Introduction

In this portfolio, I will explore a range of influential theatre practitioners that our director, Claire Eden, has introduced us to throughout our training. These practitioners include Konstantin Stanislavsky, Oscar Wilde, Bertolt Brecht, and others who have significantly shaped modern theatre practice. I will take a detailed look at the key techniques, systems, and methodologies they developed, examining how these approaches have influenced the way theatre is created, taught, and performed today. Many of these practitioners have laid the foundations for contemporary theatre and drama school training, helping to develop skilled performers and innovative productions.

This portfolio will also examine the impact these practitioners have had on performers and theatre as a whole, both historically and in modern performance contexts. In addition, I will reflect on how I have personally applied these techniques during my own training. This includes work completed in practical classes, rehearsals, performances, and script analysis. I found these techniques extremely valuable, as they helped me to deepen my understanding of character, performance style, and theatrical intention. Throughout this portfolio, I will discuss how engaging with these practitioners has enhanced my development as a performer and strengthened my analytical and creative skills.

Serious Money Extract by Carol Churchill – In the naturalistic style of Konstantin Stanislavsky.

Here, we completed our first few table reads in small groups, which was a key part of our rehearsal process when working on an extract from the play Serious Money. This approach is closely linked to Konstantin Stanislavsky’s techniques, particularly his emphasis on detailed script analysis before performance. “Never lose yourself on the stage. Always act in your own person, as an artist.” – [Stanislavsky, K. (2025)]. During the table reads, we focused on understanding the text, exploring character intentions, relationships, and the meaning behind the dialogue. Working in small groups allowed for open discussion and collaboration, helping us to share ideas and interpretations of the extract. This stage of rehearsal encouraged us to slow down and fully engage with the script, rather than rushing into performance without a clear understanding.

After completing several table reads, we then learnt our lines within our groups and prepared to perform the extract the following week. By this point, the table read process had given us a strong foundation, as we already had a clear understanding of the characters and their objectives. This made the transition from reading to performing much smoother and more effective. I found that learning lines felt easier because I understood the context and motivations behind each line, which helped my performance feel more natural and purposeful.

I really enjoyed experimenting with this process, as it gave us the opportunity to analyse the extract in depth and explore ways to make it interesting and new. Through discussion and experimentation, we were able to consider different performance choices, such as tone, pace, and emphasis, to bring fresh energy to the piece. This experience had a significant impact on me as a performer, as it improved my confidence, strengthened my analytical skills, and reinforced the importance of preparation and collaboration in creating engaging theatre.

The Importance of Being Earnest – In the comedic style of Oscar Wilde.

Oscar Wilde’s style of writing focuses a lot on understanding a character’s objective, obstacle, and super-objective, especially when it comes to comedy. When working on an extract from The Importance of Being Earnest , my scene partner and I used this idea to help shape our performance. We started by sitting down together and doing detailed script analysis so we could clearly understand what each character wanted from the other and what was stopping them from getting it. This helped us see how the conflict in the scene created humour and tension.

After analysing the extract, we began performing it together and experimenting with different choices. One of the main things we explored was changing the emotions of the characters. For example, I tried playing my character in a completely opposite way to how she would normally be performed, while my scene partner did the same. By doing this, we discovered new and unexpected ways to make the scene funny. We found that committing fully to these choices helped highlight Wilde’s comedy, as the humour often comes from characters taking themselves very seriously, even in ridiculous situations. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – [Wilde, O. (n.d.)].

This process allowed us to be more creative and take risks with our performance choices. It helped me understand how important experimentation is when working with comedy, rather than sticking to the most obvious interpretation of the text. We also spent a lot of time preparing outside of class by rehearsing together and refining our ideas.

Although we didn’t get the chance to perform the scene in front of an audience, the experience was still really enjoyable and useful. It helped me develop my confidence, creativity, and understanding of how to approach comedic scenes in a new way.

Romeo and Juliet Extract from Act 1, Scene 5 By William Shakespeare in the style of Bertolt Brecht and Konstantin Stanislavsky.

When working on the Romeo and Juliet extract from Act 1 Scene 5, my scene partner and I experimented with Bertolt Brecht’s technique of rewriting the text into our own words. “Don’t expect the theatre to satisfy the habits of its audience, but to change them.” – [Brecht, B. (n.d.)]. The main aim of this was to gain clarity and a deeper understanding of the language, as Shakespeare’s text can often feel challenging or unclear. By translating the scene into modern language, we were able to clearly understand what Romeo and Juliet were saying, feeling, and wanting from each other in that moment. This process helped us connect more strongly to the characters and made the intentions within the scene much clearer.

Rewriting the text also allowed us to explore how the scene might feel in a modernised setting. Hearing the dialogue in our own words made it feel more natural and relatable, which helped us embody the emotions and relationship between the characters more truthfully. Instead of focusing only on remembering the original lines, we were able to focus on meaning, emotion, and connection. This helped us develop a deeper understanding of the text and its emotional impact.

Alongside Brecht’s technique, we also incorporated elements of Stanislavsky’s naturalistic approach. Once we had translated the text, we rehearsed and performed the scene in a very realistic and natural way. We focused on listening, responding honestly, and building a genuine connection with one another. Because the language felt more natural, it was easier to stay present in the scene and react truthfully in the moment.

Combining Brecht’s rewriting technique with Stanislavsky’s naturalistic rehearsal style was extremely helpful for my development as a performer. It gave me more confidence when working with Shakespeare and helped me feel more connected to the text. Overall, this process allowed me to understand the scene on a deeper level and strengthened my ability to approach complex scripts in a practical and creative way.

