“An Actor Prepares” is a 1936 guide to acting by Konstantin Stanislavski. Konstantin Sergeievich Stanislavski (1863 – 1938) was an influential Russian theatre practitioner. He was himself a highly-esteemed character actor and directed many successful productions. However, he is most famous for his 'system' of learning to act, focusing on training, preparation, and technique. This was the first of Stanislavski's book on acting. Concentrating on preparation, it offers the aspiring actor or actress tips and instructions on how they should prepare for performances.
This seminal volume constitutes a must-have for all with an interest in acting and the work of Stanislavski. Contents include: “The First Test”, “When Acting Is An Art”, “Action”, “Imagination”, “Concentration”, “Of Attention”, “Relaxation Of Muscles”, “Units And Objectives”, “Faith And A Sense Of Truth”, “Emotion Memory”, “Communion”, “Adaptation”, “Inner Motive Forces”, “The Unbroken Line”, “The Inner Creative”, “State”, etc.
Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.