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Stanislavski Studies
Practice, Legacy, and Contemporary Theater
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Zero zone in Stanislavski’s practice
Tamur Tohver
To cite this article: Tamur Tohver (2022) Zero zone in Stanislavski’s practice, Stanislavski Studies,
10:1, 83-99, DOI: 10.1080/20567790.2022.2048239
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/20567790.2022.2048239
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa
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Zero zone in Stanislavski’s practice
Tamur Tohver
Manchester Metropolitan University
ABSTRACT
The current provocation explores what could be behind Konstantin
Stanislavski’s claim that his teaching is neither a method nor a
system, as it is unnished. Alongside the complex of techniques
and the worldwide inuence it has on contemporary performing
art, was there a special area that the master perceived incomplete?
Could this be connected to authoritarian theatre-making (which
has been recently acknowledged in the eld), where the relation-
ship in the actor-director dyad remains hierarchical and evokes a
continuous conict (as a manifestation of stage fright) between
them? I argue that on Stanislavski’s personal path as an actor
from stage fright to self-condence, alongside the practical exer-
cises which he designed according to Yoga, he also perceived the
importance of Vedic philosophy itself to the performing arts. Via
application of Stanislavskian craft, one can experience the absolute
truth and higher consciousness, which could replace the internal
and external confrontation with fruitful creative outcomes in a
rehearsal studio – if practiced perfectly. Unfortunately, the metho-
dology to support the philosophical (ethical) side of the system
remained undeveloped by him when he passed away. Zero Zone
unique psychosomatic praxis is designed according to Yogic
Abhyasa and Vairagya principles to enhance the exchange between
actor and director in the creative process to reach the higher aims,
described already by Stanislavski. The current paper supports writ-
ings on the spiritual aspect of the Stanislavskian system, self-culti-
vation practices in performing arts and executive coaching.
KEYWORDS
Performing arts; actor-
director dyad; Vedic
philosophy and Yoga
practice; coaching; self-
cultivation
Introduction
I started my theatre studies as an actor at the age of seven. At thirteen I performed
the main character in a public broadcasting TV drama. I was deeply amazed by one
of my main partners, a grand old actress. I never understood when she began her
lines. This organic, true presentation in the Stanislavskian manner was indistin-
guishable from ordinary conversation. My second big discovery from this time was
that even though performing on TV was the realization of every teen actor’s dream,
I was frightened and felt an inexplicable sense of shame. Why was that? I met
another accompanying phenomenon of acting and directing after about thirty years
in the industry as an established, reliable director. I encountered the resistance of an
CONTACT Tamur Tohver tamur@tohverstudio.org
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES
2022, VOL. 10, NO. 1, 83–99
https://doi.org/10.1080/20567790.2022.2048239
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any med-
ium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.
actor during rehearsal for the first time. Even though my artistic solution for that
particular character was constructive for the concept and upgrading of the role,
suddenly there appeared a blockage. Why?
Stage fright
Our independent Polygon Theatre mainly operates in the Stanislavskian system.
1
Alongside this, we take a laboratory approach as an open platform (it has no fixed
ensemble) for multiple practices to eschew the closed community’s fixity, for standing
closer to a higher ethos, values and spirituality. Despite this open flexible structure and
exploratory concept of our company, it is a protected space, divorced both from com-
mercial pressure and irresponsible experiments, aiming to reach deeper communication
by providing a more profound and elevated experience for both audience and
performers.
However, it appears that all of this is not sufficient to secure creative freedom in daily
practice. This is my experience today – to be successful in encouraging artistic liberty, a
director must first resolve different manifestations of stage fright in order to then proceed
to more sophisticated creative solutions. Many other practitioners, operating in different
systems, recognize the confrontation.
2
Merlin emphasizes that as long as the director
does not understand the reasons behind the actor’s creative blocks, there will be no
solution for overcoming harmful obstacles during the creative process.
3
Caird explains
that there are conflicting motives between the director and the cast.
4
These conflicting
motives are generated from ego, the pursuit of status or fear of failure.
According to Gabbard, stage fright is generated by separation anxiety connected to the
fear an individual has of being deprived of love and admiration by a maternal figure,
which is projected onto an audience and is connected to a desire of being approved.
5
Thereby, fear undermines and narrows both the possibilities and the quality of perform-
ing arts.
6
Before discussing the potential hazy areas in Stanislavski’s system, let me
illuminate some manifestations of stage fright which could potentially appear in daily
practice.
Between 2015 and 2020, I observed different cases of the manifestation of stage fright
in the Polygon Theatre where it surprised us in rehearsals, pre-show and show times. In
the first case, the person simultaneously playing the main character and directing the
show lacked the preparation and dropped out of the performing flow multiple times
during the show. This created guilt towards partners, fear of forgetting lines, and as the
actor, he felt abandoned by the director (himself). Two cases in this period could be
identified as caused by fear of possible embarrassment before stage partners and the
audience. In these, the team experienced an actor’s confrontation towards the ensemble
by refusing creative suggestions from the director and fellow actors. A similar case also
appeared with a variation of an actor’s personal fear of not fulfiling either the director’s
expectations, the team’s or her own. Next, there was an occasion with a delay of the
performance: the increased waiting time of the actor backstage raised abnormal anxiety.
And finally, intensive disagreements between actors over practical methods on how to
practice the craft required extraordinary communication skills and energy from the
84 T. TOHVER
director in order to lead the process. It is important to note that different individuals were
involved in the various cases, and the shows were distinguished by material, artistic
solutions, and genres.
