Acting Fr om Wi k i pe di a,t hef r eeenc y c l o pedi a Fo rt h el e ga lme an i n g,s e A e c t i ng( l aw) . Fort hemi l i t ar ys ens e,s e A e c t i ng( r ank ) .
Fr e nc hs t a gea nde ar l yfi l ma ct r e s sSa r a hBe r n ha r d tasHaml ml et
Ac t or si nsamur aiandr oni nc os t u meatt me h eKy eK ot oEi gamu mur a fi l ms e t i sanac t i v i t yi nwhi c has t or yi st o l db ymeansofi t sena ct mentb yan ac t or o ra c t r e s swh oa do pt s Ac t i ng ac ha r a ct e r —i nt heat r e,t el ev i s i on,fi l m,r adi o, o ra n yo t h erme di u mt h atma k e sus eoft h e mi me t i cmode. Ac t i ngi nv ol v esabr oadr angeofs ki l l s ,i nc l udi ngawel l dev el oped i magi nat i on, emot i onal f ac i l i t y , phy si c al ex pr es si v i t y ,v oc al pr oj ec t i on,c l ar i t yofspeech,andt heabi l i t yt oi nt er pr etdr ama ma.Ac t i ngal s o o f t e nd ema nd sa na bi l i t yt oemp l o y di yd al ec t s,a c c en t s,i mpr ov i s at i on,o bs er v a t i o na nde mu mu l a t i o n,mi me, andst agecomb mbat . Man Ma ya ct or st r ai natl engt hi ns pec i al i s tpr ogr ammesorc ol l egest ode v el opt hes e s ki l l s .Thevas tmaj or i t yofpr of es si onal ac t or sha veunder goneex t ens i v et r ai ni ng.Ac t or sandac t r es ses wi l l of t enhav eman yi ns t r uc t or sandt eac her sf oraf ul l r angeoft r ai ni ngi n vol v i ngs i ngi ng,s cenewor k , audi t i ont ec hni ques ,andac t i ngf orc amer a.
pok r i s i s Mos tear l ys our c esi nt heWes tt h ate x ami n et h ear tofac t i ng( Gr eek:ὑπο � κ ρι σι ς ,hy )di s c us si t [ 1] a sp ar to fr h et or i c.
Cont ent s [ hi de] •
1Th efi r s tac t or
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2Pr of es s i o nal andamat eurac t i ng
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3T r ai ni ng
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4I mpr ov i s at i on
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5Semi ot i c sofac t i ng
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6 Re he ar s i n g
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7 Se ea l s o
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8 Re f e r e nc e s
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9Sour ces
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10Ex t er nal l i nk s
edi t ] The first actor[ On eo ft h efi r s ta c t o r s i sbe l i e v edt oh av ebe ena na nc i e ntGr e ekc al l edTh es p i sofI c ar i a.Wr i t i ngt wo i c s( c ent ur i esaf t ert hee vent ,Ar i s t ot l ei nhi sPoet c .3 35BCE)s ug ge s t st h atTh es pi ss t e pp edou to f t h edi t hy r ambi cc h o r u sa nda dd r e s s edi ta sas e pa r a t ec har ac t er . Bef or eThes pi s ,t he c h o r u sn a r r a t e d ( f ore x ampl e," Di on ys usdi dt hi s ,Di on ys uss ai dt hat " ) .WhenThe spi ss t eppedou tf r om t hec hor us ,hes pok easi fhewast hec ha r a c t er( f ore x ampl e ," Iam Di on ys us .Idi dt hi s " ) .T odi s t i ngui s h b et we ent h es edi ff er e ntmod esofs t or y t el l i ng—enac t mentandnar r at i on—Ar i s t o t l eus est het er ms " mi mesi s" ( v i aen ac t me nt )a nd"di eges i s"( v i anar r a t i on ) . Fr om The sp i s ' na meder i v est hewor d " t hes pi an" .
edi t ] Professional and amateur acting [ Fur t heri nf or mat i on A : ct or an A d mat eurt heat r e
Ap r o f e ss i o na la ct o ri ss ome on ewh oi spa i dt oa ct .Pr o f e ss i o na la ct o r ss ome t i me su nd er t ak eun pa i d wor kf orav ar i et yofr eas ons ,i nc l udi ngeduc at i onal pur pos esorf orc har i t yev ent s . Ama t e ura c t o r s ar e t h os ewh od on otr e c ei v epa y me ntf o rp er f o r ma nc e s . No tal l peopl ewor k i ngasac t or si nfi l m,t el ev i s i on,ort heat r e ar epr of es si onal l yt r ai ned.BobHoski ns,f or e x amp l e ,h adnof o r ma lt r a i n i n gb ef o r ebe co mi n ga na ct o r .
