ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the stages of rehearsing a play, culminating in exploring Active Analysis. During the early years of his life, Stanislavski often rehearsed with actors around a table, pencil in hand, analysing and discussing objectives, actions, the super objective etc. In later years, Stanislavski shifted the focus to getting actors up on their feet and experiencing the role actively. The 'table work' was still there in later years but led directly to, and was combined with, active exploration. Students rehearsing a piece of text can use this chapter to structure their rehearsals or may dip in and out of this chapter throughout the rehearsal process, to support what is being done in rehearsal time. This chapter draws on a number of exercises Stanislavski used in his later years combined with exercises the author had developed to enhance the rehearsal process, giving actor, the student, a detailed step by step approach to follow.
