Stanislavski on Stage: The Benedetti Legacy

Abstract

The foundation in 2007 of The Stanislavski Centre, the parent organization of the Stanislavski Studies journal, came about directly through the work of the late Professor Jean Benedetti (1930–2012) which originated when he was the Principal of Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance from 1970 to 1987. Starting with the publication of Stanislavski: An Introduction in 1982, and culminating in the editing and translation of the new Routledge Stanislavski editions, published in 2008 and 2009, with much additional work in between, Benedetti became established as one of the world’s most influential Stanislavski scholars. As founding Patron of The Centre, Benedetti witnessed its inaugural event, the Stanislavski on Stage exhibition of photographic material from the Centre’s archives, at London’s National Theatre in 2008. To mark the 150th anniversary of Stanislavski’s birth in 1863, the exhibition was re-staged at Pushkin House in Central London, accompanied by a short lecture series. The opening night of this exhibition was designed to celebrate Jean Benedetti’s life and work. Under the chairmanship of the College’s current Principal, Professor Michael Earley, the Head of the Centre, Dr Paul Fryer, assembled a panel of leading Stanislavski experts and practitioners, several of whom had direct experience of working with Benedetti himself, and many of whom have contributed major publications to the current scholarship. Their discussions, debates and deliberations are published here for the first time, not only as a fascinating exploration of Stanislavski’s approaches and the way in which they are taught today, but also as a memorial to Jean Benedetti, whose pioneering work opened up an entirely new level of understanding for English-speaking readers.