edi t ] Training[ Fur t heri nf or mat i on: Dr amasc hool
Me mb er soft h eFi r s tSt u di o,wi t hwho m St ani s l a vs kib eg ant ode v el o ph i s' s y s t em' ofac t or t r ai ni ng,whi c hf or mst hebas i sf ormos tpr of es si onal t r ai ni ngi nt he Wes t . Co ns er v a t o r i e sa ndd r a mas c h o ol s t y pi c al l yoffert wo-t of our y eart r ai ni ngonal l as pec t sofac t i ng. Uni v er s i t i esmos t l yoffert hr ee-t of our y earpr ogr ams ,i nwhi c hast udenti sof t enabl et ochoos et of oc us onac t i ng,whi l s tc ont i nui ngt ol ear naboutot heras pec t soft heat r e. Sc hool sv ar yi nt hei rappr oac h,buti n No r t hAme r i c at h emo s tp op ul a rme t h odt a ug htd er i v e sf r o mt h e' s y st em'ofKon st ant i nSt ani s l a vs k i , wh i c hwa sde v e l o pe da n dp op ul a r i s e di nAme r i c aasme t h oda c t i n gbyL eeSt r a s be r g,St el l a Ad l e r ,Sa nf o r dMe i s n e r ,andot her s . Ot h era pp r o ac he sma yi n cl u deamo r eph y s i c al l yba se do r i e nt a t i o n,s uc hast h atp r o mo t e db yt heat r e pr ac t i t i oner s a sd i v e r s ea sAnneBogar t ,JacquesLecoq,J e r z yGr o t o ws k i ,orVs e v o l o dMe y e r h o l d. Cl a s s esma yal s oi n c l u dep s y c ho t e c hn i q ue,mas kwo r k ,phy si c al t heat r e,i mpr ov i s at i on, andac t i ngf or camer a. Regar dl es sofas chool ' sappr oac h,s t udent sshoul de xpec ti nt ens i v et r ai ni ngi nt e xt ual i nt er pr et at i on, v o i c e,a ndmo v eme nt .Ap pl i c at i o nst odr a mapr o gr a mme san dc on se r v a t o r i e sus ua l l yi n v ol v e e xt ens i v eaudi t i ons.An ybodyov ert heag eof18canus ual l yappl y . T r ai ni ngma ya l s os t ar tatav er y y o un ga ge .Ac t i n gc l a ss esan dp r o f e ss i o na ls c ho ol st a r g et e da tu nd er 1 8sar ewi d es pr e ad .Th es e c l as s esi nt r oduc ey oungac t or st odi ff er enta sp ec t sofac t i n gandt heat r e,i nc l udi ngs c enes t udy .
edi t ] Improvisation[ Fur t heri nf or mat i on: I mpr ov i s at i onal t heat r e andDe vi s edt heat r e
T womas k ed c har a ct er sf r om t hec , whos e" " i n vol v edas i g ni fi c antdegr ee ommedi adel l ' ar t e l az zi of i mpr ov i s at i on. Somec l as s i c al f o r msofac t i ngi n vol v eas ubs t ant i al el ementofi mpr o vi s ed pe r f o r ma nc e.Mo stn ot a bl ei s ommedi adel l ' ar t e i t sus eb yt het r oupesoft hec ,af or m ofmas k ed c omedyt hator i gi nat edi nI t al y .
