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An Acrobat of the Heart: A Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski (Paperback)

by Stephen Wangh (Author) "On the first day of class, the students who have just joined the Experimental Theatre Wing at N.Y.U. enter a long, narrow studio and put..." (more)
Key Phrases: exercises corporels, plastique work, vocal choice, Taste of Honey, Top Girls, Tiger Leaps (more...)

4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
"Stephen Wangh is a wonderful acting teacher--. He has distilled his life's study of the actor's body in the creative act into a practical journey for the reader--. Best of all, the book is a useful guide for an actor's daily work in the studio."--Anne Bogart, director

"An indispensable book for anyone studying modern theater--. Stephen Wangh is a master teacher."--Moisés Kaufman, playwright -- Review

Review
"Stephen Wangh is a wonderful acting teacher--. He has distilled his life's study of the actor's body in the creative act into a practical journey for the reader--. Best of all, the book is a useful guide for an actor's daily work in the studio."--Anne Bogart, director

"An indispensable book for anyone studying modern theater--. Stephen Wangh is a master teacher."--Moisés Kaufman, playwright

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Vintage; 1st edition (September 19, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0375706720
ISBN-13: 978-0375706721
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #183,073 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
On the first day of class, the students who have just joined the Experimental Theatre Wing at N.Y.U. enter a long, narrow studio and put down their bags below the north-facing windows. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
exercises corporels, plastique work, vocal choice, scene partner, sounding person, physical choices, acting training, acting teachers, acting work

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Taste of Honey, Top Girls, Tiger Leaps, Pushing Exercise, Dropping-In Plastiques, Image Walks, First Crossing, Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, Weapons Work, Face Tracing, Ryszard Cieslak, Tennessee Williams, Kneeling Backbend, Kristin Linklater, Round-Robin Rivers, Stanley Kowalski, Paper Dolls, Streetcar Named Desire

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Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 45 books:

To the Actor by Michael Chekhov on 6 pages
Creating A Role by Constantin Stanislavski on 6 pages
Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen on 6 pages
The Invisible Actor (Theatre Arts (Routledge Paperback)) by Yoshi Oida on 6 pages
An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski on 5 pages

See all 45 books this book cites

2 books cite this book:

Acting Re(Considered): A Theoretical and Practical Guide (Worlds of Performance) by P. Zarrilli on page 15, and Back Matter
Gorilla Theater: A Practical Guide to Performing the New Outdoor Theater Anytime, Anywhere (Theatre Arts Book) by Chris Sanderson on page 178, and Back Matter

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	83% buy the item featured on this page: An Acrobat of the Heart: A Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski 4.4 out of 5 stars (7) $10.88
	5% buy The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition 4.6 out of 5 stars (5) $11.53
	5% buy The Moving Body: Teaching Creative Theatre 5.0 out of 5 stars (4) $15.61
	4% buy Movement for Actors 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) $13.57

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews

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4.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every actor should read this book., December 9, 2000

By	Damon Navas-Howard (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Stephen Wangh, a former student of Grotowski and now a teacher of Experimental theater shares his knowledge in this inspiring and well written book. First of all, I want to say that you really need to have a teacher and be in a group to learn Grotowski's physical acting better. Grotowksi's work can also be very challenging and confussing at times and this book really helps guide you through it. The book follows a group of Stephen Wangh's first students through his training. That is what makes the book better then your average acting text book. You take a journey along with these people while learning the Grotowski method. As an actor I could relate to the actors frustrations and fears and in the book we see them overcome them. The book explains everything from what clothes to wear to voice work. I am glad Wangh added a section at the end of the book about how to deal with and survive acting. Very few people talk about this subject and it needs to be brought up more. I read this book before I was about to start working on a play and it re-inspired me and made me more discplined and focused. Stephen Wang also isn't self centered and basically says that do what you have to do to do the role you're playing good but try this method. The book is very well-thought out and easy to understand. Any actor should read this even if they think they know the Grotowski method.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Teacher with Heart, November 2, 2000

By A Customer

Reading An Acrobat of the Heart is the very next best thing to having Stephen Wangh as a professor. The book has a delicate, intuitive approach to acting which is as introspective as it is outwardly provocative. Having been a student of Mr. Wangh I can fully attest to the profound effect this method of exploration has had upon not only my acting, but my knowledge of self. There is something gratifying about a physical and emotional approach to acting that I have never been able to find through either Meisner or sense memory work. An Acrobat of the Heart is like a good cup of tea, you are left a little warmer and a little wiser after.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The (Physical) Acting Bible, May 13, 2009

By	J. B. Matheny - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great find for any actor wishing to find his technique. The book gives a plethora of exercises to free the actor and find the character. The teachings of Jerzy Grotowski were in and of themselves very groundbreaking, but Wangh makes the concepts more teachable while exploring and expanding upon them.
A great tool for a serious actor.