Customer Reviews

The Great Acting Teachers and Their Methods (Career Development Series) (Career Development Book)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Anyone interested in a well-written and accessible overview of the evolution and current status of the methods of training actors could not do better than to get this book. Richard Brestoff has clearly done a thorough job of research. He seems to have trained under practitioners of virtually every extant training system, and presents them in a way which is both entertaining and readily understood, even by those with little or no background in theater or film. The final section of the book, with concise descriptions of many of the available sources of training in the United States, would be of great value to any student who wants to pursue an acting career. It is not easy to present a great deal of solid information and maintain a lively, readable style, but this writer has done it. I suspect that even those with no professional interest in acting would enjoy the book. Professional actors will come away from it with renewed respect for their art and rekindled dedication ! to improving their craft.

I read this book over the summer after reading Stanislavski's An Actor Prepares and Building a Character while preparing for a rather challenging role. I found this book to be exceptionally written, extremely clear, and entertaining. I found all of the different schools and techniques of acting so interesting that it inspired me to consider majoring in it and possibly going on from there to receive my MFA from the Actor's studio. I especially liked the way that he arranged the book so that one could go back and compare different techniques. Because of this book, I am far more ahead than most people in my IB theatre class and I am able to apply what is going on within myself as I begin building my character and and as i watch my acting coach while she is directing a school play. If anyone is interested in theatre, acting,or just wanting to learn something new, this is definitely the book. If it were possible to give this book ten stars I surely would.

First, this is not a book for beginners, although my school assigned it for beginning acting. It is much more involved in theory than practice, and so it is better suited for those with some experience.

Second, it says almost nothing about some of the approaches used in the UK or much of anything not derived from Stanislavski. There are two short chapters on "non-method" approaches. This doesn't really do justice to work done by members of the RSC, for example.

Third, his writing style is NOT for everyone. I believe the word "twee" comes to mind. At times I would have happily shaken the author by the neck for his way of writing.

That said, it does give a good overview of SOME of the great teachers and their methods. It is quite subjectively selective, so don't feel that you're getting it all, but it is useful.

I enjoyed every minute of this book. It was hard to put down. I actually have to buy another copy because the person who borrowed it from me swears I gave it to him.
Information needed for anyone in the performing arts.

This book does an economical job of describing the major acting schools and the linear development of acting over the ages. It is a little bit boring at times while going through the different exercises. One cannot really follow the description of acting exercises, one has to have a teacher (as the book mentions). All in all, it is a well-written book that gives you the basics even if it is a little dry at times.

I usually don't write reviews about instruction manuals and "self-help" books, but this book was one that actually, truly, spurred me to sit up, turn on my computer and begin typing out this review u see here.

Richard Brestoff has given a very detailed history and elaboration of the different styles of acting, starting with ancient historical methods to the well-known Stanislavsky, to alternate, modern approaches like Artaud, Brecht and Adler.

Brestoff, however, uses characters as some form of personae, and loves to change topic sentences quite jarringly, making the narrative quite frustrating to read. However, overall it is clear that he does know his stuff quite well, and though he tries at times (sometimes unsuccessfully, sometimes successfully) to make the concepts more interesting, it is also clear that he should just stick on making his passion for acting shine through his writing.

A must-have book for all lovers of theatre, especially if you're a thespian!

This is an excellent selection for an instructor in acting to gain perspective and methods in the craft.

Great Acting Teachers is a good resource for an overview of several styles of acting, however, it is just that. It doesn't delve too deeply into any one method, which is good, but it's also subjective because Brestoff has decided who is a great acting teacher and who is not. I personally am a fan of Mamet, but he is not mentioned at all.

If you've ever wondered what's behind acting school names like Stanislavski and Method Acting, this book does a fine job of telling you. I learned, for instance, that Thespian comes from Thespis, the first acclaimed actor who lived in Ancient Greece and was quizzed about his innovative method by Solon.

This book is a great way to find out how various acting concepts evolved into what we experience today.

A surprising example of how this information can make a performance more fulfilling, I was watching the movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and having read this book I could see that the actors in the opening scenes were doing a good presentation of pre-1900, pre-Stanislavki acting. It deepened the movie for me, and that was fun.