Rating: 
Summary: This great book made me realize how much I love this art!
Review: I love this book! It is perfect for anyone who loves acting and wants to make it their life! I learned so much and my passion for this art was even greater when I was through!!! If you love acting then you'll love this book!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Actor's Bible
Review: In this deceptively simple little book, Richard Boleslavsky, famed director of a by-gone era, has laid out not only the "First Six Lessons" of the title, but ALL six lessons. They are, clearly, lessons that must be read more than once and over a period of years that reflect the obvious growth in maturity of 'The Creature' who is Boleslavsky's imaginary student in the book.In each of the six lessons -- on the surface, six acts of a drama -- Boleslavsky presents the skills and tools of the classically trained actor: Concentration, Memory of Emotion, Dramatic Action, Characterization, Observation, and that elusive tool called Rhythm. In each chapter, he manages to show how these tools are applied through the three basic aspects of the actors craft: Emotion, Intellect, and Body. Unlike the American Method of Lee Strassberg, he stresses the balance among these three aspects throughout all of his 'lessons' to the creature. Among the many delightful moments in these lessons, in the chapter on characterization, shows how an actor must approach the performance of a Shakespearean role: "All you have to do is grasp the characterization of Shakespeare's mind and follow it" (82-83). Of course, Boleslavsky knows that this is no simple task, but he is able to put it in simple terms for us to begin the process of "grasping" it. Finally, one could make a case for non-acting artists to read this book also. It is a treatise on creativity in general, as well as acting specifically, when, for example, it says, "The theatre exists to show things which do not exist actually. When you love on stage, do you really love? Be logical. You substitute creation for the real thing. The creation must be real, but that is the only reality that should be there" (41).The universality of Boleslavsky's art is inescapable. No better tract for the actor exists; no actor should live without this at his or her side.
Rating:
Summary: The Actor's Bible
Review: In this deceptively simple little book, Richard Boleslavsky, famed director of a by-gone era, has laid out not only the "First Six Lessons" of the title, but ALL six lessons. They are, clearly, lessons that must be read more than once and over a period of years that reflect the obvious growth in maturity of 'The Creature' who is Boleslavsky's imaginary student in the book. In each of the six lessons -- on the surface, six acts of a drama -- Boleslavsky presents the skills and tools of the classically trained actor: Concentration, Memory of Emotion, Dramatic Action, Characterization, Observation, and that elusive tool called Rhythm. In each chapter, he manages to show how these tools are applied through the three basic aspects of the actors craft: Emotion, Intellect, and Body. Unlike the American Method of Lee Strassberg, he stresses the balance among these three aspects throughout all of his 'lessons' to the creature. Among the many delightful moments in these lessons, in the chapter on characterization, shows how an actor must approach the performance of a Shakespearean role: "All you have to do is grasp the characterization of Shakespeare's mind and follow it" (82-83). Of course, Boleslavsky knows that this is no simple task, but he is able to put it in simple terms for us to begin the process of "grasping" it. Finally, one could make a case for non-acting artists to read this book also. It is a treatise on creativity in general, as well as acting specifically, when, for example, it says, "The theatre exists to show things which do not exist actually. When you love on stage, do you really love? Be logical. You substitute creation for the real thing. The creation must be real, but that is the only reality that should be there" (41).The universality of Boleslavsky's art is inescapable. No better tract for the actor exists; no actor should live without this at his or her side.
Rating:
Summary: The best volume to begin your work as an actor
Review: Richard Boleslavsi, a key member of the Moscow Art Theatre and practioner of the Stanislvaskian "system" wrote this, a key volume that serves as the greatest starting point for any serious actor. Writing his text in the form of a play script, Boleslavski lays out a series of easily definable and highly applicable excersises that aid tremendously towards developing the acting instrument. Although it is impossible to learn acting from simply reading a book, if used as a complimentary text in a hands on acting class, Boleslavski's book will help one build a solid foundation upon which one can begin legitimate work in the Theatre. However, on a strongly personally biased note, skip the second chapter, entitled "Memory of Emotion". If done improperly, this second chapter can lead to incredibly self conscious acting posing as psuedo-therepy. The chapters of Rythym, Concentration, Dramatic Action, Characterization and Observation however prove helpful, practical and definable. Please begin with this tome.
