Forms of Acting 1

Tutor:

Zuzana SÍLOVÁ

Synopsis:

A seminar for students in the 3rd and 4th years, 2 hours a week (two semesters) or 4 hours a week (one semester) with practical examples (film, TV, radio) developing material discussed in the Acting and Stage Design classes; it emphasizes the most important representatives of acting styles and generations.

Prerequisites:

A term paper with a minimum length of 3.5 standard pages:

1. Description of an acting performance.

2. Analysis of the method of creating an acting character.

3. Survey: answers to selected questions concerning the problems of acting.

Study Objectives:

Familiarization with the concrete forms of individual acting styles and methods of creating an acted character for several Czech and international acting celebrities.

Capturing and recognizing develoment through analysis of individual performances.

Confronting one's own experiences, reflecting in the survey on the psychology of acting.

Outline and Syllabus:

Description of an acting performance based on watched performances, films and other video and audio recordings.

Analysis of acting resources

Assigning to a historical context.

Survey on the problems of acting.

Tying in with the main „Acting“ and „Stage Design“ courses and the lecture cycles „Theatre in Czech Culture“ and „Theatre in the Context of the Development of Western Culture,“ the seminar „Forms of Acting“ gives an opportunity to observe, recognize and reflect on the problems of the studied field. From the very beginning, with their practical work and growing experience, students are led to systematic analysis and deeper reflection on the questions of acting in two ways: through self reflection (a survey focusing on the psychology of acting) and through analysis of „historic examples“ comparable with the present-day form and quality of acting. Confronting their own experiences with „models“ - important representatives of individual creatives styles - allows a dual view of acting work: externally through observing, describing and analyzing creative approaches of another, and internally through attempts to map out and identify problems the students encounter during their own preparation for a role and finally in the course of rehearsing a production. Personal confessions going beyond factual comments and ideas are directed towards analysis of more general problems: professional relations between acting partners, the actor-text (original) relationship, actor-director, dramatic character-acting character, cooperation in a production team.

Study materials:

Watching theatrical productions, selected films, television and other video or audio recording.

Documentary material for individual works including photography, period critical reaction and personal statements by artists (memoirs, diaries, interviews)

Literature:

Jaroslav Vostrý: O hercích a herectví, Achát 1999

Michail Čechov: O herecké technice, DÚ Praha 1996

Rozhovor s Michailem Čechovem, Divadlo 8, říjen 1963

Radovan Lukavský: Hamlet - Pracovní deník, DÚ Praha 1965

Radovan Lukavský: „Viděno z druhé strany rampy“, in: České divadlo - O současné české režii 1, 1982

Radovan Lukavský: Být nebo nebýt hercem - monology o herectví. Praha 1981

Selected monographs of actors

Note:

Further information:

This course is an elective for all students of this school

Schedule for winter semester 2008/2009:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue
Fri
Thu	místnost S201 Hallerův sál () SÍLOVÁ Z. 09:30–12:00 (paralelka 1)
Fri

Schedule for summer semester 2008/2009:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans:

• Doporučený magisterský herectví ČD (subject determining qualification)