These are just distinctive pick-ups to illustrate the possible weaknesses which can
appear when practising Stanislavskian craft, from among many successful productions by
our company. Experience shows that the problem could occur unexpectedly whenever
and wherever, regardless of the ensemble members’ experience or levels of competence in
craft. Why do performers achieve extraordinary results every now and again, but fail at
other times? Why does the director, even having proved methods to hand, feel they are
not sufficient, and therefore fears the actors’ disapproval?
The conflict between the actor and the director could arise during the rehearsl process
due to stage fright, as they both could be affected by anxiety. Both the actor and the
director could have concerns or expectations about each other. As the relationship is
sensitive, the reasons for conflict may lie in the personal nature of the directing process.
Recently, in correspondence inside the International Platform of Performers Training
group,
7
scholar-practitioners raised the problem of how to transcend authoritarian
attitudes in practice and teaching within the performing arts, as there is still a dominant
“guru-centred” approach.
8
The situation could be different in small experimental inde-
pendent groups than in more commercial venues, or could be even worse for the same
reasons, but with consummate respect to the entire human theatre experience and risking
being naïve – what does it take to create true Stanislavskian realism? The result could
depend on the awareness of the company.
Transformation
There is always room around any method for interpretation in practice. Despite the
already profound and extensive research on Stanislavski’s work, in this paper I would like
to have another look at the initial impulses of how and why his method was born. This
could shed more light on the continuity and wholeness of the system, which has already
undergone significant modifications.
Stanislavski’s aspiration towards realism on stage and his Method of Physical Actions
were exalted at the time of Socialist Realism; experimental ideas were stifled; spiritual and
psychological techniques were downplayed. Furthermore, outside of Russia, the creativ-
ity of emigre teachers in their studios slowly transformed the System into the American
Method. The nature of acting classes always filters every method through the individual
interpretation of teachers and students alike. The second significant factor influencing
the essence of the method was scattered publishing all over the world: translating and
editing, distinctive copies, and political and commercial censorship. However, scholars
agree that the main ideas of Stanislavski’s teaching were not damaged.
9
Nevertheless, it
depends on every translator’s personal experience and angle of approach, including the
translators of the Yoga
10
sources Stanislavski used and cited. On what level were they
practitioners of theatre or Yoga? Alongside this, the author continually experimented for
thirty-two years with a variety of techniques and finally with students, who developed
their own interpretations of the system. Therefore, a large body of second-hand inter-
pretations have been generated, seemingly full of contradictions.
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 85
Practice
In daily practice, many students will understand the functioning principle of physical
improvisation – the method to create the character’s truth, known as Active Analysis –
only later, in professional life, via personal kinaesthetic and perceptual insight. Before
that happens, it is mostly understood as creating patterns of justified actions. Therefore,
the teacher could only hold the student in flow through the continuous exercises and
coaching until the insight occurs and creates an experience. Now, the consciousness
follows the pattern of the situation and records all required mental, physical and
perceptual actions for the new creature-character in concrete circumstances and sets
these to itself as a perceptual goal so that next time an individual can repeat the
experience. Thereby, one is creating such a reality both consciously and unconsciously.
The performer can re-invoke similar body-mind behaviour in the same quality as the
behaviour from the past – or create a new one, similar, but original. Therefore, the
schooling could only create the experience which helps the student to understand how to
evoke and stay with this organic state of being believable. This is not easily explained
because there are no unambiguous parameters to articulate this state except for this
personal experience (as the master’s one!). In my experience, this depends on the
individual capacity of the person, their previous potential skills or talent, and therefore
hides many unclear moments in execution, but it is perfectly achievable.
Goal
Stanislavski’s personal weakness in acting was memory – he had a problem with
remembering his lines, and thereby, he was affected by tremendous stage fright.
11
I
suggest, the problem was not so much in the amount of text or his poor memory, but
in how to create an organic connection between the memory, lines and actions, which
helps the actor to remember the dialogue efficiently. Additionally, Stanislavski felt
abandoned by the director.
12
In the way that every discovery stems from a real need,
he started looking at how to overcome this, and daily acting practice provided new
insights. Norvelle cites Stanislavski:
I was repeating a role I had played many times, suddenly, without any apparent cause, I
perceived the inner meaning of the truth long known to me that creativeness on the stage
demands [. . .] a special condition [. . .]. From that evening on this simple truth entered into
all my being, and I grew to perceive it not only with my soul, but with my body also. [. . .]
What I wanted to learn was how to create a favorable condition for the appearance of
inspiration by means of the will, that condition in the presence of which inspiration was
most likely to descend into the actor’s soul. As I learned afterward, this creative mood is that
spiritual and physical mood during which it is easiest for inspiration to be born.
13
Such experiences convince the most, I can confirm this from my personal extensive
practice both in performing arts and in Yoga. Repetition opens up new insights and
builds new quality by walking paths that are already familiar for the mind. This is a
psychophysical experience, not just mental understanding. Putting this into contempor-
ary practical acting terminology, the solution is in turning the written lines into the
performer’s own thoughts. Stanislavski looked for securing a performing flow to use it
uninterruptedly, therefore the method turns the external presenting into true being. If
86 T. TOHVER
performers are unable to manage their frightening thoughts and somatic reactions, then
the feedback loop between the primary task (character’s aim in a scene) versus disturbing
factors (am I sufficient in my doing?) may continue to increase until anxiety reaches the
level of panic attacks. On the contrary, if the absorption is strong enough, it allows the
performer to release excessive mental control, and this keeps them perfectly in a
performing flow as there is only one main task to execute.
