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Mapping Meisner – how Stanislavski’s system influenced Meisner’s process and why it matters to British Drama School training today

Strandberg-Long, Philippa (2018) Mapping Meisner – how Stanislavski’s system influenced Meisner’s process and why it matters to British Drama School training today. Stanislavski Studies, 6 (1). pp. 11-19. ISSN 2056-7790. (doi:10.1080/20567790.2018.1437956) (KAR id:74523)

Abstract

As the Meisner technique has increased in popularity in UK Drama schools over the last decade, it is important to understand its origin and where Meisner drew his own inspiration from during the development of his technique, especially when questioning its place within British conservatoire training. This article will give a brief outline of Meisner’s foundational training, such as the Repetition and Activity exercises, however the main purpose is to highlight the ideas behind the technique. This will include the training Meisner received within the Group Theatre, the inspiration he took from the Russian scholars and the areas of Stanislavsky’s system that were utilised as he developed his technique. The article also acknowledges the argument that the Meisner technique’s introduction outside the US has been subject to aform of misrepresentation as large parts of Meisner’s more analytical training have often not been adequately represented, and in some cases ignored entirely.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/20567790.2018.1437956
Uncontrolled keywords: Sanford Meisner, Meisner technique, Stanislavski, Actor training, The Group Theatre
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Arts
Depositing User: Philippa Strandberg-Long
Date Deposited: 21 Jun 2019 11:23 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2022 23:36 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/74523 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Strandberg-Long, Philippa.

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