ABSTRACT

Stanislavsky and Intimacy is the first academic edited book with a focus on how intimacy protocols, choreography, and theories intersect with the broad practices of Konstantin Stanislavsky’s ‘system’.

As the basis for most Western theatre and film acting, Stanislavsky’s system centers on truthful performances. Intimacy direction and choreography insists on not only a culture of consent, but also specific, repeatable choreography for all staged intimate moments. These two practices have often been placed as diametric opposites, but this book seeks to dispel this argument. Each chapter discusses specific Stanislavskian principles and practices as they relate to staged sexually intimate moments, also opening the conversation to the broader themes and practices of other kinds of intimacy within the acting field.

Stanislavsky And... is a series of multi-perspectival collections that bring the enduring legacy of Stanislavskian actor training into the spotlight of contemporary performance culture, making them ideal for students, teachers, and scholars of acting, actor training, and directing.

chapter |16 pages

Introduction

chapter 2|24 pages

Stanislavsky and Intimacy

The Brain-Body Responds

chapter 3|14 pages

Which Me Do You See?

Emotional and Social Intimacy, Researched or Revealed

chapter 4|14 pages

Relaxed Readiness, Increased Awareness, and Intimacy Protocols

Increasing Actors' Agency and Authenticity in Stanislavsky's System

chapter 5|11 pages

The Pillars of Stanislavsky

chapter 6|9 pages

Going There

Black Women and the Stanislavsky System

chapter 7|38 pages

Stanislavsky and Staged Sexual Intimacy in Film

An Interview with Intimacy Coordinators Vanessa Coffey and David Thackeray

chapter |1 pages

Epilogue