14
One experiences the autotelic
transformation of time and creativity moves beyond the personal. This, in turn, alleviates
the creative anxiety that has emerged.
15
Norvelle confirms that through concentration
while on the stage Stanislavski overcame stage fright: when he ceased (decided not) to be
afraid of the audience, “he was on the stage” (in the performing flow).
16
Thereby,
Stanislavski concluded that concentration is the form of psychophysical freedom and
the vehicle for relief from stage fright. I would like to add that it is also the best source of
inspiration.
Essence
According to Carnicke and White, Stanislavski defended spiritual (not religious) char-
acter creation.
17
For Stanislavski, acting is only possible through the conscious delivering
of a message by using the objective/super-objective for the character on a superconscious
level. This could be achieved via strong willpower and belief in the character’s aims.
These are clearly perceptual and spiritual qualities. Since the actor’s body was itself the
obstacle in acting, Stanislavski encouraged the actor to overreach the physical senses.
18
In
2016, Tcherkasski proved that over forty percent of the exercises in Stanislavski’s system
originate from various elements of Raja Yoga.
19
Furthermore, perceptual Yogic practices
can also cultivate freedom for such delivery by releasing primary affections of human
nature and improving attention. These central affections are produced by ego: to find out
in terms of having control over the situations and phenomena; to be somebody for
feeding heightened self-worth and to maintain the combination of the previous two to
secure contentment. All three are dependent on other individuals, beyond the self, and
are therefore out of their control/reach. But are Yogic principles now also applied in
Stanislavski’s method?
Yoga was first introduced to Stanislavski by Nikolai Demidov
20
and he was aware of
Yogi Ramacharaka’s
21
books before he reviewed his personal acting methodology when
in crisis in 1906, in Finland.
22
Yoga provides Stanislavski with the required grounding
knowledge and insights for his future techniques. For him, concentration is a percep-
tual tool which helps to synchronize the spiritual and physical dislocation between
body and soul that actors experience.
23
This could be complicated to understand in a
dualistic materialistic worldview but completely normal within a spiritual approach.
Thereby, the attitude becomes a new instrument in craft, the belief into higher
realization.
Unfortunately, for Stanislavski, the attitude seems also to be the subject which
remained incompletely articulated or consolidated with concrete techniques. There is
evidence from both international experience and personal practice given above
24
that
hidden threats could lead to unwanted results like an unconscious authoritarian self-
protective attitude, which demolishes productive creative collaboration. I argue that these
are the real roots of stage fright, which in turn is a manifestation of personal ego.
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 87
However, when Yogic body-mind practice is explicitly designed for internal self-cultiva-
tion, grounded on Vedic philosophy and providing a technology for psychosomatic-
spiritual development,
25
then what is missing in the Stanislavskian method, which seems
to be overwhelmingly fulfilled with spirituality and thereby should cultivate a balanced
mind?
Source
According to White, the primary source of information about Yogic practices for
Stanislavski was Yogi Ramacharaka.
26
Unfortunately, the practice Ramacharaka
describes differs fundamentally from classical Yoga, which refers to the practice out-
lined in the Yoga Sutras
27
attributed to the sage Patañjali. According to Patañjali, the
eight components of Yoga are Yama (abstinences), Niyama (observances), Asana (yoga
postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses),
Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (absorption). The useful-
ness of Yoga to performing practice is described by many scholars, mostly in connec-
tion to Hatha Yoga (postures) and Pranayama (breathing techniques).
28
Nevertheless,
Ramacharaka wrote a collection of twelve books from 1903 to 1907 on Hinduism and
Yoga, which cover a wide range of topics including life after death, clairvoyance,
psychic healing, Christian mysticism, general introductions to Yogic philosophy, and
translations of and commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.
29
This is a
vast number of extensive topics introduced in the tempo of three books per year – how
deeply was it possible to explore any subject? He writes with references to Western
philosophers, whose teachings are consistent with those of ancient Yogi philosophers,
and thereby adjusts to be acceptable to the reader. Thus, these writings are not the
authentic Yogic wisdom from scriptures, proven by time and multiple human experi-
ence, but typical of Western achievement addiction evoked by curiosity and market
demand.
It appears that Ramacharaka never addresses the first two limbs of Yoga, Yama and
Niyama.
30
Instead he combines occult ideology with various aspects of Yoga from the
Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.
31
However, the Yogic scientistic principle is simple,
but strict. The yogi has an assumption; he inspects this in practice, gets the concrete result
and according to this, makes conclusions about the efficiency of the technique. Yoga does
not allow for adjustments as it is always based on absolute truth. The practices could even
be harmful, if not applied in a precise and correct way.
Attitude
Yamas and Niyamas are elements of Yogic Abhyasa and Vairagya principles,
32
which
could not be abandoned in the practice. Abhyasa (Sanskrit) is understood as practice/
training, Vairagya as detachment by applying the witness’ position. Together they will
build up the right attitude towards the complete practice and secure a positive
outcome.
