About
the Book:
"A
superior reading of Stanislavski."
— Theatre Journal
The master's seminal acting texts, An Actor Prepares and
Building a Character together in one volume. The twin bibles
of acting books have been re-translated into a highly-acclaimed
single volume An Actor's Work. This new translation, which
Jean Benedetti based on Stanislavski's final Russian
manuscripts, represents a landmark achievement in Stanislavski
studies and provides a valuable new resource for practitioners.
Stanislavski's system has dominated actor-training in the
West since his writings were first translated into English in the
1920s and 30s. His systematic attempt to outline a psycho-physical
technique for acting single-handedly revolutionized standards of
acting in the theatre.
Until now, readers and students have had to contend with
inaccurate, misleading and difficult-to-read English-language
versions. Some of the mistranslations have resulted in profound
distortions in the way his system has been interpreted and taught. At
last, Jean Benedetti has succeeded in translating
Stanislavski's huge manual into a lively, fascinating and accurate
text in English. He has remained faithful to the author's original
intentions, putting the two books previously known as An Actor
Prepares and Building A Character back together into one
volume An Actor's Work, and in a colloquial and readable style
for today's actors.
The result is a major contribution to the theatre, and a service
to one of the great innovators of the twentieth century. This volume
is essential reading for anyone interested in acting, practically or
academically, at all levels from schools to the industry.
What people say:
"A landmark achievement in
Stanislavski studies … essential reading for anyone interested in
acting, practically or academically, at all levels from schools to
the industry." — Times Higher Educational Supplement
"A
volume that clearly communicates the entire system … it should be
made required reading." — The Guardian
"Getting
the system straight from the horses mouth … An
Actor's Work should
be a manual not just in drama school, but but on any course where
students are taught to assess texts and arguments critically."
— Times Literary Supplement
"Benedetti,
the author of several previous books on Stanislavski, has both
improved and expanded upon the Hapgood editions, and the result is a
longer yet much more readable text."
— Library
Journal
"This
volume is a must for theater collections. Essential."
— Choice
About the Author:
Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938),
arguably the most influential director in the history of the theater,
was the founder of the renowned Moscow Art Theatre. A pioneer of
psychological realism and improvisation on the stage, he devoted his
life to developing the performance techniques now emulated throughout
the world.
Jean Benedetti (1930-2012) was a leading scholar on the
history of turn-of-the-century Russian theater. Formerly the
Principal of the Rose Bruford College, UK, he carved out a successful
career as an actor and playwright but is best known for a series of
authoritative books on the method school of acting created by
Konstantin Stanislavski.