The focus of this research rests on an investigation into the links between Laban and Aristotle with the view to propose a new approach to movement training for the actor. I will argue that in contrast to the standard Platonic reading, Laban’s development is best understood through the conceptual framework of Aristotle. This provides not only a more secure theoretical approach, but also a practical one, which establishes the art of movement as a science. In short this investigation intends to establish Laban’s philosophical foundation upon a reading of Aristotle’s Poetics, and in particular, on the reading of the Poetics by the contemporary Greek philosopher Stelios Ramfos in his book Μίμησης Εναντίον Μορφής (Mimesis versus Form) (1991-1992). What is significant about Stelios Ramfos’s interpretation is that he attempts an analysis and interpretation of the concepts of the Poetics in terms of theatre performance. Ιt is this emphasis on performance that make possible the task I have embarked upon of locating Laban’s theory and practice in the conceptual framework of Aristotelian poetic science. The discussion will serve as a critical framework from which to propose a new way of applying Laban’s movement concepts practically to the movement training for actors. The research methodology is also practical. It will therefore also develop and present a performance that attempts to apply Laban’s terms, as they are discussed, in relation to Aristotle, and (in Chapter 4) in relation to the new methodology as well as a syllabus of practical classes addressing actor movement training both in kinaesthesia and characterization. The ultimate goal of the research is to contribute an approach that can inform the way Laban’s concepts are taught and provide suggestions for the structuring of technical movement classes for actors.

This dissertation is a critical and comparative examination of late twentieth century and early twenty-first century actor training practices in the United States. It looks specifically at: Viewpoints training as developed by Anne Bogart; Meisner technique; and the physical theatre training at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. I examine the ways in which theories about the actor, including ideas about the actor’s mind and body, the actor’s creativity, and the actor’s agency and authority, are embodied in classroom practices. Through the combined study of primary sources such as acting manuals, theories about embodiment and creativity, ethnographic participant-observation accounts from classrooms, interviews with teachers, and a phenomenological approach to describing my experience, I attempt to analyze what it means to be an actor in three different realms of training. The first chapter introduces my critical approaches, including my approach to ideas of embodiment, creativity, ethnography, phenomenology, and pedagogy. In chapter two, I focus on how ideas about reality and relationships are embedded in Meisner training and conduct a case study by observing a class called Acting Realism at Texas State University. In chapter three, I argue that Viewpoints, through an emphasis on deconstructing theatrical hierarchies, offers possibilities for actors to shift the balance of agency. I also conduct a case study based on my participation in a two-week workshop with artists from Bogart’s SITI Company held at Links Hall in Chicago in the summer of 2008. In chapter four, I examine the generative pedagogical strategies at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, incorporating my experience as a student in the school’s 2009 summer intensive. Throughout, I suggest that conceptual ideas about the actor’s body-mind, creativity, and idealized role have an embodied effect on the degree of agency the actor experiences in the classroom. I conclude by suggesting ways to approach actor training in the future that can create more context and agency for actors. / text

Being an actor / becoming a trainer: the embodied logos of intersubjective experience in a somatic acting process This practice-as-research thesis documents a sustained period of research grounded in my experience as an actress who has become an actor-trainer within UK-based actor-training institutions. It explores the development of an original somatic actor-training methodology within different theatre teaching and performing environments. This research concentrates on challenging dualistic binaries of mind-body, inner-outer, self-other and the universalizing of the individual actor’s experience as problematic logocentrism in Stanislavski-inspired actor-training traditions. It is informed in practice by Linda Hartley’s IBMT (Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy) somatic approach, which is based upon Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen’s Body-Mind Centering® (BMC®) principles. I suggest the practical modification of Cohen’s developmental process of embodiment in the actor-training context through the shaping of contingent, processual and intersubjective/intercorporeal explorations which I coin as fluid structures. Rooted in the interconnection of theory and practice, or praxis, this thesis is based upon the original notion of each actor's embodied logos. This term is inspired by Merleau-Ponty’s theoretical understanding of logos as flesh that allows the perception of logos as an embodied and intersubjective experience. An emergent new somatic actor-training pedagogy contributes to contemporary actor-training practices and languages revisiting the dialogue between the actor and the trainer through the innovative intersubjective role of the trainer-witness and the relationally aware actor-mover/actor-witness. Following this processual study I articulate and respond to thorny ethical issues in actor training regarding emergent dissonances between therapy and training, training and rehearsal/performance processes, the trainer and the director, the edges of actors’ emotional expression and sense of freedom.

