Tracing the impact of Stanislavski’s System on 
                    Strasberg’s Method  
         
                         By 
                  Emerentia Eletitia van Heerden 
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
         Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of 
             Master of Arts (Drama) at the University of Stellenbosch. 
                           
                           
                   Supervisor: Prof.  Edwin Hees 
                           
                      December 2007 
                           
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
                      DECLARATION 
                           
        I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own 
        original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any 
        university for a degree. 
         
         
         
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        Signature Date 
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
        Copyright © 2007 Stellenbosch University 
        All rights reserved 
                          
                          
         
                       ABSTRACT 
         
        This thesis explores the development of the Stanislavski system and the elements that 
        influenced the growth of his theories and their impact on Strasberg’s work.  In other 
        words, the thesis has an explicitly historical orientation, and is not intended as a training 
        manual for contemporary actors. It describes the many challenges Stanislavski faced in 
        trying to change the conditions actors worked under and the quality of acting in the 
        Russian theatre of his day.  It discusses how certain theatre practitioners influenced him 
        and the development of his system, which he saw as more of a helpful guide in moments 
        of difficulty concerning the acting process and process of creation of a character.  It 
        further discusses Stanislavski’s relationship with Anton Chekhov, along with his learning 
        experiences while working with actors at the Moscow Art Theatre.   
         
        The thesis then discusses the impact of Stanislavski’s approach on Strasberg’s method.  
        This includes tracing how Stanislavski’s system travelled to America and how it came to 
        be introduced to Lee Strasberg.  It then follows Strasberg’s learning experience at the 
        American Laboratory and how he adapted and applied what he learnt there of the 
        Stanislavski system into the Americanized version known as ‘The Method’ that he used 
        while involved with The Group Theatre from the 1930s and later in The Actors Studio 
        and his private classes from 1949 onwards.   
         
        The thesis concludes with commentary on, and critiques of, Stanislavski’s system and 
        Strasberg’s method from students who studied under them, fellow actors and their fellow 
        theatre practitioners and contemporaries.     
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                       OPSOMMING 
        Die tesis ondersoek die ontwikkeling van die Stanislavski sisteem en die elemente wat 
        die ontwikkeling van sy teorië beïnvloed het, asook hoe dit die ontwikkeling van 
        Strasberg se metode beïnvloed het.  In ander woorde het die tesis ‘n uitdruklike historiese 
        oriënteering en is nie bestem as ‘n handleiding vir hedendaagse akteurs nie.  Dit beskryf 
        die menigte uitdagings wat Stanislavski in die gesig moes staar in sy pogings om die 
        toestand en kwaliteit van die Russiese teater te verbeter. Dit bespreek die invloed wat 
        sekere teaterkundiges op hom gehad het asook op die ontwikkeling van sy sisteem, wat 
        hy meer as ‘n hulpmiddel in moeilike oomblikke in die proses van toneelspel en in die 
        kreatiewe proses van karakter ontwikkeling gesien het.  Die tesis sluit in die verhouding 
        tussen Stanislavski en Anton Chekhov, asook die groei en ontwikkeling ondervindinge 
        wat Stanislavski by die Moskow Kunste Teater deurgegaan het terwyl hy met die akteurs 
        gewerk het.   
         
        Die tesis bespreek dan die impak wat Stanislavski se sisteem op Strasberg se metode 
        gehad het.  Dit sluit in hoe Stanislavski se sisteem tot in Amerika gevorder het en hoe die 
        sisteem aan Lee Strasberg bekendgestel is.  Dit volg dan Strasberg se opvoedkundige 
        ondervinding by die Amerikaanse Laboratorium Teater en hoe hy, wat hy daar van 
        Stanislavski se sisteem geleer het, aangepas het tot die Amerikaanse weergawe van die 
        sisteem wat bekend gestaan het as ‘Die Metode’ wat hy gebruik het terwyl by Die Groep 
        Teater van die 1930s asook by die Akteurs Studio en sy privaat klasse wat hy aangebied 
        het vanaf 1949.   
         
        Die tesis sluit af met kommentaar en kritiek op Stanislavski se sisteem en Strasberg se 
        metode deur studente wat onder hulle studeer het, akteurs wat saam hulle gewerk het en 
        menigte teaterkundiges en tydgenote. 
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