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Journal article
From Stanislavsky’s System to Ecosystem: Biophilic Pattern Analysis as Eco-Cognitive Performance Practice
Stanislavski Studies: Practice, Legacy, and Contemporary Theater, Vol.13(1), pp.17-37
2025
Abstract
Konstantin Stanislavsky’s System of acting training emphasizes the interplay between experience, embodiment, and the actor’s connection to “nature,” which he considered a better guide to a living organism. Grounded in the laws of organic nature, Stanislavsky’s holistic approach integrates the actor’s mind, body, and environment in a complementary manner to that of ecological and postcognitive approaches. Alongside this interconnected vision, however, Stanislavsky demanded precision and actionable steps, rejecting emotional generalities. Without concrete tools, key Stanislavskian principles such as “nature,” “life,” and “dynamism” risk becoming abstract or unattainable. This article addresses this gap by introducing biophilic pattern analysis, a rehearsal room methodology inspired by E.O. Wilson’s biophilia hypothesis, which identifies nature-derived patterns that foster cognitive and affective engagement. Using a process of “landscape mapping,” the article applies biophilic design principles to textual analysis to support actors’ connections to internal and external landscapes. Discussion situates biophilia within existing critical frameworks, introduces biophilic patterns with examples of ecological metaphors in Shakespeare’s Othello and Stanislavsky’s An Actor’s Work, and offers rehearsal room exercises. By linking ecological principles to actionable practices, this preliminary foray investigates how biophilic patterns might foster dynamic performances and forge deeper ecological connections.
Details
- Title
- From Stanislavsky’s System to Ecosystem: Biophilic Pattern Analysis as Eco-Cognitive Performance Practice
- Authors/Creators
- Alys Daroy (Written By) - Murdoch University, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Publication Details
- Stanislavski Studies: Practice, Legacy, and Contemporary Theater, Vol.13(1), pp.17-37
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
- Number of pages
- 21
- Identifiers
- 991005754935507891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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