Using the Stanislavsky System - A Practical Guide to Character Creation and Period Styles

A concise, clear explanation of exactly how to create a character in plays of any period, using the Stanislavsky system

Known for his detailed approach to the art of acting and for the authenticity of his historical productions, Stanislavsky believed that actors should immerse themselves completely in the era in which a play or film is set

The chapters provide inspiring cultural, social, and historical introductions to the periods from ancient Greece through the end of World War Two

Each chapter covers the way men and women moved, stood, and sat in the clothing they wore; the use of accessories such as fans, swords, snuffboxes, gloves, and hats; greetings, bows, and curtsies; table manners; and the etiquette, civility, and automatic habits of thinking and of social intercourse depending on social class

All these things that people took for granted as the background of their lives, as part of their conscious and unconscious mental world, are the essential components of building a character with real, organic behavior associated with a specific era

Literature, music, painting, and other graphic arts are all discussed as well, and the sections on films and television programs, as well as bibliographies of books and recordings, will guide your further research

See also, Companion volume - Stagecraft - Stanislavsky and External Acting Techniques