Key principles and influences in the process of acting for one of the following practitioners Flashcards
Stanislavski
- Russian practitioners in Russia were strict communists and art was heavily censored so he had to put on plays with a socialist message. Stanislavski believed in naturalistic performances that were realistic as possible. 5 Key principle.
5 Key principle
- Fourth wall – Characters shouldn’t break the fourth wall because this would break the spell of realism. Stanislavski wouldn’t have written anything like Angel because it breaks the fourth wall.
- Normal Speech - No use of poetry no heightened vocabulary wouldn’t write iambic pentameter like Shakespeare.
- Ordinary People
- Real Settings - No fantasy or fairy tales.
- Carefully Rehearsed - Stanislavski’s production would be carefully rehearsed so his actors could create the impression of real life. I’ve rehearsed uncountable times even performed at school showcase. For example, with Woman, I embodied her to the point my director said when acting on other pieces I sounded like her.
Techniques of The System
Help put the key principle in practice
Given circumstances – all information about the character.
We incorporated the system in this piece by doing Uta Hagen’s questions because she was influenced by Stanislavski. R&J Who am I? Name: Juliet Capulet Age: 13 years old
Physical trait: Young, innocent, beautiful (to Romeo) Relatives: Mum – Lady Capulet -> Married young, already married at Juliet’s age – Shakespeare commenting that people shouldn’t marry young. Dad – Capulet Ethics: Romantic love is important. Where am I? Country: Verona, Italy Act 3 scene 2 – My scene The building: Capulet’s house. In bedroom
Objective (reasons for actions), super-objective (essential idea) and through-line (invisible thread keeps actor on track).
R&J
• Rebuke nurse for saying she shouldn’t think well of the person who killed her cousin “Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband” – I shout this with much contempt to show the anger and youthfulness of Juliet.
• Reassure herself – “But wherefore villain didst thou kill my cousin, that villain cousin would have killed my husband”. Sharp intake of breath to show trying to process this.
• Retiring from breakdown – “Where is my father and my mother nurse” devoid with energy doesn’t really care for the answer. I say with no emotion.
• Super objective – Marry Romeo
Angel - Rehanna has many objectives because it changes in time throughout the scene.
• YO at the beginning - Find her dog “Bizou? Bizou?” – Shout this wide-eyed confused – representing 12 years old.
• 17 YO
• Winning the annual harvest – Smiles, joyous tone; confident I’m going to win.
• Winning the battle of wits with her father – quick pace argument between her and her father.
• Going back to school so she can get into law school “Can I go back to school yet” “I’m not going to law school unless – “
• Super objective - Save her town from ISIS. To get to university so she can become a lawyer.
A Woman Alone
• To escape from the hell she is living with, talk to someone.
• Desperation shows with how happy she is.
Imaginational and Emotional Memory
R&J - Imagined something unfair for Juliet’s scene to represent her sorrow.
Circles of attention – focus on self (1st circle), aware of other characters in scene (2nd circle) and the rest of the production (3rd circle)
No other parts of the production apart from directly so mainly be 1st and 2nd circle.
R&J – Aware of the nurse. On my right side, I look there.
A woman alone – Look at where the neighbour would be. Pause at the beginning to demonstrate the neighbour’s presence.
Angel – Breaks the fourth wall however she is aware of the dog (dropping down to him), father (looking up to meet eye level) and jackal (moving back but also staying still in fear staring at him not looking away).
Tempo and Rhythm
R&J – Trying to pick up the pace as I continue to go through Juliet show my deconstruction of this news. At the end I speak slowly showing how she is drained from breakdown.
Angel – Snappier at the retort to father showing argument. I’m not going to law school unless
A woman alone – Pause at the beginning to demonstrate the neighbour responding. Longer pauses when looking for something to show she has everything – doesn’t have everything just isolated represent her façade.
Physical Apparatus – embodying characters physically.
R&J - What happens when people grieve, have a breakdown – screaming, hearts beating fast, breathing hard, people sweat, laughing manically – incorporating this into your physicality. Woman Alone - Trying to act fake posh. Hopping around – she wants to show off that she’s really well off but, in reality, she is isolated and stuck in the house. Angel - Learning how to hold a gun used broom or umbrella.