Stanislavski: beginners

What is the course about?

Explore training, characterisation and rehearsal techniques through improvisations, exercises, and contemporary texts. Develop emotional expressivity, channel a character’s inner life, and practise scene analysis.

What will we cover?

We will explore the major principles and techniques of Stanislavski’s ‘system’, examining each of its elements in isolation at first. These include tasks and action, given circumstances, relaxation in performance, sense memory and emotional authenticity, dramatic analysis and interpretation, and the uninhibited expression of physical and psychological impulses. We will then apply these skills to the development of a character and the preparation of a short scene from a contemporary text.

Please note that acting classes by their very nature can involve exercises and the exploration of material that some students may find challenging.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

Relax under pressure and immerse yourself more fully in an imagined reality.
Use your self as a creative resource in the development of characters and in meeting the emotional demands of a scene.
Express yourself more fully and uninhibitedly in performance.
Analyse a dramatic scene in relation to the story as a whole and extract significant information about character, action, circumstances, and structure.
Make appropriate choices about characterisation and scene-interpretation, with particular regard to the shaping of an engaging story, and adjust your performance in relation to them.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

You need to have completed an acting beginners course, here or elsewhere, or have suitable experience. You will need to be able to take notes and to work within groups and pairs cooperatively. You should be able to express yourself and communicate clearly. In addition to performing you should have an interest in reading and discussing texts in large and small groups. You will be willing and able to do some preparation and rehearsal outside of class. The course involves some physical exercises. You will need to be able to listen and respond to instructions and feedback and be interested in listening to, and learning from, the responses of other students to the work discussed, observed, and performed. You will have a commitment to developing your performance, analytical, and expressive skills.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

We will use games, improvisations, characterisation and physical expressivity exercises, tutor input, group discussion and analysis, and the rehearsal of scenes from a contemporary text. This is a practical course in which students will work alone, in pairs, and in groups, according to the exercise. Each week, homework preparations are given that extend and develop the techniques covered in class and prepare you for what we will explore in the following session.

HEALTH CHECK
You may or may not be asked to participate in vigorous activity from time to time. Please consider whether you could do this, if you are in any doubt consult a medical practitioner.

As part of the course content, your tutor may record your image for initial and ongoing assessment purposes. You are entitled to decline to participate in the recording of your image.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You may find a copy of Uta Hagen’s book, Respect for Acting useful (either the first or second edition), a notebook and pen and a pencil and rubber for script annotations. You will also need to be dressed in loose-fitting clothing that allows you to move freely and wearing trainers or plimsolls.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

You could enrol onto Stanislavski workshop for further exploration of the system and consider a course in Method acting. Acting Improvers, and or begin screen acting classes are all suitable progressions.