Approaches to acting : past and present / Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"For centuries the theatre has been one of the major forms of art. Every evening thousands of actors have performed on countless stages world-wide. How did acting, and its institutionalisation in the theatre, begin in the first place? In some cases historians have developed several opposing theories. In some cultures complex stories relate the origin of acting and the theatre. Over time, though, approaches to acting have changed considerably. In the West, until the end of the 19th century, those changes occurred within the realm of acting itself, focusing on the question of whether acting should be 'natural' or 'formal.' Approaches to acting were closely related to the trends in culture at large. Acting became more and more professional and sophisticated as philosophical theories developed and knowledge in the human sciences increased. In the 20th century, the director was established as the most important force in the theatre. Acting became one element of several in the director's overall vision of and concept for the production. At best, a director is able to lead an actor to pinnacles of their art which they could not have achieved on their own. Approaches to acting in non-Western culture follow quite different patterns. This book provides an overview of different approaches to acting, both historical and contemporary, Western and non-Western, and concludes with a challenge to the future of the art."--BOOK JACKET.