88 T. TOHVER
Abhyasa
Abhyasa means continuing effort to attain and maintain one’s physical, mental and
spiritual tranquillity: practice. From the essence of Abhyasa, in its Yama’s and Niyamas
33
among other qualities under Yamas, important to performing arts, one can find Satya
(Sanskrit, non-illusion, truth in word and thought) and Aparigraha (non-accumulation of
unnecessary things, staying concentrated on the main goal); when Niyamas are understood
as self-training. Niyamas refers to the five observances; how one relates to oneself, the inner
world. Three of them have direct impact on theatre training: Shaucha, cleanliness of body
and mind; Tapas, austerity and associated observances for body discipline and thereby
mental control; and Swadhyaya, study of the Self.
34
Ethics
In 1944, the Moscow Art Theatre published Stanislavski’s article “Ethics” in its Yearbook.
This is based on the manuscript of sixty-seven handwritten pages. The draft has many
corrections, cuts and additions, some of them have been crossed out and then restored.
He intended to put the manuscript in a reworked form, as can be seen from the fact that
the absence of parts violates the logical connection of the presentation. The article is
probably a version of one of the chapters from The Actor’s Work on Himself. This is
indicated by the approach and the same characters appearing there. However, in the
course of his work, Stanislavski removed this chapter from the book because he con-
sidered the subject so important that he intended to dedicate a separate issue to it.
35
The
chapter itself was presumably written on 27 August 1908 during his rehearsals of
Maeterlinck’s Blue Bird, as evidenced by his letter to M.P. Lilina, in which he stated
that he had read the chapter to his actors. This writing contains significant grounding for
the necessary attitude to practice performing art.
36
Among other thoughts, in Ethics one
can find similarities to Abhyasa. Stanislavski emphasized the need for personal self-
cultivation, individual purities and training. Ethics was the summary of recognitions and
experiences from practical work, presumably to support practitioners in daily work by
achieving purity.
Above all, the actor must remember his soul and prepare both the pre-work and condition
for the stage. [. . .] Develop resilience, ethics, and discipline in yourself that are essential to a
social figure who brings beauty, sublimity, and nobility to the world.
37
According to Stanislavski, every actor is obliged to develop his creative willpower and
technique. At the same time, the whole environment should be spiritually cleansed as an
immaculate mental space transfers to spectators, attracts and purifies them. All intrigants
and the envious must be ruthlessly removed from the theatre.
38
Shevtsova confirms Stanislavski’s aspiration towards the horizontal relationship
between ensemble members. She finds the bridge towards a supportive attitude via
Orthodox practice of Hesychasm about what Stanislavski was presumably aware.
39
Although this seems logical, it could be assumed that in his own case, Hesychasm did
not occur helpfully; the perfect technique was still lacking. Otherwise, her claim contra-
dicts the idea that Stanislavski still suffered intense stage fright before he started his
research. Shevtsova finds Stanislavski’s methods originate from Orthodox practices by
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 89
pointing out that in many cases where Tcherkasski does see Yogic practices as a source,
40
it cannot be taken as based on certain technology. Certainly, everything could be
interpreted as just a state, stage, or condition of mind. Nevertheless, as in acting, one
must execute unique mental, perceptual and physical actions in order to create and
perform a character; also, all meditative perceptual exercises apply later as technique. It
starts from the attitude as a precondition. The performer’s condition on stage is a
complicated high-tech combination of a psychophysical state of being, so meditation is
simultaneously both deed (being active) and non-deed (being nowhere). To achieve this
state, one must execute specific procedures. Thereby, I tend to agree with White that
obshcheniye
41
carries more meaning of the perfect acting technique (radiating the energy,
using profound, firm intention at the time of delivering a message), than attitude towards
the craft or partner.
42
Obshcheniye is directly translated as communication, which does
not have the same meaning as attitude (otnosheniye). Undoubtedly, communication
could be carried by caring at the time of rehearsals to enhance the artistic outcome
(and thereby it becomes one of the essential elements of the whole technique as a
precondition); however, the intention could be improved only by techniques which
increase willpower and distinction skills such as focus-guiding and breathing. The
example of visualizations, namely to the imagine the action-journey as frames in a film,
43
comes directly from Yogic Dhyana practice.
44
Furthermore, to achieve real Ya yesm-state
(I am) demands more than just to wish to reach it or to take the right attitude. This mode
of being could arrive first in the case of awakening into reality, but in order to stay in this
condition daily, continuous practise is needed. It becomes a way of life only later and
includes holding a specific witness position daily, regardless of circumstances.
Comparing what I am means on the stage and what is understood under this condition
in spirituality both in ancient traditions and at the time of Stanislavski could fill a whole
book, using contemporary knowledge. Nevertheless, it is not necessary to be utterly
spiritual from one’s worldview in terms of acting. It is enough to understand the
principles of consciousness by which the actor performs his divisive state on stage and
maintains the ethics.
It should be understood that the state of consciousness is extremely stressed during
rehearsal and performance, and far from playing. Fortunately, this could be taught and
trained through play. The current paper is not so much focused on the historical truth of
sources, rather than restoring valuable aspects in the System. I find it helpful to draw
attention to a universal, caring, selfless attitude that transcends the boundaries of cultural
traditions and religions. Generally, Yoga is proven to be older than the Orthodox;
however, there are many exercises and techniques common to both disciplines. This is
possible, as the human body and mind are still the same. Yoga simply has concrete tools
to create and improve awareness and consciousness. Shevtsova confirms that Yoga was
an important activity of the First Studio,
45
thereby, being systematic in exercises will
inevitably lead to unique results.
