An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of An Actor Prepares
Book Review: Excellent not only for actors but for any performing artist!
Summary: 5 Stars
Stanislavski himself says, "My system is for those who have a creative nature. It's for the talented". On stage or on a movie set you have to be believable. All musicians should read this book (or any performing artist in that matter). It would be a priceless benefit for them... For instance, many soloists these days are displaying an unnatural, forced "phrasing". If they were asked to speak the way they play, the result would be so fake or even funny that they'd realize it in a flash.
Book Review: How to act.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have only a short comment for this incredible book: READ IT!Book Review: Incomplete, Innacurate Translation
Summary: 3 Stars
Stanislavski is a familiar name in theatre circles. The legendary director of the Moscow Art Theatre wrote perhaps some of the most influential books on acting in the last century. I could list the big names who cite his influence (most famously, Marlon Brando and Sir John Gielgud), but the fact is his teachings have become so much a part of the way we approach theatre, that almost any actor in the English-speaking world (and abroad) can claim at least some influence.
Elizabeth Hapgood's translation of Stanislavski's work (featured on this page) remains the most widely circulated among English speakers. Unfortunately, it is also highly problematic. By publishing her translations as two separate books "An Actor Prepares" and "Building a Character", Hapgood unintentionally misrepresented Stanislavski's original intentions. In actuality, "An Actor Prepares" and "Building a Character" were both written as two parts of a single book, called "An Actor's Work on Himself."
Hapgood had worked with Stanislavski on an early version of Part One. However, Stanislavski continued to revise his manuscript even after Hapgood had returned home to America. What would eventually be published as "An Actor Prepares" was actually a much-abridged version of what she received from Stanislavski. Not only that, but it is missing Stanislavski's subsequent revisions.
The translation itself is especially difficult to get through. The diction is quaint and Victorian and brings to mind Constance Garrett's dowdy translations of Dostoevsky. What's more is that Stanislavski's sense of humor is largely censored, in favor of contriving a more flowing narrative. While this is understandable, this drastically alters the reader's understanding of Stanislavski's system. The original featured more dialogue among the students to flesh out the concepts in better detail.
To read a modern translation of Stanislavski's work in its complete form, check out Jean Benedetti's excellent An Actor's Work. Up until the publication of Benedetti's book, I would have been perfectly content to recommend the Hapgood version. But the release of the new translation, which is both more readable and truer to Stanislavski's intentions, now fully highlights how impoverished this edition actually is.
Book Review: Not for Film actors. Barely even for Stage Actors
Summary: 2 Stars
The good old Stanislavski. This is one of the more traditional books, read by just about every professional actor. However it is damaging to todays actor. If you are in film, this book is not for you. Most of the exercises can not adequately be applied to Film acting. One reason is because a film actors life is very busy. He/she does not have the time to spend on any one of these exercises described in this book. If, however, you are a Stage actor, this book could prove beneficial. The exercises are intended for the stage and work well in rehearsal environments. However, I would speculate, like most acting schools, this book gives one too many exercises and not enough emphasis on how to study a scene. This is a common mistake found in most theatrical studies. If you would be interested to hear more explanations as to my opinion, I recommend "True and False," by David Mamet. He will explain better than I can the negative results of this book. This book was intended for its time (I believe late 18th century) and unlike Shakespeare, cannot be applied to much of the acting styles used today.Book Review: Opens up an actors eyes to unlimited possibilities
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a must have book for any actor,you will grow so much as an actor and person.This book changed my whole viewpoints on how i approach the people i play.