Biography
Theatre exists for decades, passing important messages and entertaining audience at the same time. And art directors who are behind the scene is one of the reasons it is possible. One such individual is Miсhael Aleksandrovich Chekhov, a Russian-American actor, director, author and theatre practitioner majoring on stage acting. Michael Chekhov was born on 29th August 1891 to Alexander Chekhov and Natalia Golden. He had a unique acting technique that was admired all over the world. Numerous actors adopted it in their own work, referrening to it as brilliant and outstanding. The notable actors who used Chekhov’s work include Yul Brynner, Clint Eastwood, and Marylyn Monroe. Moreover, other actors appreciated and recognized Michael Chekhov`s work and contribution to the film industry, calling it revolutionary. This is due to the fact that Michael Chekhov was a scene stealer who made use of any opportunity to show his best abilities. Indeed, Michael is a legend to many people for the hard work and determination he portrayed throughout his career path. Michael Chekhov excelled and worked hard due to both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. This began way back when he was still a child. Michael used to construct sketches which were elaborate enough to present particular information. His teachers were a significant source of motivation. Moreover, they were able to realize he has great potential early enough. They always encouraged and supported him through his path. It was the motivation from his teachers that Michael Chekhov decided to attend the Alexei Suvorin School, a dramatic school through which students were taught various aspects of drama, film and theatre studies.
Michael Chekhov later on attended First Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre under the tutelage of Konstantin Stanislavski. Konstantin was impressed by Michaels` performance and described him as one of his brightest students. While at School Michael Chekhov acted, directed and studied “Stanislavski’s system” that focused on emotional memory. Nonetheless, Michael Chekhov later criticized Stanislavski technique, stating that it led too readily to a naturalistic style of performance. He thoroughly understood the creative nature of human beings, practical needs of the actor and had enormous experience which later made him a luminous director.
Central Ideas
Michael Chekhov`s central ideas and contributions towards theatre are numerous. This section of the paper seeks to discuss various aspects of theatre that existed before Michael Chekhov and the manner in which he wanted to change them. Secondly, this section will address the innovations that Michael Chekhov proposed to actor training and the theatre at large. Before Michael Chekhov, theatre aspects revolved around the use of one’s emotional and personal memoirs. This was also Stanislavky, Michael Chekhov`s teacher’s, view and take towards acting. Stanislavky believed that the use of personal memoirs was the best approach towards acting. Nonetheless, Michael Chekhov strongly belied that imagination was the key to successful representation and exclusive acting. "All you experience in the course of your life, all you observe and think, all that makes you happy or unhappy, all your regrets or satisfactions, all your love or hate, all you long for or avoid, all your achievements and failures, all you brought with you into this life at birth - your temperament, abilities, inclinations etc., all are part of the region of your so called subconscious depths. There being forgotten by you, or never known to you they undergo the process of being purified of all egotism. They become feelings per se. Thus purged and transformed, they become part of the material from which your Individuality creates the psychology, the illusory "soul" of the character," writes Chekhov in his book, addressing the potential actors out there (2013).
Chekhov's technique is an entirely imaginative approach to experiencing the truth of the moment. The work of the actor is based on creating an inner event which is an actual experience occurring in real time within the actor (Chekhov). Actor experiences this inner event before by the audience; it is an outward expression related to the contextual moment of the play. This inner event, and the ability to create it, belong to Creative Individuality of the actor, and are not directly tied to his personality (Chekhov). The Creative Individuality of a given actor allows him to use parts of himself that are not just the smaller, secondary and beaten elements that make up his daily life, but rather different parts of his unconscious, where more universal and archetypal images are concealed (Chekov). Therefore, Chekhov's method frees the actor of all limitations of the subjective personality and provides for endless opportunities to be creative. It can be underlined as universal, because allows and actor to fit into any theatre system, director's vision, or performance structure.
Throughout his career and life, Michael Chekhov worked hard towards changing the long held theatre approach of the using of emotional memoirs to the using of imagination and psycho-physical approach; he believed emotional memories limit the actor. Chekhov believed that the actor and theatre itself should be approached with entire truth.
Nonetheless, his proposition and approach towards theatre and artistic work made him receive a lot of critics, especially from the government. In fact, his acting approach was the reason he fleed to The United States of America from Russia. Government did not want artists to express the true occurrences at that time.
Michael Chekhov was unique in terms of training actors. It was reflected in the ways in which he delivered his teachings to his students. Firstly, Michael Chekhov recorded his lectures on tapes which could be accessed by students from various parts of the world; over time, the tapes had been edited to fit the needs of the current students. Secondly, Michael Chekhov trained actors through various learning materials that were enriched with pieces on theatre and film at large. Additionally, when training students, Michael Chekhov advocated for imagination and truth, explaining and showing why they are particularly important to the acting profession. He deeply felt that the actor should base his work more on imagination than emotional memoirs. While in The United States of America, Michael Chekhov left many of his students with the feeling that his contribution towards theatre, film and actor training was more of a calling than a career. This is because he worked diligently towards ensuring a better industry than what existed before his time.
Legacy
Michael Chekhov’s significant legacy stayed on the pages of the books he write, publications dubbed “Russian Life”, “Encounters” and “To the actor”. Throughout his most important work “On the Technique of the Actor”, which now is widely used in acting schools in different countries across the globe, Michael Chekhov was able to present both his beliefs and ideas towards theatre and the film industry at large. The innovations brought by Michael Chekhov can be summed up as the emphasis on intuition and imaginational approach towards acting. And his innovations are still relevant, if not utterly unshakable. In order for any individual to succeed in contemporary film industry or theatre, one has to ensure he or she is imaginative enough. It is through imagination and expressing one’s true self and individuality that an actor can present his message clearly, professionally and originally to the audience. Moreover, his publication, “To the Actor”, is still referred to by many people who seek to gain immense knowledge on theatre and artistic work. And what is more important – it is a Book of the Books of many professional and amateur actors.
Works Cited
Chamberlain, Franc. Michael Chekhov. Illustrated. London: Routledge, 2009.
Petit, Lenard. The Michael Chekhov Handbook: For the Actor. Illustrated. London: Routledge, 2009.
Ashperger, Cynthia . The Rhythm of Space and the Sound of Time: Michael Chekhov's Acting Technique in the 21st Century. Illustrated. Haskovo: Rodopi, 2008.
Chekhov, Michael . To the Actor: On the Technique of Acting. Ed. Mala Powers. 2, Revised. London: Routledge, 2013.
