The Stanislavski System (basis of Method acting)

Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938), a Russian actor and director, devised a system which would allow an actor to "make the audience suspend their disbelief and believe utterly in the character on stage" by way of hard work and constant study. His System, the basis of the American "Method", is built around the theory that to completely deceive the audience, the actor must suspend their own disbelief and onstage become the character they are portraying. This he …

…believe entirely what they see. This suspension of disbelief allows the underlying intentions of the author to have impact, and creates important and effective drama. Bibliography Brackett, Oscar G., 1992, The Essential Theatre: 5th Edition, USA: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Crawford et al, 1995, Acting in Person and in Style in Australia, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd. Hartnell, Phyllis (Ed.), 1983, The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre, Oxford University Press. Stanislavski, Constantin, 1936, An Actor Prepares, Methuen Publishing Ltd.