I mpr o v i s at i o na sa na pp r o ac ht oa ct i n gf o r me da ni mp or t a ntp ar to ft h eRu ss i a nt h e a t r e pr ac t i t i onerKons t ant i nSt ani s l a v sk i ' s' s y st em' o fa ct ort r ai ni n g,wh i c hhede vel opedf r om t he1910s onwar ds .Lat ei n19 10,t hepl a ywr i ghtMax i m Gor ky i nv i t edSt ani s l av sk it oj oi nhi mi nCapr i ,wh er et h ey [ 2 ] di s c us s edt r ai ni ngandSt ani s l a vs k i ' seme r g i ng" g r a mmar "ofac t i ng. I ns pi r edb yapop ul a rt heat r e ommedi adel l ' ar t e p er f o r ma nc ei nNa pl e st hatut i l i s edt het ec hni quesoft he c ,Go r k ys u gg es t e dt h att h ey f o r m ac o mp an y , mo de l l e do nt h emedi ev al s t r ol l i ngpl ay er s, i nwh i c hap l a y wr i g hta ndgr o upofy o un g [ 3] a ct o r swo ul dde vi s e n ewp l a y st o ge t h erb yme an so fi mp r o v i s at i o n. St ani s l a vs k iwo ul dde v el opt hi sus e [ 4] ofi mpr ov i s at i oni nhi swor kwi t hhi sFi r s tSt udi ooft he MoscowAr tTheat r e. St ani s l a vs k i ' sus ewa s e xt endedf ur t heri nt heappr oac hest oac t i ngde v el ope db yhi ss t udent s ,Mi chaelChekhovandMa r i a Knebel . I nt h eUn i t e dKi n gd om,t h eu seofi mpr o v i s at i o nwa sp i o ne er e db yJ oanLi t t l e wood f r o mt h e1 93 0s onwar dsand ,l a t er ,b yKe i t hJ oh ns t o ne andCl i v eBar k er .I nt heUni t edSt at es ,i twaspr omo t edb y Vi ol a Spol i n,af t erwor k i ngwi t hNev aBoy d ataHul l Hous ei nChi c ago,I l l i noi s( Spol i nwasBoy d' ss t udentf r om 1924t o1927) .Li k et heBr i t i s hpr ac t i t i oner s ,Spol i nf el tt hatpl a yi nggameswasaus ef ul meansof t r ai ni n gac t or sandhel pedt oi mpr o v eanac t or ' sper f or manc e.Wi t hi mpr o vi s at i on,s hear gued,peopl e ma yfi nde x pr e ss i v ef r e ed om,s i n cet h eydon otk no wh owa ni mp r o v i s eds i t u at i o nwi l l t u r no ut . I mpr o v i s at i o nd ema nd sa no pe nmi n di no r d e rt oma i n t a i ns po nt a ne i t y , r at h ert h anp r e p l a nn i n ga r es pons e.Ac har ac t eri scr eat edb yt heac t or ,of t enwi t houtr e f er enc et oadr amat i ct e xt ,an dadr amai s d ev e l o pe do uto ft h es po nt e no usi n t er a ct i o nswi t ho t h era ct o r s . Th i sap pr o ac ht oc r e at i n gn ewd r a ma c r e t s& h asbe end ev e l o pe dmo sts ub st a nt i a l l ybyt h eBr i t i s hfi l mma k erMi k eLe i g h,i nfi l mss uc ha sSe Li es( aDr a k e( A herYear .T ur n er 1 9 9 6 ) ,Ver 2 0 0 4 ) , not ( 2 01 0) ,a ndMr ( 2 01 4) . I mpr o vi s at i oni sal s ous edt oco v erupi fanac t ororac t r es smak esami s t ak e.
edi t ] Semiotics of acting[
An t o ni nAr t a ud c o mp ar e dt h ee ffe cto fa na ct o r ' spe r f o r man c eo na na ud i e nc ei nhi s"Theat r eof Cr uel t y"wi t ht hewa yi nwhi c hasnak echar mer a ffe c t ss n a k es . Thes emi ot i c so fa ct i n gi n v ol v e sast u dyoft h ewa y si nwh i c ha sp ec t sofape r f o r ma nc ec omet oop er at e f ori t saudi enc eass i gns. Th i spr o ce ssl a r g el yi n v ol v e st h ep r o du ct i o no fme an i n g,wh er e byel e me nt sof anac t o r ' sper f or man ceac qui r es i gn i fi c anc e,bo t hwi t hi nt hebr oad erc ont e xtoft hedr amat i cac t i onand i nt her el at i onseac hes t abl i s heswi t ht her eal wor l d. Fo l l o wi n gt h ei d ea sp r o po se db yt h e Sur r eal i s t t heor i s tAn t o ni nAr t a ud,ho we v er ,i tma yal s obepos s i bl e t oun de r s t a ndc ommu ni c at i o nwi t hanau di e nc et h ato cc ur s' b en ea t h 's i g ni fi c an cean dme an i n g( wh i c