Arthur Bartow

A rather good overview of current American acting techniques, but not infallible. Each profile is written by a current advocate of that technique (usually those who studied with the originator or master of that form) which allows them to talk authoritatively about the subject.

Some are very good - particularly the chapters on Stella Adler, Uta Hagen and the Meisner technique. These chapters give a VERY comprehensive overview of the philosophy behind the technique, the structure, form and training involved, as well as practical applications. Beyond this, the respective authors are clearly aware of how each individual needs to tailor the technique to their own talents, personality and preferences.

On the other hand, some of the chapters lack all of these advantages, probably because they were written by people who saw the book more as an advertisement or essay than as a guide. The Strasberg chapter, for instance, I thought was quite woeful, as it served more as the kind of essay you would read in an advanced acting class to give you an idea of the philosophy and not the practice. Some of the chapters on more physical techniques - such as mask work - didn't really work, in part because, how do you describe that on paper? Honestly, if you can't explain your technique clearly and must resort to ambiguous discussions of a "transformation effect" or something else, then there's not much one can get out of your technique academically.

At the end of the day, this is a useful look at some modern acting schools of thought, and particularly helpful if - like me - you're into the Adler and Hagen techniques. But there are probably better "introductory" guides out there for relative newcomers, and for the more advanced there are equally useful in-depth reads.… (mer)