ABSTRACT
By 1911, Stanislavski, who had generally been a director-dictator, had developed a concern for the independence of the actor as a creative artist. He set out the conditions for that independence.
It is a mistake to think that artistic freedom means artistic licence. That is the freedom of the fool. Who is freest of all? The man who has personally achieved independence, since that is won, not given. Independence that is given does not grant freedom, since that can be very quickly lost. The man who frees himself with no outside help, who is more knowledgeable, more able, is fully self-reliant, and has his own opinions, who is ready for every trial and tribulation, that is the man who is truly free. This is the actor who has felt the role better than the writer, analysed the play better than the critic, studied the play better than the director, since no one else really knows his talent, his inner self, his expressive means, the actor who has developed a virtuoso technique, who has trained his body, voice and face, and who has understood the theory of art, painting, literature and everything else an actor needs to know, he is truly free.
