From active analysis to the actor-creator’s work with the first impulse

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we are looking for ways of congruence between Konstantin Stanislavsky’s Method of Active Analysis and Nikolai Demidov’s School, theoretically observing similarities, while also concentrating on some major differences, such as the complete initial lack of given circumstances for études in Demidov or the inceptive use of improvised speech as opposed to the given text in Stanislavsky. During one of their last encounters, Demidov shared with Stanislavsky his own thoughts related to the shortcomings of teaching the “system”, while arranging a demonstration of his own latest discoveries. Apparently, Stanislavsky, who was previously against Demidov’s desire to train students/actors differently, was positively surprised when witnessing the results of this new approach. Although both practitioners might have thought that a combination between the two techniques could provide a new path for the actor, probably due to Stanislavsky’s health problems, such an endeavour never came to fruition. Therefore, as a prerequisite of a practical research project, briefly analysing both paths, this article aims to delineate ways towards finding out whether they can be merged into a single one and how this could be used as a brand-new rehearsing technique.