h t hes emi ot i c i anFél i xGuat t ar ides cr i bedasapr oc es si nv ol v i ngt het r ans mi s si onof" as i gni f y i ngs i gns " ) . eTh ea t r ean di t sDo ub l e I nhi sTh ( 1938) ,Ar t a udc ompar edt hi si nt er ac t i ont ot hewa yi nwhi c ha snake char mer c o mmu ni c a t e swi t has n ak e ,apr o c es swh i c hhei d en t i fi e da s"mi mesi s" —t hesamet er m i c s t h a tAr i s t ot l e i nhi sPoet ( c .3 35BCE)u se dt ode sc r i b et h e mode i nwhi c hdr ama c ommu ni c a t e si t s s t or y ,byvi r t ueofi t sembodi mentbyt heac t orenac t i ngi t ,asdi s t i nc tf r om "di eges i s" ,ort hewa yi nwhi c h an a r r a t o r ma ydes c r i bei t .Thes e" v i b r a t i ons "pas s i n gf r om t heac t ort ot heaudi enc ema yno t
nec es sar i l ypr ec i pi at ei nt os i gni fi cantel ement sass uc h( t hati s ,c ons ci ous l yper c ei v ed" meani ngs " ) ,but r at h erma yo pe r a t eb yme an so ft h ec i r c ul a t o no f"a ffe ct s" . Th ea pp r o ac ht oa c t i n ga do pt e db yot h ert heat r epr ac t i t i oner si n v ol v ev ar y i ngdegr e esofc onc er nwi t h t hes emi ot i c sofac t i ng.Kons t a nt i nSt ani s l a vs k i ,f o re x a mp l e ,a dd r e ss est h ewa y si nwh i c ha na ct o r , bui l di ngonwh athecal l st he" e x per i enc i ng"ofar o l e,s houl dal s os hapeandadj us taper f or manc ei n or dert os uppor tt heo v er al l s i gni fi c an ceo ft hedr ama—apr oc es st hath ec al l ses t abl i s hi ngt he " per s pec t i v eoft her ol e" .Thes emi ot i c sofac t i ngpl a ysaf armor ec ent r al r ol ei n Ber t ol tBr ec ht ' sepi c t heat r e,i nwhi c hanac t ori sconc er nedt obr i ngoutc l ear l yt hes oc i ohi s t or i c al s i gni fi canc eofbeha vi our a nda c t i o nb yme an so fs p ec i fi cpe r f o r ma nc ec h oi c e s —ap r o c es st h ath ed es c r i b esases t a bl i s h i n gt h e g t us " n o t / b u t "e l e me nti nap er f o r me dp hy s i c al " es "wi t hi nc ont ex toft het hepl ay ' sov er al Fabel " " .Eugeni oBar ba ar guest hatac t or soughtno tt oc onc er nt hems el v eswi t ht hes i gn i fi c anc eoft hei r per f or manc ebehav i our ;t hi sas pec ti st her es pons i bi l i t y ,hef eel s ,oft he di r ec t o r ,whoweavest he s i gni f y i ngel ement sofanac t or ' sper f or manc ei nt ot hedi r ec t or ' sd r a ma t u r g i c al " mo nt a g e" . Thet heat r es emi ot i c i anPat r i c ePa vi s, al l udi ngt ot hec ont r as tbet weenSt ani s l av sk i ' s' s ys t em' and Br ec ht ' sd emo ns t a t i n gp er f o r me r —a nd ,b ey o ndt h at ,t oDe ni sDi d er o t ' sf oundat i onal es sa yont hear tof r a do xoft h eAc t o r ac t i ng,Pa ( c.1770—78) —ar guest hat : Ac t i ngwasl ongs eeni nt er msoft heac t or ' ss i nc er i t yorh ypoc r i s y —s houl dhebel i e v ei nwhathei s s a y i n ga ndb emo v e db yi t ,o rs h o ul dh ed i s t a nc eh i ms e l fa ndc o nv e yhi sr o l ei nade t a c he dma nn er ? Th ea ns we rv a r i e sa c c or d i n gt oh owo nes e est h ee ffe c tt ob ep r o du c edi nt h ea ud i e nc ea ndt h es o c i a l [ 5] f unc t i onoft heat r e. El ement sofas emi ot i c sofac t i ngi nc l udet heac t or ' sges t ur es ,f ac i al e xpr es si ons ,i nt onat i onandot her v oc al qual i t i es ,r h yt hm,andt hewa y si nwhi c ht hes eas pec t sofani ndi v i dual per f o r manc er e l at et ot he dr amaandt het hea t r i c al e v ent( orfi l m,t el e vi s i onpr ogr a mme,orr adi obr oadc as t ,eac hofwhi c hi n vol v es [ 6] d i ff er e nts emi o t i cs y s t e ms )c on si d er e da sawh ol e. As emi ot i c sofac t i ngr ec