The Meisner Technique is a series of exercises aimed at increasing actors' attentiveness and their ability to focus their attention solely on their acting partner and what is happening in the moment.
The technique was developed by Sanford Meisner, who in the 1930s began developing his new method at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, drawing on, among other things, Konstantin Stanislavski's earlier thoughts. Meisner training is an interdependent series of training exercises that build on one another, all based on the principle that the actor should be sensitive to surrounding impulses, and their focus should be on their partner, not their own thoughts or intellectual analysis of the role.
This short course aims to provide the fundamentals for attentive work with a partner, which actors can later use in any genre. The value of the trainer lies in observant work with the participants, during which actors learn to let go of tensions and mannerisms, read their partner's body language and intonation, and use the information obtained in their character's reactions. Engaging with the Meisner technique makes the actor's work more organic, thereby making it more honest and engaging on stage.
This course took place on 14-16.06.2024.
The course was organised by Rahel Otsa Improkool and the Estonian Amateur Theatre Association.
The course was supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.