I believe that the more gifted one is, the more one needs the Technique to avoid accidents. If we are gifted, we may not find the character—we may not find the last thing which makes us so happy on the stage and each day, each year, we will lose more and more our ability to be always spontaneous and creative.

—Michael Chekhov

1.   Psycho-Physical Exercises—Training the Actor's Body

(See also the Preamble to Exercises on How to Awaken Artistic Feelings and Emotions, Disk 3.) Chekhov has given many ideas and exercises in his book, On the Technique of Acting.

      (i)         Expansion. Open yourself completely, stretch your arms up toward the sky on either side of your head; your feet are far apart. Imagine yourself becoming larger and larger and more and more Expanded. Repeat several times. Release the gesture but maintain the inner experience of Expansion.

(a)  While holding this Expanded position, say to yourself, “I am going to awaken the sleeping muscles of my body; I am going to revivify them and use them.”

(b)  Do a series of broad but simple movements, using as much space as you can, while holding this feeling of Expansion.

(c)  Make naturalistic movements while maintaining the experience of expansion (e.g. walk, sit down, stand up again, pick up an object, etc.).

(d) Speak a few words while in this expanded state.

      (ii)        Contraction. Close yourself completely. Kneel on one or both knees as your head bends forward and your arms move across your chest until you are hugging yourself. Imagine yourself becoming smaller and smaller, more and more Contracted until you are only a tiny dot and finally ‘disappear' within yourself. Repeat several times. As in exercise (i), release the gesture while still maintaining the inner experience.

(a)  Now a different and important set of physical muscles (and psychological “muscles”) are being awakened. Remind yourself of this while holding the Contracted position.

(b)  Make broad movements while holding this experience of Contraction. Notice that even if you choose exactly the same movements as in the exercise on Expansion, both the quality of your movements and the tempos in which you perform them will tend to be different.

(c)  Make naturalistic movements while maintaining the experience of Contraction.

(d) Speak a few words while in this Contracted state.

      (iii)       From a “neutral” position (standing, arms at sides, feet together, relatively relaxed) repeat the Expansion exercise and when fully expanded, begin to Contract and continue until you feel that you cannot Contract further. Begin to open once more and Expand fully. Repeat several times.

(a)  Begin with either an Expansion or a Contraction gesture and hold the energy. Speak (or improvise) a few lines from a play—or even an entire scene, gradually moving (psychologically) from Expansion at the beginning of the scene to Contraction by the end of the scene—or vice versa.

      (iv)       (See also Exercise 2-ii of Characterization, Part I, Disk 1.) Imagine that there is a warm, sun-like center within your chest. Think of this center as the source of the actual impulses for all your movements. Let the power from this source flow into your body—your arms, hands, legs, feet, torso, neck and head. Imagine all energy blocks in your body being dissolved by the energy from this warm, sun-like center which courses through your body.

(a)  Imagine that your arms and legs originate from this center. Begin moving—using naturalistic movements at first. Walk, sit, pick up objects, throw a ball up into the air and catch it. always keep your consciousness upon the center in your chest and see that the impulse for all the movements you make flows from this imaginary center within your chest. Exercise, using this center as much as possible. When done regularly it can give the actor not only enhanced physical energy and freedom of movement but greater stage presence as well as an increased sense of well being.

2.   Using Intangible Means of Expression to Achieve Tangible Results.

These include but are not limited to the use of Atmospheres (see Exercise 1 of Many-Levelled Acting, Disk 1), Radiation and Receiving (see Exercise 2 of Avoiding Monotony in the Actor's Performance, Disk 2), Psychological Gesture,* the Actor's Imagination, the Message or Superobjective of the Play and of the Character, Qualities, Sensations and Emotions (see Exercises 1 and 2 of How to Awaken Artistic Feelings and Emotions, Disk 3), and so on.

3.   Employing the Actor's Creative Spirit and “Higher” Intellect to Unify Various Aspects of the Actor's Performance.

(e.g., Tthe actor's attitudes toward the character, toward the play and toward the audience. The actor's awareness of Love and the positive forces within his psychology, etc.)

4.   Use Each Component of the Chekhov Technique as a Means of Awakening All the Parts of the Technique.

(See Chart on Page 12.)

5.   Go Over Each Point in the Technique and Ask Each One of Them, “To What Degree and by Which Means Do You Free My Talent?”

(See Chart on Page 12.)

This can only be done effectively after having exercised each of the points in the Technique which you are questioning. You have to be “living” in the experience of that particular Technique in order to get an answer. It cannot come from your intellect. An example of the question and answer process might be:

      Q.        To what degree does the use of Atmospheres help and free me?

      A.        To the degree that I have been able to ‘tune in' to an existing Atmosphere or to imagine an Atmosphere as existing, thereby creating it.

