A Final Thought on Stanislavski

There are many thing that I learned from An Actor Prepares by Stanislavski. It should be said though that I'm not sure I buy into the whole idea. I feel the need to take what I find helpful and throw out the rest. As seen in many of my blogs I don't be live that you can tap into your subconscious. It can change with you but you can't do this a will. I do however like the ideas of emotion memory and as much as I hate units and objectives I do think that the general idea of them is a solid one. I highly recommend the book to any actor who hasn't read it. Agree with it or not it does give you great ideas and gives you the opportunity to analyze just what your system is and how it compares to that of others.

On The Threshold Of The Subconscious

The last chapter! I made it, and what a journey :) So first of all this felt like there was a bit of repetition happening which make sense with this being the final chapter and all. So the high points or the new information I noticed starts with working with accidents that happen on stage rather than hating them because they will help you become more in touch with your subconscious (which I'm still not convinced you can do). There is a lot of talk about bringing everything together and we see repetition of what has been said before. Then there is talk about your subconscious stepping in and taking over when you do everything right. This says to me that your part consumes you and you lose you own identity to the character (if only for the time of the play). It also tells us that everyone is in fact different and you must process this information so that it makes sense to you. You have to be able to establish your own sense of purpose.

The Supper Objective

So plays have super objectives that which is the driving force of the whole play and every thing must work toward this super objective. This is of course easier to do when a play is well written and must have that lovely thing called a verb. Also all of the smaller units and objectives must serve the greater purpose of the super objective. This is done with a "though line of action" that leads everything to the super objective. The pictures that were given to help the reader understand did not help me at all. if anything they slightly confused me. Thankfully or hopefully the text was understandable to me.

The Inner Creative State

I really enjoyed the first paragraph of this chapter. The concept that the actor does not have a physical outlet for his emotions. Physical isn't quite the right word but it's close. Unlike the pianist going to his piano an actor turns to his mind, will and feelings. All these things combine to get the inner "elements" going. I assume elements is the things that we have been talking about through the rest of the chapters. Then there is the inner creative mood which is bad because it screams of theatre and self exhibition. It is good in the fact that it creates solitude in public which is something that you can not achieve in life. Audiences are good things that both scare actors but also get their creative energy flowing. A natural creative mood almost never happens spontaneously but when it does it creates a wonderful performance. In many cases the actor is not "in the mood" which means his "creative apparatus" is not functioning properly, is not functioning at all or is being replaced by something mechanical. All of these are bad things that create bad performance. Then the book goes into all kinds of reasons this may be happening or bad actor habits as I would call them. Towards the end I feel that the director is just talking and all I get from the last like two pages is: do well, show up early, prepare inside as well as outside.

Inner Motive Forces and The Unbroken Line

In the chapter Inner Motive Forces we learn that the mind, feelings and will are the things that move us forward in life. On stage everyone can use one of these to spark the creative process. By creating a spark in one of these areas it will then spark the other two. So I may be wrong but what I get from this chapter is that everyone starts somewhere different but it will bring us all to the same place if done correctly.

The Unbroken Line points out the fact that in all forms of art (music, design etc.) we feel the need to have an unbroken line in order to feel right about calling it art. On stage your character must possess an unbroken line of events and emotions. The problem is that you only have small moments on lines and there for must create the rest to continue the line and create a convincing life. The actors attention must be continue in a steam to move from object to object but this does not include attention to the audience which is in fact bad.

Adaptation

So adaptation...we as people in life and actors on the stage we adapt the ways we behave, the way we speak etc. to fit the situation we are in, who we happen to be speaking to at the time and what we want to gain from the moment. These adaptations are made both consciously and unconsciously. Then on stage actors have "rubber stamps" which are conscience adaptations of subconscious behaviors. Actions on stage should never just be taken but they should be adapted to fit your needs in the situation. Then as the book starts to talk again about tapping into the subconscious I suddenly don't really understand anymore as has been the case anytime this is mentioned. I think this is because I don't believe that this can be done. If we could access our sub conscience when ever we pleased it would not be a sub conscience.

