Physical Acting Page for BioMX

Character into Role : characterization, physicalization, visualization, vocalization [ 3+ levels, icluding film as "+" ] : dictionary { "4 Zs" -- masterclass? }

ActJokes:

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TOPICS: drama + comedy + postmodern + time + space + theory + BioMethod + objectives & obctacles + film + students + theatre w/anatoly +

2005 Chekhov * Farces [ advertising space : webmaster ]

Theory of Spectatorship

THR221 Intermediate Acting GeoAlaska: Acting, Directing, Theory, Shows, Books

GeoAlaska: Theatre & Film

biomechanics.vtheatre.net

Spring 2003: Don Juan

film books

virtual theatre THR121 Fundamentals of Acting Fall 2004

ShowCases: 3 Sisters, Mikado, 12th Night, Hamlet, The Importance of Being Earnest, Dangerous Liaisons, Don Juan prof. Anatoly Antohin Theatre UAF AK 99775 USA

2006 * * stageplays *

HISTORICAL NOTE:
The text in theatre was predominant for so long that we've known Theatre History, maily as a history of drama. Well, theatre began as un-scripted ritual, as we all know. Theatre doesn't have to depend on words in order to communicate with us. We call it -- theatricality (see Glossary).

The BM were born at the End of Language, Novel, at the Era of Film, globalization and needs for the new universal language as always at the times of the great historical changes and mass migrations. I shouls mention maretialism in many forms from Marxism to Objectivism. And of course the revolution in science and technology, when the matter became equal to energy (Einstein). The physicality of the world was under the centuries of rediscovery since the eraly modernity (the Age of Reason instead of the Religion). Physics became the new religion of the century. Why should we be surprised that the physical theatre came on stage? Was it a conflict with the "spiritual" -- according to the ideologies of the time, the physical was the only true form of the ideal!

12Night: Comedy & BioMechanics new Spring 2002 THR221 Intermediate Acting (focus on biomechanics) * Comedy & Biomechanics Forum *

To understand BM, you have to understand the meaning of THEATRICALITY, which requires physicalization and visualization.

This is SHOW business, my friends. You have to show all the ideas you wish to communicate. There is no contradiction in this demand between Method and BM: one the famous lines by Stanislavsky during the rehearsals: "I don't see it!"

Working on a scene or monologue, I ask actors to go for rehearsing for "Physicality Only"!

I ask them to examine the scene from Physical POV: what is expressed, what is not? I tell them that I am Russian and I do not understand English; they have to make sure that non-English speaker can understand them. It's theatre, my friends! I can understand dance and music (both were born from theatre).

PS. Often I see that actors afraid that they acting will become "mechanical" if they go from every single movement... Well, all I can say that musicians play their scales and athletes do the specific exercises to develop arms, chest and very small movements in order to develop SMART BODY, the body which remembers it all! We do the rehearsals for the same reason; we memorize the lines and blocking. More "mechanics" we put into the show, the more organic it gets!

2003 * THR221 Intermediate Acting : new pages in BM+ @ biomechanics.vtheatre.net *

Summary

Questions

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One Act Fest The Moving Body: Teaching Creative Theatre by Jacques Lecoq -- Jacques Lecoq was born in Paris in 1921. He taught until the day before his death in 1999. David Bradby is Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at Royal Holloway University of London. His is a director, translator, and the author of, among other books, Mise en scene: French Theatre Now.

Notes

2004 & After

Camel
Camel

child
Child

diamond
Diamond

Halfmoon

wheel
Wheel

Headstand

locus
Locus

Mountain

plow
Plow

Salutation

scorpiom
Scorpion

shootingbow
Shooting Bow

snake
Snake

sunsalutation
Sun Salutation

tree
Tree

Michael Chekhov

...

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BioMX Theory for Actors: Physical

2005: I do not think I want to go to Heaven. In Hell they torture bodies, this place must have theatre and they need directors...

