The Theory of the Modern Stage by Eric Bentley

Author:Eric Bentley
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141917849
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 1976-04-15T05:00:00+00:00

what never grows old and dies, and what is always young and dear to people. The actor takes from real or imaginary life all it can give to man. But he transforms all the impressions, passions and joys of life into the material for his creative work. Out of what is transitory and personal he creates a whole world of poetic images and ideas which will live for ever.

11

Stanislavsky’s theory of acting is quite properly mainly concerned with elucidating the problems which bear directly on the ways in which an actor can enter into the feelings of his part. But since drama is an art in which several persons are engaged in re-creating ‘the life of the human spirit’ on the stage, it is no less important that the actor should be able to communicate the feelings of the character he is representing. He must, besides, be able to understand what is passing in the minds of the other characters in the play when they say something. Thought transmission, therefore, plays an essential role in the actor’s technique, all the more so as the audience too must be able to gain an understanding of what is passing in the minds of the characters in the play both when they say something and when they are silent. Hence communication forms an important element of the actor’s psycho-technique.

Indeed, as Stanislavsky points out, if a correct and an uninterrupted process of communication is necessary in life, then it is ten times more necessary on the stage. Such a process of stage communication, however, is only possible if the actor succeeds in banishing all his own personal thoughts and feelings during the performance. Since in most cases the private life of the actor does not cease when he comes on the stage, the line of the life of his part and his communication of it is interrupted by interpolations from the actor’s private life which have nothing to do with the character he is representing. This is the first difficulty an actor must learn to overcome, for the nature of the theatre and its art are based on uninterrupted communication between the different members of the cast among themselves and each individual member with himself. Indeed, the spectators can understand and take part indirectly in the action only when the process of communication between the actors on the stage occurs. If, therefore, actors want to hold the attention of the audience they must take care that they communicate their thoughts, feelings and actions to their partners without interruption.

In soliloquies the process of self-communication can only be justified, Stanislavsky maintains, if it has a definite object of concentration. Similar difficulties exist in establishing mutual communication between the actor and his partner, and Stanislavsky advises the actor who experiences such difficulties to choose some particular point on his partner through which to communicate with him.

An actor, besides, must not only learn to convey his thoughts and feelings to his partner, but must make sure that they have reached his partner’s mind and heart.

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