Mrs Howe (Director of Drama and Dance)

“Play well, or play badly, but play truly”

Last Thursday 30th September, saw the Upper Sixth A Level Drama classes from BGS and Bedford School undertaking a joint workshop in the studio of The Quarry Theatre on Konstantin Stanislavski. The two-hour workshop was run by Nick O’Brien, Director of the Stanislavski Experience and author of Stanislavski in Practice.

In order to support the scripted component of the A Level, students were taken through the main tenets of Stanislavski’s highly influential system of actor training, which focuses on the creation of emotional truth through a number of intensive rehearsal techniques used to produce a psycho-physical union so that the actor can achieve natural spontaneity on stage. It was Stanislavski’s approach that influenced many Hollywood actors to adopt ‘method acting’ in their pursuit of hyper realism on screen.   

The students worked with great commitment as they engaged in varied exercises exploring character objectives, as realised through actions, relaxation to identify tension, which can be a barrier to truthful acting as well as how actors can communicate as an ensemble by tuning into the rays of energy that communicate intention and purpose on stage. Our students reflected that the workshop was highly useful in helping deepen their understanding of Stanislavski as well as his application from the perspective of a director, which will help inform their directorial concepts for their set text of Hedda Gabler. Well done to all the students who took part!