In this follow up to his most famous book, An Actor Prepares, Stanislavski develop his influential 'system' of acting by exploring the imaginative processes at the heart of the actor's craft. Building a Character deals with the physical realisation of character on the stage through such tools as expressions, movement and speech. It is a book in which every theory is inextricably bound up with practice - a perfect handbook to the physical art of acting. The work of Stanislavski has inspired generations of actors and trainers and - available now in the Bloomsbury Revelations series to mark the 150th anniversary of Stanislavski's birth - it remains an essential read for actors and directors at all stages of their careers.

Stanislavski’s ‘system’ has dominated actor-training in the West since his writings were first translated into English in the 1920s and 30s. His systematic attempt to outline a psycho-physical technique for acting single-handedly revolutionized standards of acting in the theatre. Until now, readers and students have had to contend with inaccurate, misleading and difficult-to-read English-language versions. Some of the mistranslations have resulted in profound distortions in the way his system has been interpreted and taught. At last, Jean Benedetti has succeeded in translating Stanislavski’s huge manual into a lively, fascinating and accurate text in English. He has remained faithful to the author's original intentions, putting the two books previously known as An Actor Prepares and Building A Character back together into one volume, and in a colloquial and readable style for today's actors. The result is a major contribution to the theatre, and a service to one of the great innovators of the twentieth century. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new Foreword by the director Richard Eyre.

(Applause Books). Based on his own experience and the teachings of his celebrated but distant father, Lee, John Strasberg defines the talent of becoming real in a role. He surveys the traditional partition between life and theatre, and urges actors to make it a dynamic living membrane through which vital elements may pass. John Strasberg has written his own intensely personal story about his father's work and the Strasberg dynasty. It is a painful odyssey during which he relives the often demanding role he played as son to a man who was the central father figure to a generation of American actors.

A Divorce That Finds You takes the reader, via a unique and dynamic e-mail relationship of two friends, through the pain of a breakup and into the beauty and joy of a new life. As one character aptly says, "You get out of a bad life and look at the new and beautiful things you attract to yourself." On another level, the book subtly and gently offers the reader insights into a "Science of Mind" approach to life and the active participation we each posses in the selection of our own destiny, both on a daily and cosmic scale, whether we recognize it or not. The choice is ours.

Stanislavski in Practice is an unparalleled step-by-step guide to Stanislavski’s System. Author Nick O’Brien makes this cornerstone of acting accessible to teachers and students alike. This is an exercise book for students and a lesson planner for teachers on syllabi from Edexcel, WJEC and AQA to the practice-based requirements of BTEC. Each element of the System is covered practically through studio exercises and jargon-free discussion. Over a decade’s experience of acting and teaching makes O’Brien perfectly placed to advise anyone wanting to understand or apply Stanislavski’s system. Features include: Practical extension work for students to take away from the lesson Notes for teachers on how to use material with different age groups Exam tips for students based on specific syllabi requirements A chapter dedicated to using Stanislavski when rehearsing a text A glossary of terms that students of the System will encounter

Modern breakthroughs in neuroscience and mind-body psychology now offer an alternative approach to the classic systems of acting. So much more is now known about how the brain visualizes, imagines and remembers; neurochemical processes are much faster and more fluid than earlier acting teachers could possibly have realized. Acting with Passion draws heavily on the world of mind-body psychology, primarily the work of Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen. Their theories – that the release of chronic muscular tension can be accompanied by the release of emotions – offer actors the keys to demonstrating emotion on cue. Through a series of physical exercises, actors learn to access feelings through the body rather than the mind. Beginning with the body as 'the instrument', Acting with Passion leads actors through a series of physical exercises combining movement, tactile exploration and vocal release. Once physical blocks are removed, the actor then uses memorized text to place the feelings where they belong. Written with her characteristic verve and accessibility, and using practical exercises to guide the actor through each stage, Acting With Passion is the result of Niki Flaks's popular acting workshops.