste em ajustes contínuos como autoanálise induzida, acentuação perceptível nas amálgamas, respeito à sequência criativa e o desenvolvimento do subtexto lógico nos aspectos acessíveis. Com isso, o diretor crê no florescimento do “cogito ergo sum”, ou seja, o modo de vida que amplia a paixão humana e penetra de forma indireta no reino do subconsciente para decodificar o “superobjetivo” no espetáculo. Como diz Shakespeare em Hamlet: “What a piece of work is man”.

Link para meus grifados: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kdtl...

[Ozan]

After long and meticulous reading, underlineing, studying, contemplating on this last book that Stanislavski wanted to write but was published with the help post-mortem. He didn't see the light of day. But apart from the other two books- this book kind of recapitulates all the main subjects from the other two and adding a finalization of thought.

A very good guide to actors and actresses, anyone interested in pursuing to be an actor should ready the three books chronologically. Because only ready the first two- does a lot of the things mentioned on the third makes sense and molds its soul into a form, a body.

Lots of references were made on Stanislavsky's autobiographical "My Life in Art", after reading these 3 books (1- An Actor Prepares 2- Building a Character 3- Creating a Role), I want to read this book.

A good reference for all cinema or theatre actors/actresses interested in pursuing acting.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

از دورانی که روش و نظریه های استانیسلاوسکی در تیاتر مطرح شد، بیش از صد سالی می گذرد. دورانی تا پس از جنگ دوم، این نظریه ها "متد اکتینگ" در دنیای غرب هم مطرح بود. اما با ظهور نظریه های برشت، و سپس تیاتر مدرن، و تیاتر بی چیز "یرژی گروتوفسکی" و... از دهه ی شصت قرن بیستم به بعد، روش استانیسلاوسکی از سکه افتاد

[RF · Rating 2 out of 5]

استانیسلاوسکی تجربه‌ی شخصیش از آماده شدن گروهی محصل برای نمتیش اتلو رو نقل میکنه.
نکته‌ی منفیش اینه که مدام مثال‌ها و توضیحاتی استفاده میکنه که احتمالا برای تاکید و انتقال بهتر منظورشه ولی صرفا محتوا رو تکراری میکنه.
در کل کتاب چند نکته‌ی خوب و کاربردی داره.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creating a Role by Constantin Stanislavski (1989)

[Ivo Westerneng]

Usable exercises for any situation most applicable for actors and directors in text theatre

[Randy Babbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Belongs on every actor's shelf. Great reference book.

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUST read in order. All three. Amazing for actors, read before any other acting book. This is the foundation, period.

[Arun Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.

[Sam Gurvinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book for everyone who belongs to theatre .

[Jeff Alan-Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another must own book for all actors everywhere.