Vairagya
Vairagya means letting go of materialistic attachments, fear, paranoia, ego, a false sense
of superiority or inferiority, and things beyond human control. On the simplest level,
Vairagya is the acceptance of the present without anticipation, apprehension, fear, desire,
90 T. TOHVER
longing, expectation, or preference as these empower ego and a false sense of superiority
or inferiority. Even Stanislavski points out the required personal qualities for implement-
ing in performing arts practice
46
; today, as there are manifestations of stage fright and
conflicts in the actor-director dyad; apparently, in these cases, the personal qualities
needed have not been applied. Moreover, until fear is understood as encouraging for
achievement in performance, unfortunately the stimulation of stage fright remains. The
line between anxiety and excitement is too fine for us to be confident to not make
mistakes without special training.
However, by Vedic philosophy, one phenomenon which inhibits personal
improvement is ignorance, and ignorance, again, is one of the manifestations
of ego.
Ego
In Vedic philosophy, the ego
47
is explained as one’s image of oneself, which is based upon
one’s perception. According to Wallis, a scholar and practitioner of Vedic philosophy,
ego is a persistent contraction of awareness in the form of a collection of self-images. This
makes it a fluid fiction, which seems real. Believing in the ego causes suffering through
artificial self-limitation.
48
The ego contains the individual’s sense of self-worth, self-
confidence and self-esteem, which is fed by a desire for prestige and success. Egoism
(Asmita) denotes an attachment to whatever the ego wants.
49
Similarly, it acts as a self-
defence mechanism against the “not-good-enough” critique by trying to avoid unplea-
sant experiences and thereby evokes preventive measures.
50
People who are highly
anxious use egoic defence mechanisms frequently, whereas people who are high in self-
esteem tend to use these defences minimally.
51
Stanislavski realized the need for conscious and inspired actors for his theatrical
renewal, who are independent, proactive and not commanded, but supported by the
director. In Ethics, he underlines that only the director knows what effort, ingenuity,
patience, nerves and time it takes to move actors with a lazy creative will from the dead
point, as this creates an exaggeration in the other actors’ manner of play (false playing).
He points out that the director should gain authority in the ensemble to lead the process
and expanding that personal example is the best way to earn such respect.
52
However, he
also admits that the director could become overly demanding, suffering and easily
irritated, if they do not get the desired result from the actors.
53
Even he worked against
the imperial theatre; with this, he unconsciously separates the director from the cast and
on the contrary, unwillingly cultivates the authoritarian attitude. This approach could
appear or be interpreted as director-centred, giving seemingly unlimited power over the
actors without regarding them as equal partners.
Thus, contrary to Stanislavski’s aspirations, the misinterpretation of mutual respon-
sibilities probably cultivates the hierarchical relationship prevalent in the present day, if
one leaves out the first part about the director’s self-cultivation need and applies only the
second: director’s demand upon actors. This could happen because of the director’s self-
protective attitude (caused by ego), which is activated by stage fright as the director has
their fears, just like the actors.
54
Simultaneously, if one dismisses the need for the actor’s
self-cultivation, the director’s frustration becomes justified. This is the case when actors
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 91
tend to say, for self-justification, “the director does not inspire me enough!”. In many
cases, this is not only fear, holding back new interpretations in creative craft, but a simple
negative habit (known as cliché) or laziness.
Disconnection
It is important to recognize that no Yogic manuscript ever does present previously
described Abhyasa or Vairagya as a standalone practice/value, they always appear
together. It is through these two core principles together that a person can gain control
over their body-mind and realize their true self by securing the outcome through
application of the right attitude and high ethics.
In Yoga practice, there are several combinations of how to design personal char-
acteristics according to Abhyasa and Vairagya qualities, this is not just an abstract
desire to evoke personal change. Therefore, the subtraction of these principles also
creates a setback in a result. People without Abhyasa lack consistency in practice and
thereby, they never reach the real goals, shown by Vairagya, as these could be achieved
only via regular practice. As Vairagya is demanding (detachment from unneeded habits
and withdrawal from negative emotions requires willpower and the skill of profound
perceptual distinction), they are unable to execute the required improvement of
personality. Abhyasa is preparing the level and grounding to execute Vairagya. In
turn, without having the passion towards the aims of Vairagya, the training loses its
sense and it is difficult to continue. Therefore, only together will these two be complete
– the understanding of the right goal and the acceptance of the path there. In regular
practice, thereby one acquires the right attitude which ensures that the improved skills
will be used ethically and sustainably. Most importantly – the practice alleviates
one’s ego.
So, in terms of Yoga, one can trace the prints of Abhyasa in Stanislavski’s Ethics, but
less or almost nothing about exercises for detachment (withdrawal from senses), asso-
ciated performing anxiety, evaluations, prejudgments or ego – Vairagya. This seems
logical as emotions are considered to be the main tool for an actor. However, detachment
from personal achievement
55
could enhance the artistic outcome and help maintain
individual balance.
What Stanislavski managed to manifest in practice clearly as elements of a supporting
background philosophy, were commitment and practice, which today are mostly inter-
preted as passion and discipline. Unfortunately, he failed to expand on the detachment
skill (renunciation of egoistic goals and negative emotions) and therefore, the right
attitude remained incomplete. The discipline
56
and detachment are different qualities,
leading to different destinations and results. This affects the craft: misinterpretation or
generalization of the master’s teaching increases ego.
