During my debut stage appearance in Romeo and Juliet at the tender age of 14, I adopted the stage name Antonin Brechtanislavski. A ridiculous, self-conscious, and pretentious AF nod towards my theatrical heroes.
So it was with some glee many years later when I came across the National Theatre’s Five Truths production.
The same scene, Ophelia, from Hamlet, going mad and committing suicide produced according to five separate theatrical philosophies:
- Constantin Stanislavski
- Jerzy Grotowski
- Peter Brook
- Bertolt Brecht
- Antonin Artaud
My personal favourite is that of the Peter Brook interpretation. But I include all five videos here for your enjoyment and education, along with a few recommendations of dramatic avenues you may wish to travel down in exploring each philosophy further.
Let me know which style most instinctively appeals to you.
Constantin Stanislavski
Explore further:
- An Actor Prepares (book)
- Building A Character (book)
- My Life In Art (book)
- A Beginner’s Guide To Method Acting (video)
- How Stanislavski Reinvented the Craft of Acting (video)
- Stella Adler: Awake and Dream! from “American Masters” (video)
Jerzy Grotowski
Explore further:
- Towards a Poor Theatre (book)
- Poor Unfortunate Theatre (video)
- Jerzy Grotowski interview (video)
- “The Living Room” (video)
Peter Brook
Explore further:
- The Empty Space (book)
- Playing by Ear (book)
- King Lear (film)
- Peter Brook Talks With Charlie Rose (video)
- Peter Brook Interview: The Esoteric and the Profane in Shakespeare (video)
Bertolt Brecht
Explore further:
- Brecht on Theatre (book)
- The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (play)
- Bertolt Brecht and Epic Theatre (video)
- An Introduction to Brechtian Theatre (video)
Antonin Artaud
Explore further:
- The Theatre and Its Double (book)
- Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty (video)
- Antonin Artaud Documentary (video)