Argh. Tim, my theater appreciation teacher, doesn't return papers, so i DON'T HAVE MY STINKIN' RESEARCH ON THIS PRECISE TOPIC. Acting by method, though commonly attributed in name to Constantine Stanislavski, is really based more on the interpretations by Lee Strasberg of Stanislavski's work, rather than specifically on the direct teachings and writings of Stanislavski

Strasberg studied under him in Moscow, as did Chekov. If my memory serves correctly, Strasberg co-founded the Actors' Studio in NYC, which has produced Marlon Brando and numerous other recognizable names (again, that's of the top of my head--if i'm a little off, don't shoot me).

The reason so much focus has been put on Stanislavski's early work, in which he promoted the idea of dwelling on actual past emotions to produce stage emotions (an effective technique, but one that can promote psychological problems over time in extreme cases), that he wrote in Russian and English translations of his books were delayed by about 10-12 years. By the time American actors who couldn't afford to study directly with him in Moscow read about this technique of a world-reknowned acting teacher, he had found more effective ways to accomplish the desired effect in his troupe with less effort.

According to another of his students, Sonia Moore (whose book my paper was primarily based on), his later techniques of individual acting dealt with basic ideas of motivation (e.g., if you have no reason for your character to get out of his chair, stay seated or find a reason). I haven't read Stanislavski himself, so i can't really say how he came to treat the previous example of bringing tears or acting out intense grief. But more central to his later focus was that a good show depends on the whole cast production, not just on great work from single lead performers or even from only the actors.

That's as much as i know about Stanislavski. But to explain just a little more about potential problems with method acting in its extremes, allow me two examples:

First, and more recently, Winona Rider. Her much publicized shoplifting encounter could easily be connected with this kind of foundational approach to acting, because it tends to assume that a person is not capable of effectively acting out something that has not been personally experienced.

Secondly, a story passed down, maybe as an urban legend. I believe the actors involved were an accomplished Sidney Poitier and a young Dustin Hoffman, filming a movie together (if you can't find the movie, i guess i got the names wrong). Hoffman shows up to film, having prepared to play some physically wracked man, with either an intense sickness or a horrible drug addiction. Hoffman had starved himself for at least a week, and it physically showed. Poitier asks what the problem is, and Hoffman explains his approach. Poitier replies disdainfully, "Try acting, son."

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