Rating:
Summary: The best volume to begin your work as an actor
Review: Richard Boleslavsi, a key member of the Moscow Art Theatre and practioner of the Stanislvaskian "system" wrote this, a key volume that serves as the greatest starting point for any serious actor. Writing his text in the form of a play script, Boleslavski lays out a series of easily definable and highly applicable excersises that aid tremendously towards developing the acting instrument. Although it is impossible to learn acting from simply reading a book, if used as a complimentary text in a hands on acting class, Boleslavski's book will help one build a solid foundation upon which one can begin legitimate work in the Theatre. However, on a strongly personally biased note, skip the second chapter, entitled "Memory of Emotion". If done improperly, this second chapter can lead to incredibly self conscious acting posing as psuedo-therepy. The chapters of Rythym, Concentration, Dramatic Action, Characterization and Observation however prove helpful, practical and definable. Please begin with this tome.
Rating: 
Summary: a bit condescending
Review: The book is characterized by a "master - apprentice" dicourse where Boleslavsky refers to himself as "I" and his apprentice or student as "The Creature". The Creatures discourse is that of immaturity, naivity, insecurity, and passionate reverence (towards Boleslavsky). Boleslavsky's discourse is (in contrast) balanced, secure, mature, and assumes the air of a benevolent father-like control and authority. For example p. (20 - 21 (on concentration)) The Creature: When you curse the heavens, you say it this way: "Bloooooww Wiiiiiinds,,...." ....(and they rehearse a bit) I: How strange! You are so young; you do not hesitat a second before cursing heaven.... ... What right have you to say that you have worked in the theatre? You have destroyed the very conception of the word theatre. (A pause; the Creature looks at me with the eyes of one innocently condemned to death. The little handbag lies on the floor.) The Creature: So I must never play? I: And if I say Never? (Pause. The eyse of the Creature change their expression, she looks straight into my soul with a sharp scrutinizing look, and seeing that I am not joking, clenches her teeth, and tries in vain to hide what is happening in her soul. But it is no use. One enourmous real tear rolls out of here eye, and the Creatrure at that moment becomes dear to me. It spoils my intentions completely. She controls herself, clenches her teeth, and says in a low voice--) The Creature: But I am going to play. Ihave nothing else in my life. (At eighteen they always talk that way. But just the same I am deeply touched.) I: All right then, I must tell you that this very moment you did more for the theatre, or rather for yourself in the theatre, than you did in playing all you parts..... or (p. 34-35 (on memory of emotion)) The Creature: Oh, no, you didn't but you certainly gave me a lot to work on, an awful lot. What a horrible time I have had with that idea of concentratiion. Everybody laughed at me....(she goes on to speak of some event with a bus driver) I: I suspect it way just as well that you didn't distinguish his word. The Creature: Oh, I see. And od you think he was right -- being rude to me? I: I could justify him. You destroyed his concentration as thoroughly as he jdestroyed yours. That is where the drama began. The result was -- action expressed in his words behiind the glass and in you command to proceed. The Creature: Oh, you make fun of everything. I: No, I donø't. I htink yours is a case jof drama in a nutshell. Active drama. The Creature: Do you mean to say that it helped my ability ot act? My sense of drama? I: Yes, I do. The Creature: How? ---- So if this manner and tone of dialogue appeals to you the other reviews are well understandable.
Rating:
Summary: Attn True Actors:Please Read This Book
Review: This book does not give helpful hints...It is written by some crazy man who refers to his reader as "creature" and he talks to himself....I prefer Acting Games : Improvisations and Exercises ISBN: 0916260925 to this one.
Rating:
Summary: Worst book to ever buy
Review: This book does not give helpful hints...It is written by some crazy man who refers to his reader as "creature" and he talks to himself....I prefer Acting Games : Improvisations and Exercises ISBN: 0916260925 to this one.
Rating:
Summary: better than Stanislavski
Review: This book is probably the best guide to acting. It tells you how to achieve your successes through the work of an acting teacher and his disciple. Although at times it may seem demeaning toward the actor, if you recall your earlier days in acting you probably wish someone could have just said this stuff to you. I am a college student (BFA Music Theatre) and by far this has been my greatest source of information to this point.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Handbook
Review: This is an excellent book that I call a handbook because it must be returned to over and over. The lessons are in the form of dialogues/conversations between teacher and student.
The lessons are: Concentration, Memory of Emotion, Dramatic Action, Characterization, Observation and Rhythm.
This is a very basic yet infinitely deep series on the tools that an actor needs, which Boleslavsky draws out of his pupil, here called The Creature. The antiquated nature of the relationship seems of the time, 1933, and though that may distract from the substance, it rapidly becomes as much a device as the dialogue/conversation format used to express the lessons.
I could pick this up and open to any lesson and mine that for a time. These lessons are not mastered, rather they are practiced.
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