Bella Merlin
Anatoly Smeliansky
Commentary
Bella Merlin draws together the threads of insight into Smeliansky’s work, Stanislavsky and Russian theatre contained in the RPA’s six resources featuring the Head of the Moscow Art Theatre School.
In which Prof. Smeliansky outlines the importance of Stanislavsky’s work in the history of Russian theatre, including Stanislavsky’s relation to Chekhov, Gordon Craig, Meyerhold and others.
A film about Michael Chekhov. Part one covers his early years, family, upbringing, drama school and the beginning of his acting career at the Moscow Art Theatre.
Part two covers the first years of Chekhov’s acting career at the Moscow Art Theatre, his first meeting with Vakhtangov at the Festival of Peace, and his role in The Cricket on the Hearth.
Part three covers Chekhov during WW1; the First Studio of The Moscow Art Theatre; Chekhov's marriage to Olga Chekova; his nervous breakdown and mental illness; and his own Studio.
Part four covers the end of the Civil War; Chekhov’s new marriage; the start of his theory of Psychological Gesture; Erik XIV, directed by Vakhtangov; and Inspector General, directed by Stanislavsky.
The Stanislavski Centre Annual Lecture sees a major international figure lecturing based upon their own expertise in the field of Stanislavsky studies every year – in this case, Anatoly Smeliansky.