ogni s est hatal l f or msof ac t i ngi nv ol v ec on v en t i o nsandcodesb yme an sofwh i c hpe r f o r ma nc ebe ha v i o ura c qu i r e ss i g ni fi c a nc e — i nc l udi ngt hos eappr oac hes ,s uc hasSt ani s l v as ki ' sort hec l os el yr el at ed me t h oda c t i n gdev el opedi nt he Uni t edSt at es ,t hatoff ert h ems el v esas" anat ur a lk i ndofa ct i ngt hatc andowi t h outc on v ent i onsandbe [ 5] r ec ei v edassel f e vi dentanduni v er s al . " Pa v i sgo esont oar g uet h at : An yac t i n gi sba se do naco di fi edsy s t e m( e v eni ft h ea ud i e nc ed oe sn ots eei ta ss uc h)o fb eh av i o ura nd ac t i onst hatar ec ons i der edt obebel i e vabl eandr eal i s t i corar t i fi cal andt heat r i c al .T oadv oc at et he nat ur al ,t hes pont aneo us ,andt hei ns t i nc t i v ei sonl yt oat t emp tt opr oduc enat ur al eff ec t s ,g ov er nedb y ani deol ogi c al c odet hatdet er mi nes ,atapar t i c ul arhi s t or i c al t i me,andf oragi v enaudi enc e,whati s [ 5] nat ur al andbe l i e v abl eandwhati sd ec l a ma t o r yandt heat r i c al . Thec on vent i onst hatgo v er nac t i ngi ngene r a l ar er el at edt os t r uc t ur edf or mso f pl a y, whi c hi nv ol v e,i n [ 7 ] e ac hs pe ci fi ce xp er i e nc e," r u l e so ft h eg ame. " Th i sas pe ctwa sfi r s te x pl o r e db yJohan [ 8] uden s ayandGames Hui z i ng a ( i nHomoL ,1 93 8)a ndRogerCai l l oi s ( i nMan,Pl , 1 95 8) . Cai l l oi s ,f or mesi s( ex ampl e,di s t i ngui s hesf ourapec t sofpl a yr el e vantt oac t i ng:mi s i mul at i on) ,agon( c onfl i c tor ea( l l i nx( c ompet i t i on) ,al chance) ,andi v er t i go,or" v er t i gi nousps yc hol ogi c al s i t uat i ons "i nv ol v i ngt he [ 7 ] s pec t at or ' si dent i fi c at i onor c at har s i s) . Th i sc onnec t i onwi t hpl a yasanac t i v i t ywasfi r s t pr opos edby i c s,i Ar i s t o t l ei nhi sPoet nwhi c hhedefi nest hedes i r et oi mi t at ei npl a yasanes sent i al par tofbei ng humanandourfir st meansofl ear ni ngaschi l dr en: Fori ti sani ns t i nc tofhumanbei ngs ,f r om c hi l dhood,t oenagei n mi mesi s( i ndeed,t hi sdi s t i ngui s hes t hem f r om o t herani mal s :mani st hemos tmi me t i cofal l ,andi ti st hr oughmi mes i st hathede v el opshi s [ 9 ] ear l i es tunder s t andi ng) ;andequal l ynat ur al t hatev er y oneenj oy smi met i cobj ec t s .( I V,1448b ) Th i sc on ne c t i o nwi t hp l a ya l s oi n f o r me dt h ewo r d su s edi nEn gl i s h( a swa st h ea na l o go usc as ei nma ny o t h erEu r o pe anl a ng ua ge s )f o rdr ama:t h ewo r d" pl ay"or" game"( t r ans l at i ngt heAn gl o p ègaorLat ud us Saxo nl i nl )wa st h es t a nd ar dt e r mu se du nt i lWi l l i a m Sh ak e s pe ar e' st i mef oradr amat i c ent er t a i nment —j us tasi t sc r e at orwasa" pl a y ma ker "r at hert hana" dr amat i s t " ,t heper s onac t i n gwas k no wnasa" p l a y er " ,a nd ,wh eni nt h e El i z abe t haner a s pec i fi cbui l di ngsf orac t i ngwer ebui l t ,t he ywas [ 1 0 ] k no wnas" p l a y h ou se s"r a t h ert h an" t h e a t r e s. "
edi t ] Rehearsing[ Rehear sal i sapr oc es si nwhi c hac t or spr epar eandpr a ct i s eape r f or manc e,e xpl or i ngt hev i c i s s i t udes ofc onfl i c t bet weenc h a r a c t e r s,t e s t i n gs pe ci fi cac t i o nsi nt h es c en e,a ndfi nd i n gme an st oco nv e ya p ar t i c ul a rs e ns e.So mea ct o r sc o nt i n uet or e he ar s eas c en et hr o ug ho utt h er u no fas ho wi no r d ert o k eept hes c enef r es hi nt he i rmi ndsande x ci t i ngf ort heau di e nc e.
