Mikhail Bulgakov wrote Black Snow in Soviet Russia in the 1930s, when he was at the end of his rope artistically. ... [fragments in method.vtheatre.net] Black Snow (Vintage Classics) (Paperback)
by Mikhail Bulgakov (Author), Michael Glenny (Translator) 009947932X Random House; New Tra edition (April 26, 2005)
* "Sister-page" System in Theatre Theory Directory
Summary
A few words about System behind the System. "Cerridwen became known as Mnemosyne, goddess of Memory, who in Greek tradition is viewed as the first Muse. Her association with Memory has particular relevance to modern psychological theory. According to the object relations school of psychology, which has gained widespread acceptance today, a child begins to develop a sense of self as he/she gains object constancy, which results from internalizing the image or memory of a mother's nurturance and empathy. Without the necessary experiences of symbiotic oneness with the mother, a child is unable to develop the deepseated "memory" of oneness, which provides an internal stability and sense of wellbeing.
In Greek mythology, the nine Muses which evolved from the Muse Mnemosyne
were her daughters, the offspring of nine nights of lovemaking with Zeus,
who sought ecstasy with her upon Mount Helicon. Some sources claim that
three of the daughters, were worshipped as the Muses before the nine became
known, and that these three were the original Triple Goddess (Meditation,
Memory and Song), goddesses of the new, full and waning moon. Of the nine
Muses, Calliope, Clio, Erato, Polymnia and Urania have all been regarded by
different historians to be the original three."
(Tracy Marks, Women of Power magazine, winter 1989-90)
"An actor must work all his life, cultivate his mind, train his talents systematically, develop his character; he may never despair and never relinquish this main purpose - to love his art with all his strength and love it unselfishly." Constantin Stanislavski
Konstantin (Constantin) Stanislavski (January 5, 1863 - August 7, 1938) was a Russian theatre and acting innovator.
He was born Konstantin (Constantin) Sergeievich Alexeyev in Moscow to a wealthy family, if not the wealthiest in Russia. He had an early interest in acting and took the stage-name Stanislavski to preserve the reputation of his family.
In 1888 he established the Society of Art and Literature at the Maly Theatre, where he gained experience in aesthetics and stagecraft. In 1898, he assumes the role of principal director of the Moscow Open Theatre, later known as the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT). From there, based on the realist tradition of Aleksandr Pushkin, he developed his ideas of what he called the Stanislavski Method and which would later be called method acting - actors would research the situation created by the script according to their character's motivations and their own experiences. Ideally, the actor would make his motivations identical to those of the character in the script. He could then replay these emotions and experiences in the role to achieve a more genuine performance. The 17th century play Tsar Fyodor was the first used to demonstrate his ideas.
He laid the foundations of modern opera and boosted the works of writers such as Maxim Gorki and Anton Chekhov, whose works could be well used by his methodology.
Stanislavski survived both the 1905 Revolution and the 1917 one, apparently Lenin intervened to protect him. In 1918 Stanislavski established the First Studio as a school for young actors and wrote several works: those available in English include the biography My Life in Art, An Actor Prepares, Building a Character, and Creating a Role.
Stanislavski and his System are frequently misunderstood. For instance, often the System is confused with the Method Method acting is an acting technique in which actors apply "natural" rules and laws to theatrical and screen acting in an effort to aid the actor with the process of performing a role.
"The Method" requires an actor to draw on his or her own emotions, memories, and experiences to influence their portrayal of a character...
The Stanislavski System: The Professional Training of an Actor; Second Revised Edition (Penguin Handbooks) (Paperback)
by Sonia Moore (Author), Joshua Logan (Foreword), John Gielgud (Preface) 0140466606
Stanislavsky: «A true priest is aware of the presence of the altar during every moment that he is conducting a service. It is exactly the same way that a true artist should react to the stage all the time he is in the theater. An actor who is incapable of this feeling will never be a true artist».
Even if you never read Stanislavsky, but spent some time doing theatre, you know his famous line like "Actor must die in his character" or "Director must die in his actors" -- this what we call Method (in America) and System (in Russia).
See method-in-action -- subscribe to 3 Sisters -- Electronic Discussion Group!
On Method Acting: from my posts on Electronic Three Sisters Discussion List
...
One the myths is that Stanislavsky asks actors for so much work for nothing and that's why Biomechanics (Meyerhold) actors called the Method "emotional masturbation" -- but if you did follow my advise and imagined yourself writing your character's words, you should discover that most of it won't be on paper. Remember that subtext is 9/10 and only 1/10 of the iceberg is above the water, but the body of the iceberg must be there for this 1/10 to exist (Papa Hem image). No, it should be seen, the audience should have their guesses (interpretations), but they will get some signs from you (actor's choices/your interpretation). For you, who later will get a big part in film -- you have to have some help in situation, when there is practically no rehearsals and very little interacting with your fellow actors -- and almost no words in the screenplay (next to Playscript) to "express" your character... Any play looks like Shakespeare next to the film script -- with no talking. [One of the reasons why after all I do prefer to write plays, not screen-plays, because I am more in control as an author, while directing film I have all the control.] I had very limited experience acting for the camera. While a freshman many thought that I look good on the screen, but after two-three projects I knew why I didn't like acting -- you have to be born actor to stand this tyranny of manipulation by so many. That was the time when I finally accepted Stanislavsky whom I didn't like so much for being writer-idiot and anti-writer -- I got the sense of Method by being in actor's shoes. What do you do for hours while they running around fixing light, camera, makeup on you -- just for a few seconds shot? Well, to guard myself from this constant destruction I would go inside (stay in character) and would do all this inner monologue as if I am not there and only register it as if in a dream when they call -- Roll the camera! Action! -- and even after the "Cut!" I wouldn't step out, because I know that they will go another take no matter what. At first they didn't like that I wouldn't interact with the crew or even a director, but I got myself a policy: if you want to talk to me about the character or scene, talk before we go for the shoot. Now it's too late -- don't talk to me when I am jumping! We can go back and do more training, but not now!