Communion

So again this is a chapter that I am struggling to comprehend. It seems a little out there at times. So when you preform soliloquies you have to look inside your self and establish communication between your brain and the solar plexus. I can not lie this makes no sense to me.... at all. Then we move on to communicating with a partner witch is a little easier for me to connect with. When you communicate with a partner you have create a flow and maintain that flow using your eyes and the emotions of your body rather than your voice. This sounds hard and I find it hard to believe that this director and his students were able to communicate this way as well as the books makes it out to be. Although you may be able to get a general idea across with out words emotions can be extremely misconstrued. You should also always practice with a real persons not an imaginary one. Towards the end the chapter lost me completely by talking about conducting and receiving rays or currents and I can't comprehend how to make this happen or even what exactly it means.

Emotion Memory

So emotion memory is the concept that you use the memory of emotions in order to recreate said emotion on stage. Sometimes these emotions are driven from sense such as smell and taste. Emotions have to be something that comes from yourself rather than something that is taken from someone else. That is not to say that you can't experience an emotion in many different ways such as viewing an incident rather than participating. With these emotions coming from you it means that you are always playing you on stage. This does not work in my mind. You don't play yourself on stage you create someone new or so I understand it or want it to work. It was interesting to see the madman exercise come back. As I read about them recreating the moment I couldn't help but think that I would do the same thing. Repetition is a good thing right...but then again so is spontaneous moments. Ahhhh confusion. I can't fathom recreating a moment or a emotion without it coming across at least slightly mechanically to the trained eye. The other point that really struck me was the concept of doing something perfect but on accident. This happens many times and when you try to recreate the event you simply can't and it seems that the harder you try the harder it becomes. Trying to find the stimulus of the action rather than simply trying to go through the motions is a much better idea.

References

(2007). Character Analysis. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from Monkey Notes Web site: http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmWinters42.asp

Greenblatt, S. (Ed.). (1997). The Norton Shakespeare. New York, NY: Norton.

(2009). The Winter's Tale: Characters. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from Spark Notes Web site: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/winterstale/characters.html

Character Anaylsis

Hermione, who is the wife of Lenotes, is not a large part of The Winter’s Tale in fact after act three she is not seen again until the last scene of the play. Despite this fact Hermione is a strong and memorable feminine character. Her charm and dignity are seen throughout the play. She exudes absolute confidence and is quite intelligent and possesses a great wit. She is the personification of innocence which is ironic when it comes to her charge.
The trial scene is one of the most significant scenes for Hermione. During this scene we see Hermione’s trust of her husband. She has total faith in the love of her husband. We see her think of his comfort rather than hers. We also see this selflessness when she comforts her ladies as she is taken off to prison. Hermione’s defense is interesting in the fact that she does try to deny the charges against her instead she references to her past conduct. She argues her points with great skill and shows us her confidence.
Hermione kindness is also seen in the fact that the members of the court hold her very high self esteem. This is a great example of Shakespeare revealing a characters identity through the other character in the play. Hermione seems to be gracious, loyal, virtuous, etc. in the eyes of everyone but her husband. We then see Hermione reborn in the character of Perdita, Hermione’s daughter.

Faith And A Sense of Truth

I have very little idea as to what the chapter was all about. It has confused me greatly. Essentially I have gathered that you can in fact try to hard to be "truthful". Critics can be really bad people and lead an actor to helplessness. I'm lost with the "life of the human body"stuff. I really don't get what it is that going on. As far as I can figure you have to put pieces together to make them flow and this can be achieved by repetitive action. An actor should also focus on what they must do rather than the emotion. This seems backwards because I thought this method was all about feeling emotions. *sigh Perhaps I shall have to come back and reread this one.

Units and Objectives

This chapter was a struggle for me. Uniting plays is not something new to me because I have experienced it in two plays now. The difference is that I have never had to do this on my own. I find it easy to unit but hard to title these units. I can't seem to sum things up into one sentence no matter how short of a unit I make it. Objectives and tactics is something I've also had some experience with. I struggle with this concept. I can usually identify what it is my character wants and how they plan to get it but I have trouble putting this down into words. I have trouble creating a sentence that has the proper weight of what I'm thinking. I was hoping that this chapter would help clear this up for me but really it just left me more confused. It all sounds great and I understand 100% when I'm listening to an example but when it comes to practical application I suddenly can't seem to put anything I have heard or read to any good use. I'm hoping that with more practice objectives and tactics will become easier.