As Stanislavski’s main personal problem was how to maintain the performing flow, it
appears that less attention was given to detachment as the opposite activity. Both are
needed, but for the actor-director dyad the ideal could be the practitioners’ ability to
guide emotions and inspiration by consciously switching on or off the ability to attach or
detach oneself from needed/unneeded emotions and goals. Therefore, in addition to
robust concentration, focus guiding is needed.
92 T. TOHVER
Practice
Stanislavski talks about his colleagues’ reaction to newfound techniques, that these
produced anger about turning rehearsal into a laboratory.
57
This could be easily traced
back as manifestation of ego. Unfortunately, the same attitude remains today. Zarrilli
indicates that actors can reach compelling levels of acting by implementing the inten-
sely concentrated process of training, performing and living.
58
Su believes embodied
practices-becoming-technologies eventually help actors (re)fashion themselves and
attain altered states of consciousness
59
for a theatre of presence rather than one of
representation. Bonfitto points out that self-cultivation is perceived via practices which
are activated by perceptual lapidation, attention and ethics.
60
I can confirm that my
personal quality of acting and directing rose significantly after starting a daily self-
cultivation practice a long time ago. This expanded my awareness on many levels
simultaneously and thereby, improved my personality. This directly enriched both
my craft skills and expanded my field of opportunities as a director in order to support
an actor’s craft.
These findings support the usefulness of the Vairagya, which helps improve self-
confidence via awareness of oneself not by annihilating but purifying and infinitely
expanding consciousness.
61
This reminds me of coaching. Obvious similarities can be
detected between self-cultivation practices in performing arts and executive coaching.
62
Zero zone
Coaching psychology is described as the systematic application of behavioural science to
the enhancement of life experience, work performance and wellbeing. A coach keeps the
coachee in a self-discovering flow by guiding them to find solutions to problems from the
inner self. The process preserves liberty for personal expansion and encourages one to take
responsibility. Thereby the approach of coaching seems to be appropriate to the actor-
director relationship, where the director could encourage the actor’s excitement in char-
acter-creation by creating a safe rehearsing flow, leaving their imagination free but
supporting the actor to overcome her/his hesitations against new solutions. Executive
Coaching
63
suggests that self-development could even be a spiritual journey in which the
coachee ontologically becomes more profound and integrated.
64
A conversion from a false
self, which is trapped in fear, greed, resentment and a distortion of reality, to a real Self,
steeped in forgiveness, acceptance, gratitude, compassion and integrity, can potentially take
place.
65
The director could become selfless and orientated to serving others, focusing only
on doing and being able to see a united goal within a greater moral perspective.
In my search for the termination of stage fright I developed a new methodology called
Zero Zone praxis. Zero Zone (henceforth ZZ) praxis is an idiosyncratic self-cultivation
praxis, in which exercises amalgamate Stanislavskian actor training and directing craft
with the perceptual Yogic techniques and Vedic philosophy principles (Abhyasa and
Vairagya). It helps tackle ego-based conflicts during the rehearsal period and avoid stage
fright manifestations in the actor-director dyad in performing arts.
The praxis moves beyond the closed conservative teaching and, at the level of the
interrelationship between the actor and director, mutual training leads to a partnership
which creates sincere trust and understanding through the task’s intimacy. ZZ includes a
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 93
unique method for the director to prepare and guide the actor to perform with increas-
ingly rising immersive focusing in rehearsals. The praxis always stays impersonal, as one
is powerfully guided to connect to oneself. Experience from Yoga practice shows that
practitioners, trained to be aware of their emotions, will acquire the skill to decrease
confrontation in conflict situations. Thus, the actor-director tandem dares to experience
new creative approaches as they both feel secure and appreciated. According to the
results from case studies, participants report an increased ability to concentrate, stay in
the performing flow and avoid random disturbing thoughts connected to anxiety and
external or internal confrontation.
66
The positive effect will be mutual as the success
reflects on both. ZZ preventive self-cultivation praxis offers a possibility, already hidden
within the devising and rehearsal process. The approach to the director’s profession as an
artistic leader with coaching skills (equipped with specific self-cultivation techniques)
would be more comprehensive and this could also satisfy the desire for deeper meaning.
67
According to the aim of this paper, spirituality should be understood as a holistic
platform or quality of self-cultivation and performing; the heightened communion of
performing partners and audience, as well as a source for extra energy and motivation,
rather than a religious experience.
The ZZ praxis could refresh Stanislavskian craft by restoring its critical value –
purification; and bringing conscious perceptual resources for the actor that help under-
mine traditional understandings of character/self/ego.
68
Connection
As a practitioner, Stanislavski simply selected every tool which proved itself in practice
69
and was fascinated by its effect – also as a part of his spiritual experience. Today, without
this special personal need, the performer often stays within the corporeal side (how to
follow presenting principles) of his teaching without any attempt at reaching a realization
of it on a higher consciousness level, this is, including the spiritual approach.
Unfortunately, there is evidence that this dualistic conservatory teaching produces
constant stage fright.
70
Nevertheless, in the way in which Stanislavski described his
craft, one can experience the absolute truth and higher consciousness, which replaces
the internal and external confrontation with fruitful creative outcomes in a rehearsal
studio. The reason is simple – at this level, fear will be replaced with the absolute flow.
If we are aiming for higher results in craft, the commitment should also be on a higher
ethical level. Otherwise, it leads to destructive failure – consciousness is a sensitive,
sophisticated instrument. Thus, we have carefully to review Stanislavski’s unique and
profound method, which inherits all possibilities for perfect realization, uplifting both
theatrical shared experience and personal self-cultivation without dismissing any part of
it. The attitude could be the key.
