Interview: The MCCUK past, present and future

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Notes

^1. Chekhov's notion of Radiation involves actors sending out their own channelled energy ‘beyond the boundaries of the body’ (2002, p. 12) into space. This Radiation includes emotions, feelings, will-impulses and images (1991, p. 114). Chekhov argues that to ‘radiate on stage means to give, to send out. Its counterpart is to receive. True acting is a constant exchange of the two… but what should he (the character) receive, and when and how? (2002, p. 19).

^2. Chekhov argues that ‘concentration is nearness’ (2000, p. 15) and means ‘“being with” something’ (2000, p. 30) and that ‘the means to… imagination is to develop this kind of concentration which is by going out of one's physical body as it were, and “taking” the image, the thing, or the sound, and merging with it’ (1985, p. 45).

^3. Chekhov developed a series of imaginatively embodied exercises that involved working with a stick, ball and veil to explore their qualities and forms in relation to Steiner's notion of thinking, willing and feeling respectively. This is discussed and demonstrated by Chekhov's former student Felicity Mason (1993).

^4. Chekhov relates moulding, flowing, flying and radiating with the ‘four elements: earth, water, air, fire, which play such an important part in Steiner's method of artistic education’ (1991, p. 47).

^5. By ‘lower self’ Chekhov means that part of our nature ‘that is merely sufficient for our ordinary existence’. Higher self is of ‘a higher order that marshals the creative powers in us’ (1985, p. 15).

^6. The Feeling of the Whole is one of what Chekhov terms the Four Brothers along with Ease, Form and Beauty. A feeling of the Whole can also be seen to apply to Chekhov's approach overall whereby one technique triggers, or brings into play, other aspects of the method.

^7. Chekhov talks of the ‘law of triplicity’ in relation to the composition of performance which he explains involves the plot generating, unfolding and concluding (2002, p. 94).

^8. The original German reads: ‘Izt' fühl ich / wie in mir / linklock-hü / und linkläck-hi / völlig mir / witzig / bläst’ (1960, p. 362)