Hermione Monolouge

HERMIONE
Since what I am to say must be but that
Which contradicts my accusation and
The testimony on my part no other
But what comes from myself, it shall scarce boot me
To say 'not guilty:' mine integrity
Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it,
Be so received. But thus: if powers divine
Behold our human actions, as they do,
I doubt not then but innocence shall make
False accusation blush and tyranny
Tremble at patience. You, my lord, best know,
Who least will seem to do so, my past life
Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true,
As I am now unhappy; which is more
Than history can pattern, though devised
And play'd to take spectators. For behold me
A fellow of the royal bed, which owe
A moiety of the throne a great king's daughter,
The mother to a hopeful prince, here standing
To prate and talk for life and honour 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour,'
Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for. I appeal
To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
How merited to be so; since he came,
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strain'd to appear thus: if one jot beyond
The bound of honour, or in act or will
That way inclining, harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry fie upon my grave!

Hermione monolouge (folio)

Her.
Since what I am to say, must be but that
1197: Which contradicts my Accusation, and
1198: The testimonie on my part, no other
1199: But what comes from my selfe, it shall scarce boot me
1200: To say, Not guiltie: mine Integritie
1201: Being counted Falsehood, shall (as I expresse it)
1202: Be so receiu'd. But thus, if Powres Diuine
1203: Behold our humane Actions (as they doe)
1204: I doubt not then, but Innocence shall make
1205: False Accusation blush, and Tyrannie
1206: Tremble at Patience. You (my Lord) best know
1207: (Whom least will seeme to doe so) my past life
1208: Hath beene as continent, as chaste, as true,
1209: As I am now vnhappy; which is more
1210: Then Historie can patterne, though deuis'd,
1211: And play'd, to take Spectators. For behold me,
1212: A Fellow of the Royall Bed, which owe
1213: A Moitie of the Throne: a great Kings Daughter,
1214: The Mother to a hopefull Prince, here standing
1215: To prate and talke for Life, and Honor, fore
1216: Who please to come, and heare. For Life, I prize it
1217: As I weigh Griefe (which I would spare:) For Honor,
1218: 'Tis a deriuatiue from me to mine,
1219: And onely that I stand for. I appeale
1220: To your owne Conscience (Sir) before Polixenes
1221: Came to your Court, how I was in your grace,
1222: How merited to be so: Since he came,
1223: With what encounter so vncurrant, I
1224: Haue strayn'd t' appeare thus; if one iot beyond
1225: The bound of Honor, or in act, or will
1226: That way enclining, hardned be the hearts
1227: Of all that heare me, and my neer'st of Kin
1228: Cry fie vpon my Graue.

Character analysis: part 1

My character analysis of Hermione from The Winter's Tale has been slow going. So far I have united my monologue and also done objectives and tactics in my monologue. I have also picked a scene and scene partner. Picking a scene partner was a difficulty because of class time conflicts. Once the option of preforming the scene outside of class was given I new Andrew would be a good choice. I did this because I felt it would be good to give Andrew this experience. I also believe that we will work well together. We have meet to look over the scene and to discuss objectives and tactics through out. We will be meeting again soon to work out blocking.

Works Cited

Hirsch, Foster. A Method To Their Madness. New York: Da Capo
Press, Inc. , 1984.

Scheeder, Louis. "Why Classical Theater Deserves the Spotlight in Acting Classes." Chronicle of Higher Education 45.43 (02 July 1999): B12. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Luise V Hanson, Forest City, IA. 1 Feb. 2009 .

Strasberg, Lee. A Dream of Passion. Boston: Plume, 1987.

"Strasberg, Lee." Britannica Biographies (Jan. 2008): 1. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Luise V Hanson Library, Forest City, IA. 1 Feb. 2009 .

Strasberg, Lee. Strasberg at The Actors Studio. New York: The Viking
Press, 1965.

Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Lee Strasberg Theatre and
Film Institute. 1 Feb 2009 .