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Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

Feeling of truth
This is a component of acting. It is the capacity to convince the audience that
the characters on stage are real and believable. However, the truth on stage is
supposed to be different from truth in real life and an actor should not believe in
the truth of the events on stage but in the imaginative creation of them. The feeling
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of truth is an important aspect of realism acting in which an actor is supposed
to create the appearance of reality or ‘truth’ on stage. This means that the actors
on the stage should act as a mirror to the audience to see their behaviour of life
around them. Performers should therefore be trained on how to make a work of
art become real on stage and for them to be believable on stage and make use of
their own abilities. Stanislavski trained actors to believe in everything that takes
place onstage and on what they themselves do. By so doing actors can only hold
onto the truth.

Relaxation
When actors are on stage, their bodies need to be totally free and at ease. This
situation allows the characters’ actions to come through naturally. Training on
relaxation helps actors to deal and avoid tension while acting. According to
Stanislavski, if not relaxed, an actor faces tension and tension causes muscular
stiffness that consequently inhibit emotional expression. Tension affects the
mind and the imagination of an actor. Stanislavski thought it is inevitable for
performers to always achieve a condition of bodily and verbal relaxation and
release unwanted tension. Stanislavski believed that muscular tension does not
help the actor to enter into the feelings of the part. The actors’ full focus and
concentration on the play depend on relaxed state of mind.

Concentration of attention
This is another component of internal approach. Stanislavski insisted that when
on the stage, an actor should not be distracted but always has to concentrate.
To avoid distraction, Stanislavski trained actors to expand or reduce their focus,
energy, body language and voice through concentrations of attention exercises.
He divided actors’ concentration of attention into three areas known as a circle of
attention: external, inner and purposeful attention. The term “circle of attention”
describes actors’ capacity to direct their attention on specific elements of the scene
or theatre setting. In training exercise areas, actors are instructed to use their five
senses and to be totally present in the play moment. An actor who is in a circle of
attention is mentally and emotionally focused on the scene, other characters and
their immediate surroundings. Concentration of attention entails paying attention

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