Styles of Theater Acting

The study seeks to clarify myths and concepts about the different styles of acting on the stage. All the major styles of actingmelodramatic, biomechanical, expressionist, symbolist, psychologicalnaturalist, epic theaterhave been included in the book. The discussion of acting styles is marked by lucidity of expression and clarity of argument chastened by a deep insight of a practitioner of the various styles. The study brings into sharp focus the mechanics and dynamics of each acting style and gives a clear and useful guidance to its practitioner as to how to exploit himself as a player whose instrument, too, he himself is. Frequent reference to the Indian performance scenario makes the book eminently meaningful to the Indian theater person and theater lovers. Several interesting, penetrating conclusions have been thrown up. Such as the theater and acting may be realisttheatrical or theatricalrealist, pointing out the duality of their nature. Or, the basic training on the art of acting in same for all actors, only they have to wear about themselves different techniques for shifting over one to the other acting styleor even the medium. Or, how a muddleheaded theoretical understanding of a style may lead to encountering an impact or communication dynamically opposed to the one intendeda sort of a law of reversal operating in the theater.