There is another myth -- about the ensemble acting. Do you know why I do need to know so much about other characters/actors? Because I do not have time for them on stage during the performance. There is nothing matters but me! The role is a MONOLOGUE. I don't understand actors who take blocking while they are not comfortable: I rather get it right -- and FORGET about it, because I have no time to think about it in the show.
I worked with professional actors but only in Russia I worked with a few big stage stars. I learned that there is moment when they about to stop hearing you at all. I understood that a director must leave them alone to WORK and there is time and space where they must be on their own and not disturbed. And only when they are done with THEIR flight, they will seek me -- because they didn't see what they did, I saw! It is a sleepwalking -- they do not know what they are doing and they shouldn't! When I paint I do not know why I put this color here -- I will think about it later, not now, I have to go with the flow in me and to make all the mistakes, because I wasn't trained and prepare -- I see it , but not when I do paint. This self-concentration Stanislavky turned into the core of his system. Take it to its natural limit and you will discover a shaman, who is in trans; his trip outside of this world. Only after that experience I began to appreciate Brechtian style of acting at the Taganka Theatre where the actors knew how to come in and out in one second. How could they throw the switch so fast? They all were trained in traditional schools (Stanislavsky) and many became film stars, but the material they play was different. One of them said to me -- I won't able to do it with Chekhov. (Only once they did one Chekhov's play -- The Three Sisters -- under the great director Anatoly Effros, we have his book in the library "Rehearsals, My Love" but in Russian and I don't know if the English translation exists -- they never stage Chekhov again, the show didn't work).
This is the only thing I took from Stanislavsky -- how to work with actors, or how to help them to work with themselves. Nothing more. The rest is Meyerhold.
I do not have notes on "emotional recall" and the right place for it in Method Directory. NTL, how does it work? The identification with the character is possible only if you give to it your own experience (emotions, memories, visions). Not only what you remember from your past, but even more important what you don't. Intuition? Artistic Instrincts? Use the biggest part of your psychie -- the libido! How? Ask Dr. Freud.
PS
Yes, there is system in this madness.
Homework
"Who are the nine Muses? Calliope, "she of the beautiful voice," is considered to be head of the Muses, associated with the full moon. She is known for heroic poetry and literature, as well as eloquence in writing and speech. Erato, "awakener of desire," plays the lyre, and is the Muse of
romantic and erotic poetry and of mime - nonverbal communication. Clio,
"the giver of fame," rules history, and can be considered today to be the
source of inspiration for public and professional success.
Euterpe, "giver of joy," plays the flute, and is the Muse of lyric poetry
and music. Terpsichore, "she who enjoys dancing,"inspires all dance and
creative movement. Polyhymnia, "she of the many hymns," is known for sacred
songs, sacred poetry and storytelling. Of all the Muses, she is most
attuned to women's quest for transcendent experience.
Urania, "the heavenly" is the Muse of astronomy, which in ancient times
encompassed astrology, and the various arts, sciences and religious
practices related to metaphysics, divination and psychology. Melpomene,
"the singer", acknowledges and respects the dark side of life, which she
honors through her rulership of elegies and tragedies; she knows the
opening of the heart we experience when we willingly penetrate the depths
of sadness. Finally, Thalia, "the festive," originally bucolic in nature,
rules comedy, and awakens the spirit of playfulness, humor and celebration...
... Yet according to Robert Graves, "Apollo, though the God of Poetry and the leader of the Muses, did not, however, claim to inspire poems: the
inspiration was still held to come to the poet from the Muse or Muses." (3)
Greek mythology still attests to the awe-inspiring power the Muses had upon
the gods, as well as humankind. When they sang, everything stood still,
transfixed by their melodious voices. At such times, their winged horse
Pegasus struck the mountain with his hooves, fountains sprang forth, and
Mt. Helicon rose even higher toward heaven.
"They are all of one mind, their hearts are set upon song,
and their spirit is free from care," Hesiod wrote of the Muses.
The Muses were not virgin goddesses; the presence of Erato, and their
association with ecstasy attest to their sensuality. Calliope, loved by
Apollo, bore his son Linus, inventor of melody and rhythm. When Linus
unwisely challenged his father to a singing contest, Apollo killed him.
Calliope later married Oeagrus, with whom she bore Orpheus.
Melpomene, who lay with the river god Achelous, gave birth to the Sirens.
Because Clio reproached Aphrodite for her passion for Adonis, Aphrodite
punished Clio by rousing in her an overpowering desire for King Pierus, who
then fathered her son Hyacinthus. Patriarchal Greek mythology mentions the
sons of the Muses, but not their daughters.
Although the Muses are most often remembered for inspiring poets and
musicians, they are also known for sparking the genius and inventiveness of
scientists, and for guiding politicians. They accompanied kings and queens,
inspiring them with eloquence and imparting to them the gift of gentleness,
which enabled them to settle quarrels and maintain peace..."
- Anatoly, what are you talking about? What is our homework?
You have to discover your muses, friends. You have to bring them to class next time... Yes, yes, I am serious.
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