Script Analysis - Method Of Action Analysis
This 5 week long class will immerse its participants in the process of professional understanding of dramatic text and the techniques of transmitting it into performing structure. The program will be particularly focused on the Method of Action Analysis (analyzing the script with the help of dramatic action) as one of the most authentic contemporary methods based on the ideas proposed by K. Stanislavsky.
The studying process will consist from theoretical part and practical element, allowing not only to understand the main concept of proposed methodology but also to discover the most effective applications of it to acting on stage. In order to demonstrate and experience some specifics and practical aspects of proposed technique, the class will experiment with using the method of script analysis in staging text by Anton Chekhov.
Literature and materials used in the course:
- Konstantin Stanislavsky “Actor Prepares”,
- Anton Chekhov – major plays, short plays,
- Bertolt Brecht – major plays, theoretical writings,
- Maria Knebel “Method of Action Analysis”
- Michael Butkevich “Towards The Theater-As-A-Game”
Dear Friends,
ReplyDeletei'm receiving questions from some of you regarding your individual preparation to our class. I think the issues that you're addressing might be useful to others as well. Therefore i'm posting here some of your recent questions following with my answers to them. Hope it'll be helpful. If you need more information or want to address other issues, please feel free to put your comments to this post. I'll try to visit it and respond regularly.
Hope that people whose emails i'm copying here won't object.
Oleg
Daryn asked:
Hi Oleg,
Sorry I had to leave before you were finished the other day. I was just emailing to see if there was an assignment for next week. I'll definitely learn the monologue for next week, but wasn't sure what else you would like us to do. Thank you so much.
Daryn
Merri wrote:
Hello Oleg,
Fatana and I got together on Monday to practice and we had a couple of questions to ask you about what you would like us to prepare for Saturday.
First, we're finding it awkward to "finish" the piece. How long would you like it to be? What is the "ending" so to say of Natasha and Lomov's discussion? Is it necessary to get Lomov to exit for instance?
Second, should we memorize the full text of the scene? If so, is this expected by the end of the class or by Saturday. Fatana and I are able to paraphrase most of the scene and can improv, but at times some things change. For example, Lomov is trying to be polite the whole time and eventually asks Natasha to ask her father about it before moving on to try to make the proposal again. Is this alright?
Third, what would you really like to see on Saturday? You had given us the feedback that the piece we showed last class was too much about the words. But in our action and events, would like us to "hit" every event? Would you like us to be more active?
Sincerely,
Merri Gordon
Thank you guys, for your questions. Following are my responses.
ReplyDeleteBesides working on Lomov's monologue, i'm suggesting everybody to prepare at least one scene with a partner: either Lomov-Chubukov or Lomov-Natasha scene.
Please don't memorize the lines from the scenes. Try to be very clear with events and your actions. While improvising with your partner try to carry your actions and use your own words when you need them. On the contrary, when working on the monologue you can start memorizing actual lines.
I'm not sure i fully understand what you mean under "finishing the piece", but i certainly encourage you to develop your scene to its final event. For example, for Lomov-Natasha scene the final event is Chubukov's entrance. That's where you should try to bring your improvisation.
I'm expecting to see each of you participating at least in one scene plus doing the monologue or a part of it.
My comments to Merri-Fatana try on last Saturday was in regard of their understanding of action mainly as verbal activity. Therefore both of them were trying to carry their actions on the territory of words. Whereas i'm suggesting to carry the action on the territory of behavior, attitude, space and body. This is one of the most important and critical issues in acting and we'll definitely address it together on our next session.
Thank you everybody for your participation and input. Have fun with preparing your scenes. Looking forward to see all of you on Saturday,
oleg
For those who wasn't at our last session on Saturday, March 26, the assignment for this week is:
ReplyDelete- to prepare Lomov's monologue,
- to prepare at least one scene with a partner, if you've done scene Lomov-Natasha, please try another one - Chubukov-Lomov,
- to prepare one sketch (improvisational etude) on the given circumstances of your character outside of the text of the play.
I congratulate everybody with International Theater Day, which is today, on March 27! Looking forward to see all of you on Saturday. Please try not to miss the class, only two sessions left.
Thank you for your work and your interest,
oleg
Assignment for the last session of the workshop on Saturday, April 9:
ReplyDelete- prepare at least one scene with the partner (either Chubukov-Lomov or Lomov-Natasha), using the event-action structure and the actual text of the scene;
- prepare Lomov's monologue using the physical action concept instead of verbal concept of the monologue,
- make the event-action analysis of Chubukov-Lomov-Natasha episode and email it to Oleg by Wednesday evening, April 6.
See you on Saturday,
Oleg
Numair wrote:
ReplyDeleteHello Oleg,
Thank you so very much for providing insights into Script Analysis.
I feel empowered by the knowledge we have gained in this course.
Take Care
NJ