Constantin Stanislavski : The Patriarch
/"Create your own method. Don't depend slavishly on mine. Make up something that will work for you! But keep breaking traditions, I beg you."
- Constantin Stanislavski
Constantin Stanislavski, the patriarch of modern acting, died 75 years ago today. It is no exaggeration to say that every performance we see in film, television and theatre today has its seed in the 'method' of Stanislavski. His rejection of a formulaic theatricality and his embrace of realism in all its varied forms, revolutionized the art of acting.
Although you can't get two different actors, teachers or schools to agree on what exactly Stanislavski's 'method' was, his approach is the foundation for every single acting 'school' around today. Like Abraham, who was the father of three great religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Stanislavski is the father of the three great 'schools' of acting, Strasberg, Adler and Meisner (and all the other ones too!!). You may think that's blasphemy. I think it's an apt metaphor, because those acting schools get along about as well as those three religions do, although to be fair, the acting schools do take themselves much more seriously, so conflict is inevitable.
A toast to the Patriarch of Modern Acting, the great Constantin Stanislavski. We are all deeply in his debt. Oh...and go read his books, it's always best to go straight to the source material!!