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This thesis explores the ways in which an actor training scheme can be constructed to allow the participants to directly apply the principles of training to their work in the moment of performing. Subsequently, my aim is to employ this actor training approach alongside or as an alternative to the current acting courses in undergraduate drama programmes in Thai universities. Three practical projects were carried out as part of the research. In the first project, I attempted to identify essential areas of enquiry in a psychophysical actor training approach, and the tasks that needed to be tackled by an actor in rehearsal and performance that allow what may be considered the quality of an actor’s presence to emerge. In the second practical project, I examined the function of meditation in motion as an actor training tool that enables the participants to tackle their performance tasks. In the third practical project, I explored the ways in which meditation in motion can be employed in a university actor training course in Thailand to enhance the students’ mindfulness in performance. This thesis argues that Buddhist concepts of meditation and mindfulness are beneficial to the course facilitator in terms of the structuring of an actor training course, and to the students when approaching performance tasks. The main result of this research is a psychophysical approach to actor training, focusing on the practice of meditation in motion and the Buddhist concept of mindfulness of the present, designed specifically for Thai undergraduate drama programmes. Moreover, this thesis demonstrates a move away from the East-West binary towards a more localised and customised approach to actor training in Thailand and the utilisation of resources within the Thai or the broader Asian culture. It also opens up other possibilities of applying Thai or Asian philosophies to performance training, without relying on the Western perspectives on theatre and performance.

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Sistemiška vaidmens kūrimo analizė, metodų kūrimas prasidėjo tik XX a. pradžioje. Aktoriaus rengimo mokyklų pradžia laikoma žymiausio aktorinio parengimo pedagogo, žymaus aktoriaus, režisieriaus K. Stanislavskio (1863 m.) sukurta savita sistema, kuri padarė įtaką visai teatro raidai. K. Stanislavskis turėjo daug savo pasekėjų ne tik Rusijoje, bet ir visame pasaulyje. Iš K. Stanislavskio sistemos išsivystė dvi teatro kryptys: 1. Psichologinis teatras (K. Stanislavskis, M.Čechovas, Š. Diulenas). 2. Fizinis teatras. (V. Meyerholdas, J.Grotowski, B.Brecht ir kt.). Šios kryptys turėjo didelę įtaką ir Lietuvos teatro mokyklos raidai. Nuo V. Boguslovskio, A. Sutkaus, A. Olekos-Žilinsko, J. Miltinio iki šių dienų Lietuvos teatro aktoriaus parengimas pakito nedaug, tačiau galima teigti, kad šiuolaikiniame Lietuvos teatre vyrauja režisūrinis teatras, kuriame svarbūs vizualūs ir muzikiniai/ritminiai sprendimai. Tačiau vaidmens kūrimo procesas daugiausiai remiasi psichologinio teatro metodais. Tiek aktoriams, tiek režisieriams svarbu, kad aktorius suvoktų savo uždavinį, suprastų spektaklio visumą, žadintų savyje emocinius išgyvenimus. Kad ir kaip nebepripažintų teatro kūrėjai K. Stanislavskio sistemos, aktoriai iki šios dienos ją laiko universaliausia ir patikimiausia mokykla. Taip pat galima pastebėti, kad režisieriai neieško individualaus metodo ir jo netaiko. Lietuvos aktorius yra išmokytas ir tebemokomas būti tikslia spektaklio vitražo dalimi. Studijų metu aktoriai supažindinami su... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Systematic analysis of role creation and methods development started just in the beginning of XX century. A unique system created by the most famous acting teacher, well known actor and director K. Stanislavski (1863) is believed to be the first impulsion for the acting schools introduction and thus made a big influence for the whole development of theatre. K. Stanislavski had many followers in the whole world, not only Russia. From K. Stanislavski’ system two types of theatre trends have evolved: 1) Psychological theatre (K. Stanislavski, M.Čechov, Š. Diulen) and 2) Physical theatre (V. Meyerhold, J.Grotowski, B.Brecht etc). These two trends were also influential for the development of Lithuanian theatre school. Since V. Boguslovski, A. Sutkus, A. Oleka-Žilinskas , J.Miltinis until these days the training of Lithuanian theatre actors has changed little, however, one could tell that in today Lithuanian theatre prevails staged type theatre where visual and musical or rhythm solutions are most important. On the other hand, the process of role creation is mostly based on methods from psychological theatre. Actors as well as directors care that the actor understands the wholeness of performance, stimulate inner emotional experiences. Accordingly, no matter how strong the disagreement of theatre founders for K. Stanislavski system would be actors still consider it as the most universal and reliable school. In addition, it is clear that directors do not try to find individual... [to full text]

