Many, thinking about acting talent, thought about such a definition as the role of an artist. Today we will talk about this and try to understand: the role is a sentence, a stamp that, according to K.S. Stanislavsky, does not allow the actor to develop his personality, or yet the opportunity to clarify in which roles the talent will manifest itself most clearly.
So, the role - what is it?
The word "Role" came to us from the French language, where it means "place, position, method of application." In theater art, this word defines the roles in which the actor is predominantly occupied , depending on his psychological and physical characteristics, while not forgetting his level of skill and playing technique.
How did the concept of "role" appear in theatrical art? What did this word mean in the 15th century?
In the European theater in the second half of the 15th century there is a separation of actors by type. The first and most ancient, as you understand, were the roles of a tragedian and a comedian, which appeared back in Ancient Greece, and then allegorical images such as Good, Envy, Reason, as well as a fool (buffoon), demon, etc. joined them. .
Later, already in the 17th century, kings, tyrants, beauties, heroes, villains appear among theatrical images . There is growing interest in the personality, and with it the roles of the actors playing them expand.
At the Catherine’s Theater in Russia, according to the decree of the Empress, the troupe was recruited strictly by character: hero, simpleton (comic role), noble father, veil, heroine, comic old woman, travesty, engineering, subretka. This selection of actors allowed the theater to perform both tragedy and comic performances.
How did the acting role expand?
A clear role helped the actors to deeply get used to the image, choosing methods that accurately and vividly depict the hero. But with the development of theatrical art and dramaturgy, they could no longer be within the framework of a single mask image, and therefore among the actors there was a tendency to break it, playing both comic and tragic roles. This led to a more subtle and ambiguous game, as well as to a deep and comprehensive perception by the viewer of the situation shown on the stage.
Did the acting role disappear? What does this concept mean now?
Development in the 20th century avant-garde forms of
theatrical art again returned to us the "mask" - the role of the actor. An example is the Raikin Theater, which actively uses this technique.
But the other actors of the theater and cinema, too, sometimes can not get rid of their role completely. After all, we all understand that often the type, appearance, or style of play determine for the artist the roles to which he will be invited most often. And to break this stereotype is almost impossible.
And again about the role
So, acting role - what is it? Is it good or bad to get bogged down in type, in a limited view of your capabilities? Unfortunately, there is no single answer to this question. Diversity - this is the unique ability of an actor in any image to shine equally brightly. But, choosing the role of the performer, the director will still rely on his external data, because it is difficult to imagine a caulked girl playing the role of Katerina in The Storm. So while there is an acting profession, the role of the actor will exist.