Actor's Training (1966) Summary and Analysis

These set of notes come from one of Grotowski's classes done in Brussels in 1966. Grotowski has maintained that his method is pliable and adaptable, and indeed we find that the 1966 routine he has developed for actors is quite different from the one used from 1959 to 1962. In general, the 1966 routine emphasizes to a much higher degree a "give and take" and the "encounter" between the actor and spectator. In this way, Grotowski himself participates in many of the exercises, challenging/helping the actor, or acting against him. Also, though students are dealt with one by one, the entire acting class is in attendance as a sort of spectator (they are told to keep complete silence). Grotowski says very little and does not "condemn" anything the actor does, which contributes to a warm, welcoming environment in which the actor is free...