Michael Chekhov

Adam J. Ledger (University of Hull)
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The life and work of Michael Chekhov, nephew of writer Anton Chekhov, directly influenced more than a generation of actors and students. Throughout his working life, Chekhov evolved and refined his particular approach to the work of the actor, seeking to harness the actor’s essential creativity through a fusion of powerful imaginative techniques and the responsiveness of the body. Considered one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, Chekhov, and his teaching, continues to attract considerable interest and inform acting practice today.

His key work, To the Actor (first published 1953; also published posthumously in a revised edition as On the Technique of Acting, 1991), has been described as one of the best acting manuals published in the Western theatre tradition. But following a

2123 words

Citation: Ledger, Adam J.. "Michael Chekhov". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 July 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5949, accessed 19 March 2024.]

5949 Michael Chekhov 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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