Performing Chekhov is a unique guide to Chekhov's plays in performance. It will be indispensable to students, teachers and theatre practitioners interested not only in Chekhov but in the history of the modern stage.
Intended for actors, directors, teachers and researchers, this book offers an exceptionally clear and thorough introduction to the renowned acting technique developed by Michael Chekhov. Sinéad Rushe's book provides a complete overview of the whole method, and includes illuminating explanations of its principles, as well as a wide range of practical exercises that illustrate, step by step, how they can be applied to dramatic texts. Part One provides an outline of the ideas that underpin the work, which help to prepare practitioners to become responsive and receptive, and to awaken their imagination. Part Two charts a journey through the foundational psychophysical exercises that can both orient an actor's training routine and be applied directly to the development of a role. Part Three focuses on more specific and elaborate methods of scene work, characterisation and the art of transformation. Drawing on the full range of Chekhov's writing in English and French, this book also examines unpublished material from the Dartington Hall archives and features interviews with actors who have worked with the technique, including Simon Callow and Joanna Merlin. It illustrates Chekhov's approach by referring to Rushe's own productions of Nikolai Gogol's short story Diary of a Madman and Shakespeare's Othello, as well as characters and scenes in Sarah Kane's Blasted and the contemporary American television series Breaking Bad. Michael Chekhov's Acting Technique is an accessible, comprehensive and contemporary point of reference for those already trained in the method, as well as an initiation and toolkit for practitioners who are just beginning to discover it.
Following in the footsteps of his renowned teacher Konstantin Stanislavsky, Michael Chekhov’s work as an actor, author and theatre practitioner gave great insight into how to access the creative self. This revised and updated edition of Michael Chekhov includes: • A biographical introduction to Chekhov’s life • A clear explanation of his key writings • An analysis of his work as a director • A practical guide to Chekhov’s unique actor-training exercises. As a first step towards critical understanding, and as an initial exploration before going on to further, primary research, Routledge Performance Practitioners offer unbeatable value for today’s student.
In Performing Emotions, Peta Tait's central argument is that performing emotions in realism is also performing gender identity. This study integrates scholarship on realist drama, theatre and approaches to acting, with interdisciplinary theories of emotion, phenomenology and gender theory. With chapters devoted to masculinity and femininity specifically, as well as to emotions generally, it investigates social beliefs about emotions through Chekhov's four major plays in translation, and English language commentaries on Constantin Stanislavski's direction (of the play's first productions) and his approaches to acting, and Olga Knipper's acting of the central women characters. Tait demonstrates how theatrical emotions are predicated on embodied social performances and create cultural spaces of emotions. Performing Emotions investigates how sexual difference impacts on the representations of emotions. The book develops an accumulative analysis of the meanings of emotions in twentieth century realist drama, theatre and acting.
Chekhov started writing about theatre in newspaper articles and in his own letters even before he began writing plays. Collected here in translation, these writings reveal Chekhov's instinctive curiosity about the way theatre works-- and his concerns about how best to realize his own intentions as a playwright.--Publisher.
Many now consider Chekhov a playwright equal to Shakespeare. Senelick studies how his reputation evolved, and how the presentation of his plays varied and altered from their initial productions in Russia to recent postmodern deconstructions.
In this practical guide, renowned actor and director Michael Chekhov shares his innovative approach to the craft of acting. Drawing on his extensive experience in the theater and his unique understanding of the actor's creative process, Chekhov presents a comprehensive system of techniques designed to help actors develop their physical, mental, and emotional abilities. Through a series of exercises and principles, actors can learn to create compelling, truthful performances that captivate audiences and bring characters to life on stage and screen.
International in scope, this book is designed to be the pre-eminent reference work on the English-speaking theatre in the twentieth century. Arranged alphabetically, it consists of some 2500 entries written by 280 contributors from 20 countries which include not only top-level experts, but, uniquely, leading professionals from the world of theatre. A fascinating resource for anyone interested in theatre, it includes: - Overviews of major concepts, topics and issues; - Surveys of theatre institutions, countries, and genres; - Biographical entries on key performers, playwrights, directors, designers, choreographers and composers; - Articles by leading professionals on crafts, skills and disciplines including acting, design, directing, lighting, sound and voice.
Actors! Engage your mind and your body in order to develop your characters fully. The Lucid Body technique breaks up stagnant movement patterns and expands your emotional and physical range. Through energy analysis, this program shows how to use physical training to create characters from all walks of life—however cruel, desolate, or neurotic those characters may be. Rooted in the exploration of the seven chakra energy centers, The Lucid Body reveals how each body holds the possibility of every human condition. Learn how to analyze the character, hear the inner body, dissect the self into layers of consciousness, and more.
'Petit's words go right to the heart of Chekhov's technique ... Anyone looking for a key to understanding more about Michael Chekhov's technique will devour it.' – Jessica Cerullo, Michael Chekhov Association, NYC The Michael Chekhov technique is today seen as one of the most influential and inspiring methods of actor training in existence. In The Michael Chekhov Handbook, Lenard Petit draws on twenty years of teaching experience to unlock and illuminate this often complex technique. Petit uses four sections to guide those studying, working with or encountering Chekhov's approach for the first time: the aims of the technique – outlining the real aims of the actor the principles – acting with energy, imagination and creative power the tools – the actor’s use of the body and sensation the application – bringing the technique into practice The Michael Chekhov Handbook’s explanations and exercises will provide readers with the essential tools they need to put the rewarding principles of this technique into use. Lenard Petit is the Artistic Director of The Michael Chekhov Acting Studio in New York City. He teaches Chekhov Technique in the MFA and BFA Acting programs at Rutgers University. He was a contributor and co-creator of the DVD, Master Classes in The Michael Chekhov Technique, published by Routledge.