ild he was able to attend various theatrical events, ranging from the circus to the opera stage. As he began his professional work in the theater, he realized that there was a severe lack of literature on the nuts and bolts of acting. No one had written down a concise program of study that a young actor like himself could follow:"What exercises resembling solfeggi are needed by him?What scales, what appreggi for the development of creative feeling and experience are required by the actor?They must be given numbers, just like the problems in a mathematical textbook, for systematic exercisein the school and at home. All books and works for theaterare silent on this score. There is no practical textbook."(Stanislavski, My Life in Art, 167) Stanislavski himself wanted to write this practical textbook for the benefit of all actors.Through critical observation of other actors as well as his own stage work, Stanislavski began to take note of the qualities that seemed to make successful performances. The first observation he made was that great actors had a minimum of physical tension on the stage. Their bodies were responsive and able to freely express emotion. Relaxation was necessary for the actor to reach his potential. "In an artistic condition, full freedom of body plays a principle role; i.e., the freedom from that muscular strain which, without knowing it, fetters us not only on the stage but also in ordinary life, hindering us from being obedient conductors of our psychic action." (Cole, 24)Of course some amount of tension is required in order to support our bodies. Stanislavski refers to unnecessary bodily tension that cuts off the power of the voice or hinders the actors natural creative impulses. An actor must be aware of his bodily tension, and can work to diminish it through yoga and other exercises.Another quality that works in conjunction with relaxation is the actors ability to concentrate. In the reality of eve...
