The Actor and the Target

by Donnellan, Declan

• ISBN13: 9781559362191
• ISBN10: 1559362197
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-12-01
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group
• More Book Details
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Summary

Declan Donnellan's fresh and radical approach to acting takes a scalpel to the heart of actor's persistent fears from . . . "I don't know what I'm doing" through "I don't know who I am" to "I don't know what I'm playing." The Actor and the Target has already been hailed by the press in Russia where it is already published: "Practically and modestly written, Declan Donnellan's book helps actors to release their talent to be free on stage. However Donnellan's path leads to wider perspectives, his book is rooted in modern theatre, modern psychology and, above all, modern reality. Written with grace and elegance, The Actor and the Target will be thoroughly enjoyed not only by the actors of the new millennium, but also by those of us who see the stage from the dark auditorium."-Izvestia "Donnellan's directing style is immediately recognizable in his book, drenched in its spirit of artistic and personal freedom. Unpretentious, straightforward, and pierced with acute insight."-Kommersant Clearly and systematically laid out and full of firm and unambiguous precepts, this book will become a bible for actors in the 21st century. Declan Donnellan is the first Director of the Royal Shakespeare Academy and is best known for his work with Check By Jowl, including As You Like It, and the recent production of Homebody/Kabul in New York. As Associate Director of the National Theatre his pro-ductions included Fuente Ovejuna, Sweeney Todd, and Angels in America. Abroad, his work abroad includes Le Cid for the Avignon Festival, The Winter's Tale for the Maly Theatre in St. Petersbourg and Puskin's Boris Godunuv for the Moscow Theatre confederation. He has received awards in London, Paris, New York, and Moscow.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(10)
`I don't know what I'm doing'	11	(6)
The Target	17	(14)
Fear	31	(10)
An Escape	41	(7)
The Stakes	48	(14)
`I don't know what I want'	62	(12)
`I don't know who I am'	74	(10)
The Visible and the Invisible	84	(14)
Identity, Persona and Mask	98	(20)
The Matrix	118	(9)
`I don't know where I am'	127	(14)
`I don't know how I should move'	141	(11)
Control	152	(10)
`I don't know what I'm feeling'	162	(20)
`I don't know what I'm saying'	182	(15)
Make Believe	197	(10)
`I don't know what I'm playing'	207	(10)
The Death of Time	217	(11)
Three More Uncomfortable Choices	228	(11)
Postscript	239	(6)
A Note on the Verse	245	(28)
Index	273