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Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

THE SUPER-OBJECTVE

FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
THE THROUGH LINE ACTION

Figure 4. 2: Stanislavsky’s concept of super objective

Analysis of text through action
Stanislavski trained his actors to analyse text through action by responding to set
a of three questions which include ‘What do I (the character) do?’ ‘Why do I (the
character) do it?’ and ‘How do I (the character) do it?’ The responses to questions
helped the actor in breaking the text into small parts and understand the aim or
main idea of the play.

Subtext
Subtext refers to the underlying meaning of the text/dialogue. Stanislavski believed
that the subtext is discovered and filled in through imagination. Subtext is not
spoken, but interpreted by the actor through intonation, gesture, body posture,
pauses or choices in action. Thus, through actor’s imagination, the subtext speaks
to the audience. Stanislavski said, “Spectators come to the theatre to hear the
subtext. They can read the text at home”. For Stanislavski, subtext adds texture
and richness to an action. That is, even though action will be truthfully executed
without subtext the action will be flat.

Communion
Communion is a communication with the audience indirectly through
communication among performers. Stanislavski trained his actors to cultivate
unbroken communion between actors which would hold the attention of the
audience. For actors to be in communion with one another, they should learn to
be aware of the other’s presence, see images and actively transmit them through
spoken words with energy. To obtain a definite physical result in the partner,
for instance, a laugh, a shrug, would stir the imagination and create strong
communion.

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