Dick McCaw Boeken

How does an actor embody a character? How do they use their body as an instrument of expression?Rethinking the Actor's Body offers an accessible introduction to the fields of neurophysiology and embodied knowledge through a detailed examination of what an actor does with their body.Built on almost a decade of conversations and public seminars by the author Dick McCaw in partnership with John Rothwell (Professor of Neurophysiology at University College London, UK), Rethinking the Actor's Body explores a set of questions and preoccupations concerning the actor's body and examines overlaps in research and practice in the fields of actor training, embodied knowledge and neurophysiology.

The book delves into the interplay between Bakhtin's theories and the theatrical practices of his era, particularly focusing on influential figures like Stanislavsky and Meyerhold. It highlights how Stanislavsky co-founded the Moscow Art Theatre and evolved his methods, while Meyerhold's revolutionary productions challenged traditional realism during the 1920s. Additionally, it touches on Grotowski's groundbreaking Poor Theatre, emerging in Moscow shortly after the tumultuous events of the early 20th century, showcasing a significant evolution in theatrical philosophy and practice.

"Training the Actor's Body is a practical guide to principles of learning movement for students of acting and performance. It addresses the actor's work from a movement perspective, integrating recent research into how humans move, explaining how discoveries about the neural system can help us use our bodies with greater intelligence and effectiveness. Building on the earlier research of Laban and Moshe Feldenkrais, the book offers readers an illustrated guide of how the body and brain work together, answering basic questions about how it is we function. Including games, exercises and experiments to help readers understand how they can use their physical structure more effectively, Training the Actor's Body is supported by online video examples and includes: summaries of main points at the end of each chapter, links to key practitioners or schools in the field of movement training, a glossary of key neurophysiological terms with explanatory diagrams and a bibliography of relevant literature on neurophysiology"--