Chapter 13: The Unbroken Line

The Unbroken Line is that an actor’s way of acting, like emotions and story line should be
consistent but reading off the script or play only gives us part of that line so the actor himself
needs to build the rest of the character himself so the line can stay unbroken. The actors
responsibility is to keep the motion of his character going or else he will fall out of his character
and not understand the emotions of his character. “On the stage, if the inner line is broken an
actor no longer understands what is being said or done and he ceases to have any desires or
emotions” (Stanislavski 273). “A role must have continuous being and its unbroken line”
(Stanislavski 273).

The actors attention can be seen as an unbroken life by showing the consistency of emotions
and character. The script or play only gives you the lines of the character it is up to the actor to
form the rest of the character and keep it consistent. “In reality life builds the line but on the
stage it is the artistic imagination of the actor that creates it in the likeliness of truth”
(Stanislavski 276).

Chapter 14: The Inner Creative State

The actor must do some exercises to prepare for acting. Just like how a singer must warm up
their voice or how a runner must stretch before running, acting has the same type of exercise.
First, he has to relax the muscles. Then, choose an object and put meaning being it that
represents it. Then, make a movement and put motivation behind it. “We must exercise great
care, each time we have a creative piece of work to do, to prepare the various elements out of
which we compose a true inner creative mood” (Stanislavski 286).

Chapter 16: On the Threshold of the Subconscious

The actor should use this to his advantage such as add it to his scene, that way he will become
much closer to his subconscious. “To the conditions and means which help an actor in his
creative work and lead him to the promised land of the subconscious” (Stanislavski 318-319).

In order for the actor to achieve a state of mind where the character is indistinguishable from the
actor, he must find his touch of truth. Which is becoming connected to the realities of his life
such has his emotions, his own character, inner and external reactions, and just to dive deep
down in himself and find out more about his own person. “What we need is a super-objective
which is in harmony with the intentions of the playwright and at the same time arouses a
response in the soul of the actors. That means we must search for it not only in the play but in
the actors themselves” (Stanislavski 324).