Active Analysis: Heresy in Rehearsal

Konstantin Stanislavsky is an icon in the world of acting practice and one of the most misunderstood figures in world theatre. During the last four years of his life, he formulated a rehearsal process known as Active Analysis. Practiced widely in Russia and virtually unknown in western Europe and America, this method of exploring and staging a play was developed by his student Maria Knebel. Considered heresy during Stalin’s reign of terror and revived during the Soviet thaw, Knebel’s interpretation of Stanislavsky’s teachings brings fruitful possibilities for theatre companies (both professional and academic) worldwide.