I felt an inexplicable sense of shame with my teenage acting experience on TV because
I feared that the spectators would identify me with the character I portrayed. This sense
of humiliation and inability to detach myself from it changed my life forever. Now only
the question remains: is humankind ready for deep, robust and delicate communication
on a higher consciousness level in theatre – both as an actor and an audience?
At first me alone. Then the two of us, me and the like-minded, then [. . .] in
progression.
71
94 T. TOHVER
Notes
1. https://polygonteater.org/eng.
2. About directing craft, see Richards, Heart of Practice; Schechner and Wolford, The
Grotowski Sourcebook; Barba, On Directing and Dramaturgy; Spatz, “This Extraordinary
Power”; Bogart, A Director Prepares; Aaron, Stage Fright. About Mike Alfreds’ and other
directors’ opinions, see Merlin, Facing the Fear. Unfortunately, these findings do not
provide a blueprint for a concrete, mutual practice which helps improve the actor-director
exchange during the rehearsal process, alleviating fear or ego-based conflict.
3. Merlin, Facing the Fear, 89–90.
4. Caird, Theatre Craft, 119–120, 121–124.
5. Gabbard, Stage fright, 383–392.
6. See Brennan, Stage Fright; Arias, “In the Wings”; Seton, Maxwell and Szabó, “Warming up”;
Robb, Due and Venning, “Exploring Psychological Wellbeing”; and Merlin, Facing the Fear.
7. emails from 13.4.-3.5.2021. The Platform calls together practitioners, artists, pedagogues
and researchers involved in performer training within the institutions offering higher
education in the fields of performing arts, see more https://performertrainingplatform.
wordpress.com.
8. The director /professor centred dominative approach.
9. Carnicke, Stanislavsky: Uncensored and Unabridged.
10. Yoga is both a system of philosophy, one of the six Indian Vedic philosophies, and a
technology for psychosomatic-spiritual development for human bodymind wholeness.
Current article is drawn from a psychological-spiritual-philosophical approach, which
encompasses a variety of techniques ranging from breathing (Pranayama) to meditative
exercises (Dhyana) rather than physical postures (Asanas), see Zarrilli, Daboo and Loukes,
Acting: Psychophysical.
11. Merlin, Facing the Fear; Wegner, The Creative Circle; Norvelle, Stanislavski Revisited.
12. Merlin, Facing the Fear, 95.
13. From Stanislavski, My Life in Art, 461.
14. Thomson and Jaque, “17 – Performing Artists”, 290.
15. Thomson and Jaque, “Multifaceted self-consciousness”.
16. Norvelle, “Stanislavski Revisited”, 31.
17. Carnicke, Stanislavsky: Uncensored and Unabridged, p. 24–27; White, The Routledge
Companion, 294–295.
18. White, The Routledge Companion, 287.
19. Examples include the relaxation of muscles (muscular release), the emission and reception
of “rays”, the beaming of auras, the sending of prana, attention, visualizations (mental
images), Tcherkasski, Stanislavsky and Yoga.
20. Nikolai Demidov was Stanislavski’s collaborator in the Moscow Art Theatre studio. Trained
as a psychologist with certified medical and Yogic knowledge, he becomes the acting teacher
who has insight into the psychophysical processes at work. As a yogi, Demidov contributed
to the penetration of Yoga into the teachings of Stanislavski White, The Routledge
Companion.
21. Pen name for the former lawyer and later author of twelve books about Yoga, legal name
William Walker Atkinson (1862–1932), White, The Routledge Companion.
22. Benedetti, Stanislavski: An Introduction.
23. White, The Routledge Companion.
24. See section “Stage fright”.
25. Yoga is more effective than any other therapy for reducing depression and anxiety when
compared to psychosocial or educational interventions, such as counselling, see Vaid and
Pal “Yogic intervention”.
26. See note 23 above.
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 95
27. The Yoga Sutras of sage Patañjali forms a keystone of Indian philosophical and religious
thought. The Yoga Sutras are a collection of texts written around 400 CE. The collection
contains what is thought to be much of the basis of classical Yoga philosophy and is made up
of 196 sutras (“threads” or discourses). About Patañjali Yoga Sutras (PYS) in connection of
self-cultivation, indicatively see Manek, “Yogic Practices”.
28. About Grotowski, see Barba and Grotowski, Land of Ashes and Diamonds; Kapsali, “I Don’t
Attack it”; Richards, Heart of Practice; about Stanislavski, see Tcherkasski, Stanislavsky and
Yoga. Current writing is drawn from a psychological-spiritual approach with the emphasis
more on Pratyahara, Dharana Dhyana and Samadhi processes.
29. See note 18 above, 295.
30. More specifically – Yama principle is understood as social observances: codes of conduct,
and Niyama is principle of personal observances: codes of discipline in Vedic philosophy
and Yoga practice.
31. See note 23 above.
32. These are Yoga core principles, which set the stage for practices that lead to control of the
mind and self-realization, see Vaid and Pal, “Yogic intervention”; Manek, “Yogic Practices”;
Wallis, Tantra Illuminated; and Bryant, The Yoga Sutras.
33. PYS 2.30; 2.31; 2.32.
34. All in Sanskrit. From perceptual Yogic techniques Stanislavski uses Dharana (concentra-
tion) (PYS 3.1) but does not directly articulate the need to deepen this to Dhyana
(meditation) (PYS 3.2). Pranayama is widely used in performing arts as source for
relaxation and supporting technique for speech, but it is actually intended for energy
extraction and guiding. However, he expressed constantly the need of absolute absorption
into the character, which is compared with Samadhi (yogi’s union with Higher
Consciousness).