Macbeth Monologue Act 2 Scene 1 Analysis and ‘Stars’ from Les Miserables Analysis on acting and performance choices.

For this task, the main aim was to explore how we analyse texts in a performative way and introduce clear acting choices for both a monologue and a song. I worked on Macbeth’s dagger monologue and the song Stars from Les Misérables. Instead of analysing the texts only on paper, we focused on how our analysis could directly inform how we would perform them. This included making choices about movement, voice, pace, posture, and intention.

I found this task quite difficult at first, particularly because the monologue analysis had to be presented in a presentation format. Unfortunately, I misunderstood the task and focused on everything except the main requirement. Although this was frustrating, it became a really important learning experience. After receiving feedback, I went back and completed much more detailed analysis, which I actually found extremely helpful. Breaking the text down line by line allowed me to understand the character’s thoughts, shifts in emotion, and inner conflict much more clearly.

I used some of Uta Hagen’s techniques to support this. I explored questions such as who am I, where am I, when is this set, and where am I from. “Who am I?” – [Hagen, U. (n.d.)]. These questions helped ground both performances and made my acting choices more specific. This was especially useful when working on Stars, as I was not very familiar with Les Misérables. To improve my understanding, I watched the show and carried out extensive background research on Javert, his beliefs, and his sense of order and justice.

Overall, although challenging at first, this task helped me understand how strong analysis directly improves performance. It encouraged me to be more detailed, reflective, and practical in my approach to both monologues and songs.

World Building techniques for this extract from ‘Me and My Girl’ by Noel Gay influenced by Bertolt Brecht.

For our final project of the term, we were put into groups and asked to complete a World Building task inspired by Brecht, focusing on the play Me and My Girl and the scene that takes place just before the musical cue shown in the extract. As a group, we decided to divide the research into key categories so that we could build a strong understanding of the world of the play. Each person was assigned a specific area to focus on: I researched politics, Theo focused on music, Millie researched fashion, and as one group member was absent, we collectively explored money and class. We spent around 10–15 minutes researching these topics in relation to the time period of the play, particularly working-class life in Lambeth during the Great Depression. This links to Brecht’s idea of looking at the bigger picture and not treating social conditions as “normal”, as he says, “Let nothing be called natural… lest all things be held unalterable!” [Brecht, (1937)]. After this, we shared and combined our research to build a clearer picture of the characters’ world.

After completing our research, we performed the scene together as a group, which I found really enjoyable. Performing the scene with the world-building knowledge made it feel more grounded, because we understood more about the characters’ circumstances and why they behave the way they do. I felt more confident making performance choices because the research gave me something solid to base them on, rather than guessing. After the performance, Claire gave me notes, and I made sure to apply them straight away. The feedback helped me improve clarity and make my choices more specific, especially in moments where the scene needed stronger focus. Once I used the notes, I felt the scene worked better and my performance became more confident and settled. This process reminded me how useful feedback is when you are building a scene, and how research and rehearsal actually connect. It also showed me that world building is not just background information, it directly affects how you perform and how believable the scene feels.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this portfolio has allowed me to explore a wide range of theatre practitioners and techniques and reflect on how they have shaped my development as a performer and theatre-maker. Practitioners such as Stanislavsky, Oscar Wilde, Brecht, Uta Hagen, and have all offered different approaches to rehearsal, performance, and analysis, which I have been able to apply practically throughout my training. Engaging with these methods has helped me understand that strong performance is built through preparation, experimentation, and a deep understanding of text and character.

Through practical tasks such as table reads, rewriting texts into modern language, exploring objectives and obstacles, and analysing monologues and songs performatively, I have developed stronger analytical skills and more confidence in my acting choices. Stanislavsky’s emphasis on preparation and naturalism helped me approach scenes with greater clarity and intention, while Brecht’s techniques encouraged me to question and reinterpret text in creative ways. Exploring Oscar Wilde’s comedic style taught me the importance of commitment and experimentation, particularly when working with comedy. Uta Hagen’s world-building questions helped ground my performances, especially when working on material I was unfamiliar with, such as Les Misérables.

Overall, this portfolio shows my growth in confidence, creativity, and understanding of theatre practice. Reflecting on both successes and challenges has helped me learn from my experiences and better prepare for future training and performance opportunities.

Word Count: 1911 (Excluding Titles, Bibliography and Quotes).

Bibliography

Brecht, B. (n.d.). TOP 25 QUOTES BY BERTOLT BRECHT (of 197). [online] A-Z Quotes.
Available at: https://www.azquotes.com/author/1856-Bertolt_Brecht (Accessed: 14 December 2025).

Brecht, B. (1937) The Exception and the Rule, Prologue. Quoted in Wikiquote.
Available at: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bertolt_Brecht (Accessed: 17 December 2025).

Hagen, U. (n.d.). Uta Hagen’s Nine Questions. [online] Available at: https://smithvilledrama.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Uta_Hagen_9_Questions.pdf (Accessed: 17 December 2025).

Stanislavsky, K. (2025). Constantin Stanislavski Quotes (Author of an Actor Prepares). [online] www.goodreads.com.
Available at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/54455.Constantin_Stanislavski (Accessed: 10 December 2025).

Wilde, O. (n.d.). Oscar Wilde Quotes (Author of the Picture of Dorian Gray). [online] www.goodreads.com.
Available at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3565.Oscar_Wilde (Accessed: 7 December 2025).