Product Description

"Stanislavsky's now famous book is a contribution to the Theatre and its students all over the world." Sir John Gielgud An Actor Prepares is the most famous acting training book ever to have been written and the work of Stanislavski has inspired generations of actors and trainers. This edition, now reprinted with a new cover and more accessible price has stood the test of time in acting classes all over the world and was the original English language translation. A classic text for every actors library. Stanislavski deals with the inward preparation an actor must undergo in order to explore a role to the full. He introduces the concepts of the 'magic of' units and objectives, of emotion memory, of the super-objective and many more now famous rehearsal aids. An inspirational book presented in a drama class structure to ignite powerful performances. "An Actor must work all his life, cultivate his mind, train his talents systematically, develop his character; he may never despair and never relinquish this main pupose - to love his art with all his strength and love it unselfishly." Constantin Stanislavski

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19099 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Constantin Stanislavski died in 1938 and is the most influential person in actor training to date. As co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre, he developed his theories of acting. Elizabeth Reynold Hapgood (Translator) - An editor and translator and Head of the Russian Department at Columbia University worked with Stanislavski before he died.

Customer Reviews

Summed up in one book!
Stanislavski's teachings can be quite complex if you are new to the theories within his practices. This book, An Actor Prepares, is both full of interesting dialogue between his classmates and his tutor (referred to as "The Director"). On reading the book, I found myself relating to experiences of my own. He deals with what is essentially the truth of good theatre. I have studied the practices of many of the greats, Brecht, Artaud (Bless Him), and Berkoff, and have found, in my opinion, that Stanislavski is probably the greatest of them all. The book deals with all aspects of preparation for a performer, however deals directly with acting (if you are a performer, you should be able to relate no matter what). If you need a study guide for A-Level or even GCSE (if you want to get the best possible grade), An Actor prepares is the source text for you. ...It can really make a difference between good acting/studying/teaching. After finishing An Actor Prepares recently, I am moving on the purchase the other big names of Stanislavski, 'Building A Character' and 'Creating a Role', well worth the read!!

Marvellous and not just for actors
Our cinemas and theatres would be places of great delight if actors both amateur and professional would really take Stanislavski's advice to heart. The book is just as relevant to public speakers and indeed ordinary people who are concerned to present themselves convincingly. Both edifying and entertaining. Andrew Crowe

AMAZING
This is a truly amazing book. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wishes to go beyond the classical approach to theatre and get to grips with the essence of a play and a character. This book is like the actor's Bible and really shows how you can get to truth in your acting in a comprehensive, lesson by lesson approach by one of the greatest acting teachers whose work has been continued to this day, inspiring actors such as the great Marlon Brando, Robert de Niro, Dustin Hoffman etc.