Structure of the actor's work

Study the questioning links between the philosophy and preparatory exercise as outlined in your set text of Vsevolod Meyerhold by Jonathan Pitches.

An e-book version of this book can be located here with sample sections available for reading. Complete versions of this text should be provided by your teacher.

The Acting Cycle - Meyerhold's basic training

Each acting cycle has three never changing stages and the purpose of training in this way is to give the actor the necessary skills for the director to call upon when making a performance.

Read through pages 54 and 55 of the text and discuss its implications. Those pages have been linked below.

Activity

Find an item resembling that of a stick i.e, a ruler and complete the steps below.

1. Crouch down to pick up a stick; this is called Otkaz and is the prologue preparation for the next action
2. Throw the stick; this is called a Posil and is the actual dramatic expression of the prologue
3. Finish the action and freeze; this is called a Tochka and this is the epilogue but one which suggests a new start to the acting cycle, and to do it all again adding sound.

Group reflection

Video conference a group of peers from your class and discuss the following questions:

• Why does Meyerhold say that the practice of this task allows an actor to take on board the director's vision?
• How did you choose to create these rhythmic actions?
• How did one student's interpretation of the task vary from another's and what does this say about the body language of the different actors?

Meyerhold felt that Chaplin's acting techniques were physically clear and precise and that his movies mixed comedy and tragedy; these combined components being part of Meyerhold's fundamental theatrical philosophies. Watch the clips below and discuss.