Method acting is a step to far. Definition of method acting: A technique of acting in which an actor aspires to complete emotional identification with a part. As with most things there are good and bad sides to everything, method acting is no exception to this rule, throughout this essay I will highlight both the good and the bad points of method acting, examples of how it is taken too far, and examples where without “the method” the end result would not have been as good. But firstly I would like to explain what is meant by Stanislavski’s method, and a brief history of “the method” The Method Stanislavski’s method was developed in the early 20th Century, in Moscow, Russia at the Moscow Art Theater. The method was meant to help the actor create a realistic portrayal of a character, by becoming the character, by having an understanding of the exact motives and objectives of the character at all times.
The key to success in this period was experimentation and innovation. A significant figure in the theatrical arts in Russia of that time was Yevgeny Bagrationovich Vakhtangov, the soviet actor, theater director, founder and director of the third studio of MAT and the student of Konstantin Stanislavsky. Severity and sharpness of the scenic forms, resulting in deeper penetration of an actor into spiritual life of the character was clearly evident in the roles he acted and directed. Vakhtangov always said that a director should direct different works with different stage forms, meaning that the style of a production should match the content of the play. The desire to look for modern ways to stylize the performance and keep its theatricality has found a brilliant embodiment in his latest productions.
The 1948 film Rope by Alfred Hitchcock is a strange one to place in the director’s canon of iconic films. Granted the film contains a decent amount of the elements crucial to a Hitchcock film (A great performance by regular player Jimmy Stewart, innovative camera work, a playful director’s cameo, and a wonderful reinterpretation of how a director can use tension), but still, the film comes across as a wholly individual departure for someone who makes films iconic for a few other reasons. Hitchcock himself has stated the film was an experiment, and with that said, I believe it is how the film should be thought of when watched. The film does not disappoint by any means, but that being said, it lacks a couple of crucial elements needed to make a Hitchcock spectacular. The great French director Francois Truffaut once said: “You respect him because he shoots scenes of love as if they were scenes of murder, but we respect him because he shoots scenes of murder like scenes of love.” While it was a playful statement by Truffaut, he makes a good point.
Discuss the importance of reputation in Othello Othello was written in a time when society was structured in a certain way, and being able to transcend this hierarchy was no easily done. Although Shakespeare is famous for his stories of love breaking barriers, such as Romeo and Juliet, they are nevertheless present throughout. Reputation, therefore, plays a key role in each character’s position and the characters are aware of this, creating different outcomes. Reputation is very important to Othello, as it is all that saves him from the criticism of the Venetians. Othello is well aware of this, assuring Iago that “my services which I have done the signiory shall out tongue his complaint”.
He argues that his system is not a particular method, but a systematic analysis of the 'natural' order of theatrical truth. [citation needed] The system that he describes is a means both of mastering the craft of acting and of stimulating the actor's individual creativeness and imagination. It has influenced the majority of performances we see on the stage or screen. The book is autobiographical and deals with many different areas of acting skills, including action, imagination, concentration of attention, relaxation of muscles, units and objectives, faith and a sense of truth, emotion memory, communion, adaptation, inner motive forces, the unbroken line, the inner creative state, the super-objective and the subconscious mind. Tortsov, the Director, explains all these art forms in great detail, and thereby transforms An Actor Prepares into a type of textbook.
The ''Dreamer'' in Don Quixote and Hamlet Both Don Quixote and Hamlet were set out in an interesting and yet trying times for their ideals and dreams. The Renaissance posed a number of interesting questions. As the world had gradually passed the self-sacrificial idea of life and had partly returned to the ancient images of perfection and beauty, the Renaissance brought both freedom and confusion, and last but not least endorsed a brand new moral and ethical code: ''...human action is judged not in terms of right and wrong, of good and evil [...] but in terms of its present concrete validity and effectiveness, of the delight it affords, of its memorability, and of its beauty''. As I will try to uncover in this essay, both Hamlet and Don Quixote go on their own separate ways, trying to find truthfulness, meaning and beauty. They wish to be free of the norms that bind people around them, that sometimes cause dishonesty, treachery and murder.
Shakespeare On Trial - Critical Review In a well-rehearsed and entertaining performance, the team from Shakespeare On Trial (Sam, Bella and Paul) present a unique play which contrasts and compares various interpretations within William Shakespeare’s works. The performance focused on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and “Romeo and Juliet”. The entire performance was based on talk shows which demonstrated the different interpretations of Shakespeare’s works, through discussions, arguments and brief scenes. The performance allows the audience to look past their own opinions of Macbeth or Shakespeare, and enables them to appreciate different interpretations of the plays; enhancing their understanding. Despite the absence of special lighting, costumes or a large troupe, the team was able to present a captivating performance which kept the audience entertained from beginning to end.
During our discussions, one member of our group mentioned that we were approaching the use of sound in an unorthodox manner. When questioned, they replied by stating “that sound design is a tool to support the performance; whether it is supporting the narrative element of a performance or setting a specific atmosphere”. We came to an agreement that the statement made was valid and, generally, sound is used in response to the director’s and actors’ interpretations of a play or a part of it. We were doing something quite different. We wanted to turn the roles of the performance and sound design around.
To begin with, we chose the most basic of the elements, climax and anti-climax. We explored this element by analysing our play more deeply and trying to make the play have a peaking moment. We knew, by choosing this element, that it would have a really positive effect if executed properly. It would bring out the dramatic moments in the play and draw the audience’s attention. The approach we took to applying this climax to our play was as follows: we wanted a climax that would begin quite high and have minimum low points.
Aristophanes, Eupolis, and Cratinus were among the best playwrights who ancient critics recognized for their literary works. Aristophanes’ plays are the only surviving samples of the literary genre conventionally referred to as old comedy. Old comedies were characteristic of topical issues touching in the society and real personalities. New Comedy transcended topical issues to generalized contexts together with stock characters. The move was because playwrights had internalized the perspectives of the people’s cultures after changes.