This project investigates the previously unrecognised significance of the ways in which the Embodied Theatre practices of Suzanne Bing (1885-1967) and Michael Chekhov (1891-1955) utilised forms of what I term Embodied Play as a constituent part of their actor training processes. A methodology is developed in the introduction which draws on Foucault's notion of genealogy and Feminist approaches to historiography in order to trace and review accounts of these often marginalised play practices in order to re-configure the contributions of Bing and Chekhov in historical terms. It also challenges notions of authenticity and singular 'ownership' of technique by considering the importance of collaborative cross-fertilisation with other practitioners. This research includes a broader exploration of the literature, histories and discourses about the variety of practices that are often problematically classified as Physical Theatre in relation to the identification of the key components of Bing and Chekhov's pedagogy. The first chapter presents this mapping in tandem with the argument that McDermott's term of Embodied Theatre is more appropriate for Bing and Chekhov's practice. The second chapter further refines the frame of analysis to Embodied Play. Chapters three and four consider how Chekhov and Bing respectively used forms of Embodied Play. Chapter five considers how Bing and Chekhov extended their methods of Embodied Play in training which led to radical approaches to working collaboratively with text and writers. It concludes that this movement from the use of play solely for the acquisition of discrete skill or character creation to extended forms of Embodied Play enabled them to train actors to work as empowered creators of small-scale performance in their Schools/Studios, and ultimately to engage in devising processes for professional productions. Consequently, this helps to fill the gap in scholarship on the early experiments in devised Embodied Theatre. In conclusion the focus on Bing addresses the either inadequate, or absent, analyses of her practice in many of the existing historical studies which are dominated by the patrilineal narratives of Jacques Copeau and Michel Saint-Denis. The consideration of Chekhov's practice also challenges the current discourse on play centring on Le Jeu and presents the argument for an expanded term able to consider different artists not just those from the French male lineage. Concurrently, this focus on Chekhov's use of Embodied Play has added to the scholarship on his pedagogic and theatre-making practices.

Xing-ju literally means 'New Theatre' in Mandarin and denotes the non-traditional performing style in Taiwan. Xing-ju is regarded as the product of colonisation in Taiwan. The thesis began with the first emergence of Xing-ju in the Japanese colonial era at the beginning of the twentieth century, and went on to examine the development of Xing-ju and its sub-forms within a colonial historical context. Having gone through different colonial regimes, Xing-ju has developed into the local theatre form characterizing the hybridity of Taiwanese culture. My study aims to fill a gap in Taiwanese contemporary theatre history, to look at Xing-ju and its sub-forms from a post-colonial perspective, and to provide a continuous and complete Xing-ju history within a theoretical context. In addition, how Xing-ju has exemplified ‘Taiwaneseness’ while presenting multiple cultural characteristics is also examined. This thesis also draws on primary source data, obtained via field research, to analyse the characteristics of Xing-ju performances. Finally, while addressing my research questions through theoretical analysis, I also examine them through the lens of practical work. Inspired by critical syncretism, I experiment with an alternative way to explore the nature of Taiwanese culture and theatre form. With its hybrid cultural characteristics including Japanese Shinpa-geki, Chinese Peking Opera, Ge-zai Xi and Western theatre styles, I discuss how a definition of ‘Taiwaneseness’ emerges through Xing-ju.

This thesis is an exploration of movement pedagogy as a continuation of basic acting lessons from Stanislavski. Using the example of an introductory semester of movement instruction, physical acting and movement concepts are explained in terms of their connection to and derivation from universally accepted acting terminology and ideas. This is put forth as a way to facilitate the synthesis of movement instruction with other acting curriculum, as well as providing a new way to view some familiar acting concepts. Several specific examples are explored in more depth as case studies in physical equivalents to the intellectual, visual, or emotional techniques familiar to all with a basic knowledge of Stanislavski based acting principles.