35. On 2 September 1938 a few days before his death, when he travelled to the sanatorium, he
selected writings to take with him for further work. Among them was the paper called
“Ethics”.
36. The same work was translated from the Moscow Art Theatre Museum’s edition (1947) by
the Estonian actor-director Felix Moor and published in the Estonian language by Estonian
Soviet Socialist Republic Theatre Association in 1952. Current paper uses both editions, the
second was published by Estonian Theatre Union in 2005.
37. Stanislavski, Ethics, 15–18.
38. Ibid.
39. Shevtsova, Rediscovering Stanislavsky, 114.
40. Tcherkasski, Stanislavsky and Yoga.
41. In Russian.
42. See note 23 above.
43. See note 39 above, 114.
44. Meditation (Sanskrit), this concrete exists in many Yogic practices, such as Babaji Kriya
Yoga. Originally, this trains distinctions skill and patience.
45. See note 39 above, 113.
46. Stanislavski, Ethics.
47. Ahaṅkāra, lit. “identity-constructor”, Sanskrit.
48. Wallis, Tantra Illuminated, 93.
49. Wallis, Tantra Illuminated; Bryant, The Yoga Sutras.
50. The same schema appears in the dynamics of stage fright (Gabbard,1979).
51. See Grupe and Nitschke, “Uncertainty and anticipation”.
52. To make sure from personal experience that demands are feasible. Stanislavski, Ethics, 22.
53. Ibid.
54. See section “Stage fright”.
55. Not to be confused with the quality of final artistic outcome.
56. He was in love with discipline, according to his sister Z. S. Sokolova (from foreword of Ethics
(1952), 5).
96 T. TOHVER
57. His colleagues expressed they felt like rabbits for experimental studies, White, The Routledge
Companion.
58. This can transform both them and the material they encounter and represent, and occurs
not because of the actor’s mastery of skills, but because of the personal change that
practicing stimulates, see Zarrilli, Daboo and Loukes, Acting: Psychophysical. Su believes
he is talking about activating chakras (Cakra, Sanskrit), Su, “Mindfulness and Heightened
Consciousness”. According to the Yogic view, chakras are a convergence of energy,
thoughts, feelings and the physical body.
59. Meyer-Dinkgräfe, Theatre and Consciousness.
60. Fluidity, inventive cognition and suspension of judgement are generators of perceptual
expansion that emerge from the exploration of attention on different levels. This can lead
to a personal transformation of the participants of these practices. Bonfitto, “The
Emergence”.
61. Wallis, Tantra Illuminated.
62. See also Thomson and Jaque, “Multifaceted self-consciousness” and “17 – Performing
Artists”; Jodry and Reid, “Acting Theory”; Allen and Fry, “Spiritual development”;
Bonfitto, “The Emergence”; and Zarrilli, Daboo and Loukes, Acting: Psychophysical.
63. Professional coaching is an individualized, solution-focused, systematic, stretching and self-
directed cross-disciplinary methodology for fostering individual change with collaborative
goal setting, Grant, “An Integrative”. Central to most definitions of coaching are the
assumptions of an absence of serious mental health problems in the client (Bluckert,
Critical factors in executive coaching), the notion that the client is resourceful (Berg &
Szabó, Brief Coaching) and willing to engage in finding solutions (Greene and Grant,
Solution-focused Coaching).
64. Allen and Fry, “Spiritual development”, 799.
65. Ibid.
66. Zero Zone praxis was tested first in pilot study with Auroville Theatre Group and
secondly, in a full production with the professionals (spring-autumn) in Polygon
Theatre and through ongoing workshops with Polygon Theatre School students (autumn)
during 2020–2022. The result occurs already in thirty days, if practiced consistently. The
unique method of increasingly rising immersive focusing in rehearsals appears unexpect-
edly valuable.
67. As a special level of spirituality, but in other words just a sense of purpose, which both actors
and leaders have been pointed out in different cases. See Brennan, Stage Fright; Allen and
Fry, “Spiritual development”; Zarrilli, Daboo and Loukes, Acting: Psychophysical
Phenomenon and Process, Meyer-Dinkgräfe, Theatre and Consciousness.
68. See note 59 above.
69. See also Shevtsova, Rediscovering Stanislavsky, 115.
70. See Brennan, Stage Fright; Arias, “In the Wings”; Seton, Maxwell and Szabó, “Warming up”;
Robb, Due and Venning, “Exploring Psychological Wellbeing”; Merlin, Facing the Fear; and
Thomson and Jaque, “17 – Performing Artists”.
71. Stanislavski, Ethics, 23.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes on contributor
Tamur Tohver, trained as a director and an actor, is a Manchester Metropolitan University (UK)
PhD candidate. His research focuses on actor-director collaboration, self-developmental actor
training, consciousness and immediate transmission in theatre. After cultivating Drama in
STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 97
Estonian Public Broadcasting Company for fifteen years; in 2008, Polygon Theatre, which amal-
gamates professional theatre and drama school, was born. Alongside directing internationally for
over thirty years, Tamur has taught performing arts in the universities of Estonia and is the author
of the book on audio art Silent Listening Is Easier (2003). Tamur is a Yoga practitioner and teacher.
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STANISLAVSKI STUDIES 99
