Naturalism in Russia and the Creation of the Moscow Art Theatre

The earliest of the modern theatre movement was naturalism. Russia lagged behind the rest of Europe, as far as theatre was concerned. That point was proven when the Meiningen Players performed in Russia. The Meiningen Players created not only a set, but also an environment in which they are a part of (Gascoigne 265). Russian producers saw, first hand, how far behind they were. The Imperial Theatre system spent most of its resources on opera and ballet while neglecting legitimate theatre. Most of the administrative staff was composed of government appointees who had little or no interest of theatrical production. There was no effort to harmonize sets and costumes to create a unified impression (Londre 359). This changed, however, with the abolition of the Imperial Theatre and the creation of the Moscow Art Theatre in 1898. The combination of three talents, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko and Anton Chekov, would set unprecedented standard for dramatic art in Russia.

Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko was regarded as Russia's best contemporary playwright by the 1880's. He taught at the Philharmonic Dramatic school and his plays were produced at the Maly theatre in Moscow. Here, Nemirovich-Danchenko fought for such improvements as dress rehearsals, new scenery for new plays, historical accuracy of sets and costumes. Nemirovich-Danchenko urged Stanislavsky to meet with him to discuss Russian Theatre (360).

Konstantin Stanislavsky was born, Konstantin Alexeyev, the son of a wealthy manufacturer of gold and silver thread. While Konstantin was still very young, his family organized a theatre group called the Alexeyev Circle (www.kryingsky.com/Stan/Biography..) As a young man he was given singing lessons, contact with Russian and foreign artists and unlimited opportunity to participate in amateur productions at the little theatre on his family's estate. Although he still managed to fulfill his obligations to his family business, he also produced two productions a year at their theatre, usually vaudevilles and operettas. His acting method was to imitate well-known professional actors (Londre 360). At the age of 25, mindful of his family's reputation, he changed his name from Alexseyev to Stanislavsky. In the same year, he established the Society of Art and Literature at the Maly Theatre. Here he gained experience in ethics, aesthetics and stagecraft (www.kryingsky.com/Stan/Biography/bot.html). This is also when Stanislavsky agreed to meet with Nemirovich-Danchenko.

The two men met in 1897 and over an eighteen-hour conversation, they discussed the principles for a new theatre. The Moscow Art Theatre was founded with two major goals. First was to provide training for the actor. Secondly, was to raise the audience's level of taste and theatergoing behavior (Londre 361). The Moscow Art Theatre was Russia's first ensemble theatre and the first to deny allegiance to the tastes of the patrons. A fully professional organization from the beginning, the theatre was dedicated to truthful emotion on stage, careful research and preparation and specifically designed and historically accurate sets and costumes (www.kryingsky.com/Stan/AssociatedTheatres/bot1.html).

Nemirovich-Danchenko took charge of literary matters while Stanislavsky took charge of the artistic realm. Each took the most dedicated actors from their schools and the two groups were made into an ensemble (Londre 361). Stanislavsky used the theatre to develop his own system of training wherein actors research the situation created by the script, break down the text according to their character's motivations and recall their own experiences. The actor would ideally make his motivations for acting identical to those of the character in the script (www.kryingsky.com/StanBiography/bot.html).

The first production of the Moscow Art Theatre was Alexei Tolstoy's Tsar Feodor Ivanovich. The play created a sensation with its ensemble and absence of stars, as well as its realistic re-creation of Russia in 1600 (Brockett, Hildy 400). The theatre had a repertoire of plays with such playwrights as Sophocles, Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Ibsen and reluctantly Anton Chekov (Londre 361).

Anton Chekov rose from poverty to study medicine at the University of Moscow while supporting himself and his family. Chekov initially gained fame as the author of short stories while at the same time opening a medical practice. He began to write one-act farces, but after writing a full-length that was rejected by the Alexandry Theatre, Chekov vowed to write only trifles from then on. However, he wrote another full-length play, The Seagull, which was chosen to be performed at the Alexandry Theatre for a benefit without first being read. Theatre patrons filled the theatre expecting to see a comedy, instead seeing a play that was unrehearsed and poorly performed. Audience members soon showed their displeasure and the play was a flop. Chekov left