This article is my summary of the 20th chapter of An Actor’s Work by Konstantin Stanislavski. This book is a new edition and English translation by Jean Benedetti of the material previously published under the titles « An Actor Prepares » and « Building A Character« .

Previous chapter: §19. Voice and Speech (Konstantin Stanislavski, An Actor’s Work)
Next chapter: §21. Tempo-rythm
Table of contents: An Actor’s Work (Konstantin Stanislavski)

What is Perspective in acting ?

Perspective in acting is the arrangement of the different parts of a role according to their significance for the whole play. 

« What we call a “perspective” is the planned, harmonious relationship and arrangement of the parts of the entire play and the role. » (p. 458)

« We can compare the perspective in acting to the perspective, the different grounds of depth in painting. » (p. 458)

« In acting, the richest colours are placed not according to the physical closeness or distance of an action but because of its significance in relation to the whole play. Some major Tasks, wants, thoughts are placed in the foreground and are fundamental while others, medium and small, are subordinate, secondary and are kept in the background. » (p. 458)

Perspective is closely related to the Throughaction. 

« Perspective is not the Throughaction, but they are very close. It is a close aid. It is the path, the perspective that the Throughaction follows throughout the whole play. » (p. 462)

Why is Perspective important in acting ?

• Acting with Perspective allows the actor to relate every single thing he does, says or thinks to the Supertask, as it should be. 

« There can be no acting, action, movement, thought, speech, words, feeling, etc., without the right kind of perspective. The simplest entrance or exit, sitting down in any scene, the speaking of a word, a speech, etc., must be in line with an ultimate goal (Supertask).  (…) Large physical actions, the expression of great thoughts, experiencing great feelings and passions which are composed of many small parts, indeed, a scene, an act, a play cannot be carried out without a perspective, an ultimate goal (Supertask). » (p. 458)

« The Supertask and the Throughaction (…) contain the main ideas of acting, art, the entire “system”. » (p. 462)

• Acting with Perspective allows the actor to understand each Bit better and concentrate more fully on it.   

« Only after a rapid glance at the past and the future of the role can you appraise its successive Bits. The better you are aware of its meaning within the whole play, the better you will be able to concentrate your entire self on it. » (p. 461)

« There is no harm if for a moment the actor remembers the entire perspective of his role. That only strengthens the meaning of each immediate Bit as he experiences it, and makes him concentrate more strongly on it. » (p. 460) 

• Acting with Perspective allows the actor to be economical with his inner and outer resources and not waste them.  

« Wasting mental energy ruins the entire plan for the role. We need to be economical and sparing and never forget the climax of the play. Artistic emotion is measured in ounces not in pounds. » (p. 461)

« Everything I have said applies equally to the voice, diction, movement, facial expression, energy and tempo-rhythm. Here, too, it is dangerous to give everything at once, to be wasteful. We need to be economical, have a true sense of our physical strength and means of expression. To keep them all under control we need our own perspective, as we do with our inner forces. » (p. 461)

• Acting with Perspective allows the actor to gather momentum. 

« Consider this, you are running a race not all in one go but in stages, stopping each time after twenty paces. Then you will never gather momentum, which is very important for running. It’s the same for us. If we stop after each Bit and start afresh with another, our efforts, wishes and actions never gather momentum. And we need it, because it fires up our will, our feelings, our ideas, our imagin- ation, etc. You can’t build up speed in confined areas. You need space, perspective, distance, a goal that draws you towards it. » (p. 462)

How to create and convey Perspective ?

Acting with Perspective requires for the actor to « take the long view and not the short view as previously. Then he can play not individual tasks, speak not indi-vidual phrases but whole thoughts and passages. » (p. 458)

This long view can happen « only when an actor has thought about, analysed and lived the entire role and a broad, distant, clear, colourful, alluring perspective opens out before him » (p. 458)

In acting, Perspective will be « conveyed by actions, attitudes, developing thoughts, feeling, experiences, creative acting with the corresponding strength, colour, pace, clarity, definition, expressiveness, etc. » (p. 458)

What are the two Perspectives the actor needs to follow when performing?

When performing, the actor needs to follow two Perspectives simultaneously: the role’s Perspective, concerned with the Supertask, and the actor’s Perspective, concerned with Psychotechnique.

« I told you of two perspectives, running parallel to each other. One of them has to do with the role. The other with the actor, his life onstage, his psychotechnique as a performer. » (p. 456)

« When he is performing, an actor is divided in two. (…) When I am acting, I live a double life, I laugh and weep and at the same time analyse my laughter and tears, so that they can touch the hearts of those I wish to move more deeply.” (p. 456)

« One half of you is moving towards the Supertask, the Through-action, the Subtext, mental images, the creative state, and the other half is concerned with your psychotechnique and Adaptations. » (p. 456)

Both the actor and the character think towards the future. The difference is that the character doesn’t know what lies in the future, whereas the actor knows the whole play. 

« Both perspectives must constantly think towards the future. » (p. 460)

« The future of a role is its Supertask. The characters in the play must work towards it. » (p. 460)

« The character knows nothing about perspective, or his future, while the artist must always have it in view, that he must bear in mind the perspective. » (p. 459)

The actor’s perspective is what will allow him to act with Perspective.

« Although the character should know nothing about his future, there has to be a perspective on the role so that at any given moment the present mood can be better understood and appreciated so that you can surrender totally to it. » (p. 459)

« We need the actor’s perspective, the perspective of the human being playing the role so that, at any given moment, we keep thinking about the future, that we marshal all our inner creative forces and outer means of expression, so that we can properly order them and see the value of the raw material with some intelligence. » (p. 461)

This double Perspective is not unlike what happens in real life. 

« A double life doesn’t stop you being inspired. On the contrary! One helps the other. We are also split in two in the real world. But that doesn’t stop us living or feeling deeply. » (p. 456)

Previous chapter: §19. Voice and Speech (Konstantin Stanislavski, An Actor’s Work)
Next chapter: §21. Tempo-rythm
Table of contents: An Actor’s Work (Konstantin Stanislavski)