      Q.        By what means is my talent freed?

      A.        When I have helped to create an Atmosphere so strongly that I am truly aware of it all around me and am living in it, I lose all painful self-consciousness. All kinds of emotions and ideas arise within me—everything my character wants keeps happening—happening—happening—I don't have to do anything! And even when the Atmosphere and the scene itself are very heavy, I feel inwardly light and free.

Overcoming Inhibitions

The lack of Ensemble Feeling is one of our greatest Inhibitions.

—Michael Chekhov

1.   Identify and Examine All Your Inhibitions—those which constrict you in daily life as well as those which hamper you while acting: (This exercise requires repeated self examination and considerable courage as one of the greatest inhibitions is that we seldom want to admit our inhibitions, even to ourselves.)

Examples of Symptoms: becoming tongue-tied or stumbling over words or not being able to control the pitch of your voice in front of an audience or at parties; feeling foolish when you try to tell a joke; feeling physically awkward and “not knowing” what to do with your hands and arms when people are looking at you; being afraid or embarrassed to exhibit strong emotions; experiencing extreme discomfort in scenes and/or social situations which have a strong sexual overtone; difficulty in expressing vulnerability; difficulty in expressing anger; ad infinitum.

Examples of Causes: wanting to always be liked and admired; being overly critical of yourself; feeling certain that others are critical of you and see every one of your flaws, physically and psychologically; being such a perfectionist that you must always fall short of your goal; being programmed as a child that it is “bad” to display anger, to cry or to show interest in sexuality, especially in public, and so on.

      (i)         Try to discover how all your Inhibitions are related. Do they have one or two common causes? For example, do you want to be nice, good, perfect, etc. so that you will always be liked and admired? Or, do you want to show that you are tough and unconcerned about how others see you because, in truth, you don't want to reveal your need to be liked and admired, etc.?

2.   Concentration

As soon as you become uncomfortable during a scene, instead of worrying about it, immediately try to find something upon which to concentrate your attention. If nothing better occurs to you, you can focus on any nearby object, a ring on your own finger or on your partner's finger or focus on some feature of your partner's face. Try to see what it really looks like, the size and shape, etc. After a few seconds you should feel easy again and go back to your regular way of playing.

3.   Developing the Feeling of Ensemble

      (i)         Sit quietly and focus your attention on your heart. Imagine it opening. When you feel that it is open, connect with each one of your fellow actors, in turn. Open your heart to him or her more and more. Let your heart “see” the essence of that person. Let your heart listen to what the essence of that person is saying. Beware of becoming sentimental. Bring that exercise to a close by allowing your heart to send forth streams of good will (desire for the person's highest good) before turning your “heart's attention” to another member of the group.

Providing that the cast or workshop is open to this kind of “intangible-tangible” work, this is an extremely effective group exercise—to be done in pairs. Two actors sit, facing each other, eyes open or closed, while opening their hearts to each other. It works! If this is impossible within a group it still has beneficial effects when practiced at home—while only imagining the presence of the other actors. Continue to do this exercise, especially if any kind of dissension arises in the cast or group. (Don't neglect to include the director or teacher!)

      (ii)        If there is a member (or members) of the cast or group with whom you feel unconnected, or even negative—in addition to doing the above exercise (even more often)—try to find moments in his or her acting which you like and can enjoy. Even a single movement or line reading or inflection will do for a start!

      (iii)       While acting, remember to establish your connection with the Atmosphere, those “objectively floating feelings in the space around us.” (See Exercise 1 of Many-Levelled Acting, Disk 2.)

      (iv)       Establish contact with the stage set or the setting of your scene in a film. Even before rehearsing, “make friends” with the walls, the doors, windows, floors and furniture. Become aware of their colors, textures, height and shapes. Move—open doors, sit at the desk or table, in the chairs and couches. Become aware of the space between things and the space in which you can move. Try to become so familiar with everything that the set becomes for you, “my space.”

      (v)       “Make friends” with the “props” (eye glasses, pencils, ice bucket, tongs, etc.). Try to touch everything, noticing the sizes, the shapes and textures. Move the props around. Become especially familiar with the props you will use or which enter your character's awareness.

      (vi)       Make your costumes “your own.” Even modern day clothing needs to be made “your own.” While wearing the costume, make various gestures and movements even if they are not called for in the script. Find ways to adjust to your costume, physically and psychologically, and to adjust the costume to you.

      (vii)      In your imagination, connect with your audience. This should be done already during rehearsals and certainly before the curtain goes up on each performance. Inwardly ask the cooperation of the audience in creating your role.

      (viii)     When working in front of the camera:

(a)  “Make friends” with the camera. Personify it, if necessary. Endow the camera with all kinds of friendly, approving qualities. Tell yourself that it loves you and sees all the wonderful nuances in your performance.

(b)  Visualize the motion picture or television audiences being interested in and receiving something strong and worthwhile from your performance.

