The Michael Chekhov Handbook For the Actor Lenard Petit Flashcards
What did Chekhov imagine for the Theatre of the Future?
Actors would meet it fully prepared and with a new attitude towards their existence on stage.
Chekhov believed that actors must enlarge their own being through their profession.
How does the actor’s ‘I Am’ change through concentration?
It becomes stronger, leading to a centralized feeling of self and spirit.
This centralization is crucial for actors as they express their whole being on stage.
What is the real work of the actor according to the Chekhov technique?
To transform personal experience into a universal and recognizable form of expression that can affect the spectator.
Simply reproducing personal impressions is not sufficient.
Fill in the blank: The actor must look for ways to increase the sense of _______.
‘I Am’.
What does Chekhov believe is necessary for the actor’s talent?
A technique that appeals to the talent and brings clarity and objectivity.
Good intentions and dance or speech lessons alone are not enough.
What does Chekhov mean by ‘spiritual theatre’?
A concrete investigation of the spirit of the human being conducted by artists, not scientists.
This involves understanding and managing the spirit as a concrete tool.
What are the building blocks from which the actor recreates the world of the character?
The essence of things.
Details are created from this essence.
What does ‘creative individuality’ allow the actor to do?
Use parts of himself that are universal and archetypal, beyond daily life.
This prevents the actor’s ego from interfering with the character’s ego.
True or False: Chekhov believed that the theatre has become overly materialistic.
True.
What does Chekhov aim to entice in artists with his technique?
Inspiration to wake up for the artist.
This inspiration allows for pure acting without personal justification.
Fill in the blank: Pure acting occurs without _______.
Justification, personal reasons, or psychology.
What does Chekhov suggest about the continuity of acting?
We must never stop acting to grow our inner life and artistic power.
Understanding this concept can lead to new revelations about oneself and one’s art.
List the processes involved in acting with the Michael Chekhov technique.
- Energy
- Imagination
- Form
- Outer
- Concentration
- Movement gesture
- Sensations
- Inner
- Impulses
- Giving
- Radiating
- Receiving