Theare is physical. Period. It better be, when everything else becomes digital. Theatre is the last refuge of the Real! Theatre's future is bright. When everything will be virtual, Theatre Live Shows will be like a ritual and church. I made a page for Commedia (and Kabuki) in order to make sure that the traditions of physical theatre behind BM are not forgotten. Theatre was born of rites, song and dance of the flesh. But physical doesn't have to be something opposite to psychological. Meyerhold v. Stanislavsky? The conflict between those two Russian directors belongs to history. I keep repeating it: Meyerhold developed the theory of Biomechanics for his practical needs as a director. Not only for professional actors, but because in his revolutionary mind he believed that ANYBODY could and should act. A dedicated Marxist, he thought that every peasant or worker can do theatre, if only they can have the right tools, the technique! Historically, that was the aim of his movement "Theatrical October" (named after the Great October (Bolshevick) Revolution). The Method Acting requires an education; knowledge of dramatic literature, which was "class" property. Meyerhold (and Eisenstein) wanted to get an average man from the street and put him in front of the camera or on stage. Can we provide this uneducated non-actor with the simple and fast system? Physical (non-psychological) aspect of life is known to all -- even to children! What if we look at stagecraft from this perspective?/tt> Physical Theatre Body BreakDown [ more in Body Page ] Head Closeup (CU). The Extreme CU (XCU) is very difficult to acheive, but this is the highest dramatic point for the actor. Not only it is motionless moment, but it is also the silent moment, known as "dramatic pauses"! Head & Shoulders Unlike in film, it's almost impossible to "cut" from LS to CU, you have to "zoom" from one "shot" to another; you have to go through MS to get to the CU. Chest & Up Tight Medium Shot (MS). Most of soap acting is done within MS. Belt Classical Medium Shot Knee Level to Top Sometimes it's called MLS (Medium Long Shot) Floor to the Top We consider it as a tight Long shot (LS) or Wide Shot (WS) [ Exit/Entrance Choices - exrc. in class ] See Breakdown in Acting Directory @ Theatre w/Anatoly More on the subject @ Virtual Theatre pages; the zone between Theatre and Film. BM is Physical Theatre! Meyerhold wanted his actors to be athletes. He had a circus as model! Actor's body must work. Body Acts! For updates -- Body Page. Now, take a look at the text of your monologue. I advise your to visualize the basic breakdown (framing) of your body as a cameraman does. There are simple ways to focus public's attention with director applies: I can ask designers to do it. The face can be permanently framed with the costume or hat, or wig. I can ask for light or even simply move the actor to the window, which will frame the action. Do you want to have MLG? Place his in the door-frame! Or get him into arm-chair.... You got the idea? "Mechanical" has negative connotations, of course, and this is wrong. "Mechanical" means repeatable, means that we can do it time and again, every time, regardless. The idea of bio-mechanical is a contradiction in itself. "Bio" (life) is something that is always new, non-repeatable at all! And this is the trick; you train yourself to the point when you can do it, no matter what, and -- then on the top of it you add inspiration and improvisation of the live theatre. The body has to learn it through repetitions; the musicians and the athletes do it. The body has to remember it, not you. We call it -- skills. We call it physical memory: you remembers how to ride a bike, how to swim, how to walk -- you do not have to "remember" it. Biomechanics are supposed to FREE your for acting! The same with the blocking and costumes, with lines and light. The limitations are good for you! Get it mechanical for the sake of the "bio" -- the part which will be new every night. Try.

NBI used masks and screens to force my students to focus on a specific part of the body, which does the "acting" (the shadow theatre is also a good tool). [ Mini-Test online. ] Russian Theatre: fest.theatre.ru + cultu.ru (webcast) * March 2006: Go.dot -- 100 years since Sam Beckett's birth * HomeworkIn your monologue select any line and try to express it with the different parts of your body. Three ways -- good. Five - excellent. Next Body & Body Parts: "Shot-by-Shot" method. Body as your prop. Bring in class your monologues (including the character analysis -- must be posted on the BioMX Forum). Where is the "center of gravity" in your design? Which parts of your body do you designate for characterization? Use the samples: Monologues and see more in the SHOWS directory. Stay with the COMEDY! Read the next chapter before class! Post the question to the List after the class. Keep up your journals! @2000-2004 contents * Yoga Warmups 2004 project -- looks like I have to spend a lot time before the yoga warmups can be incorporated. Descriptions, functions, order. It took 90 min to introduce it in class (workshop). I can't spend more than ten minutes of class time for warmups; a must before presentations. Triangle Wind Tree II Search WWW Search filmplus.org Search vtheatre.net ©2004 filmplus.org * * home * about * guide * classes * advertise * faq * contact * news * forums * mailing list * bookstore * ebooks * search * calendar * submit your link * web * you may link to any page in my sites Virtual Theatre: Stage, Film, Web = Future Forms, Theatre of One, the SpectActor! Get Site Info I am old and now I appreciate my body, because it about to leave me. We taught that the soul leaves the body. Nonsense! Read Beckett. Body gets tired serving them -- spirit, mind, will and etc. We need physical theatre to stop the madness of sport. We are doing The Taming of the Shrew -- and I see actors sweat. They thought "Shakespeare"; they didn't know that Commedia is better than this "total gim"! "Get physical!" -- is it about sex? What do I know? (c)anatoly : filmstudy.org & vtheatre.net I do not know when I get back to this page "Get Physical" -- maybe when I do not teach and direct anymore... ACT and DIRECT photo-archives: An online course supplement * 2005-2006 Theatre UAF Season: Four Farces + One Funeral & Godot'06 Film-North * Anatoly Antohin * eCitations * Acting amazon biomechanics home: 0 * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * appendix * links * references * notes * faq * archives * keywords * swicki * biblio * popup * list * 2007 google.com/group/acting2 * notebook * amazon.com/kindle * my shared page *