(c)  Remember that the motion picture and television ‘crews' are among the best audiences in the world; you are never without a live audience.

Short Cuts to the Part

We are trying to find the technique for those gifted actors who want to consciously develop their talents, who want to master their abilities

and not flounder aimlessly, relying upon vague inspiration . . .

(a technique which) will teach you to economize on time in preparing your part, but without succumbing to haste and deadening clichés.

—Michael Chekhov

1.   Find the Emotional Sections within the Part:

After silently reading through your part several times, “baptize” each successive section in the script with a name that conveys the principle emotion experienced by your character. The name of each section should differ from the preceding and following section. For example, you might name the first section “Fear,” the next one “Doubt,” the next one “Courage,” and so on.

      (i)         Begin reading the part—at first only with your eyes, then start speaking the lines very softly—with the Quality which you have found suitable for each section. (See the Exercises on How To Awaken Artistic Feelings and Emotions, Disk 3).

      (ii)        List all the Business for your character which is indicated by the script—using Qualities of the emotions you have selected. Rehearse the movements in your imagination, then start moving physically. Pay attention to the different Tempos which arise within you and which you feel are suitable for this or that section.

Reminder: This “Short Cut” is to be used only when the technique of calling forth artistic feelings and emotions has been sufficiently exercised. To gain experience with applying it, choose roles which you are not going to play. To avoid what is often termed “result acting,” it is necessary to truly explore the “boundless sea of your own feelings and emotions” of which Chekhov speaks. Once you have experienced your own richness and feel confident in discovering and calling forth the infinite nuances of fear, doubt, courage, sadness, joy, etc., the temptation of imposing an emotion on a section and then trying to command yourself to feel it will disappear.

2.   An Improvisation for Finding the “Boundless Sea of Emotions”

(This Improvisation, with its variations, is especially powerful when improvised by a group of actors, however, it is also effective when exercised alone. If a certain emotion is more difficult for you to get in touch with, repeat the Improvisation using the same emotion over a period of several days or weeks.)

      (i)        In your imagination, create a special doorway or threshold at a definite spot within your rehearsal area. Now, physically walk through the doorway or cross this imaginary threshold and discover that you are in a wonderful palace filled with joy. The atmosphere is so filled with delight and enchantment that everywhere you look there is another joy-filled image. Let your imagination go wild—this is a place where every good wish of yours will be granted. Joy is everywhere—butterflies, waterfalls, brightly colored birds, laughing, joyful people telling you how wonderful their lives are. Let your imagination create Utopia for you. Investigate new rooms—each room contains new joys; savor all the nuances and kinds of joy that there are in the world. All the people you have ever loved and enjoyed being with are there in the palace with you. If you feel like dancing, dance. If you feel like singing, sing! Stay in “the palace of joy” for as long as you like, then cross back over the threshold or walk through the doorway, closing the door behind you, knowing that you can return there whenever you wish.

      (ii)        As in the previous exercise, walk through a doorway or cross an imaginary threshold. This time, find yourself in a palace where the very air is heavy with the atmosphere of sadness. The sounds of sorrow are all around you. Now you hear a muffled sob. You strain to hear where it is coming from. Who is crying? You move through the palace, searching. All at once you come upon a child, huddled on the cold, marble floor, his upturned face wet with tears. His eyes are luminous, pleading. Before you can kneel down to comfort him, a frail old woman in rags sinks to the floor beside the child and gently motions you away. You continue moving through the palace—through room after room. There before you is a man—not handsome nor impressive—but with such kind eyes. You see pain in those eyes as he watches a woman in a white bridal gown—a woman whom he loves almost more than his life—wed another man. Now you come across a weeping woman, cradling her dead sweetheart in her arms, rocking him to and fro. You meet starving people, already too weak to take the food you offer them—their hopeless eyes stare at you. You see abandoned children, betrayed husbands and wives, unjustly convicted prisoners. Allow your imagination to bring you images and sounds of all conceivable kinds of sadness but do not people this palace with persons whom you actually know! That will induce personal sorrow and grief which is not appropriate for this exercise. Tears which you may begin to shed should be tears for others—for the  characters your imagination brings to you—they should not be tears for yourself. When you are ready to leave this place of sadness, close the door firmly behind you.d you.

After completing this exercise on sadness—unless you are going immediately into a scene which calls for sadness—drop the sadness completely. This exercise can be a powerful experience. Do not allow it to depress you or cloud your personal feeling-life. Should this happen, take a few moments to practice moving with the Qualities of joy and ease until your equilibrium is restored.

      (iii)       Repeat this exercise with a “palace of love,” of anger, suspicion, courage, anxiety, hate or whatever emotion you wish to explore. If the experience is particularly strong, remember to “balance out” before leaving the “palace.”

Reminder: Do not toil! Have fun!