Acting

While all value judgements about the arts are problematical, there does seem to be a special problem with acting. Everyone seems to be able to act. It seems to be the easiest of arts; if an art at all. Moreover the better the technique the easier it seems. This book examines how we think about acting, the language we use, and the criteria we employ to distinguish good acting from bad acting. It addresses itself to the intellectual problems associated with the idea of acting - how we distinguish the actor from the character. It covers the range of contemporary actor training and practice from Stanislavski to the Post-Modern, and examines the spiritual and moral purpose fo acting within society. Acting integrates professional experience wiht intellectual enquiry. While not a how to' book, it is nevertheless rooted in performance needs.