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The Invisible Actor

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( 423 ratings, 28 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Invisible Actor uncovers the unique acting methods of Japanese actor and director Yoshi Oida, blending Eastern traditions of disciplined control with Western emotional expression. Co-written with Lorna Marshall, it emphasises the importance of the audience perceiving only the performance, not the actor's technique, to preserve the magic of theatre.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3299
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Ideal for actors, theatre practitioners, and those passionate about performing arts and cross-cultural approaches to acting.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Invisible Actor presents the captivating and unique methods of the distinguished Japanese actor and director, Yoshi Oida. While a member of Peter Brook's theatre company in Paris, Yoshi Oida developed a masterful approach to acting that combined the oriental tradition of supreme and studied control with the Western performer's need to characterise and expose depths of emotion.

Written with Lorna Marshall, Yoshi Oida explains that once the audience becomes openly aware of the actor's method and becomes too conscious of the actor's artistry, the wonder of performance dies. The audience must never see the actor but only his or her performance. Throughout, Lorna Marshall provides contextual commentary on Yoshi Oida's work and methods.

In a new foreword to accompany the Bloomsbury Revelations edition, Yoshi Oida revisits the questions that have informed his career as an actor and explores how his skilful approach to acting has shaped the wider contours of his life.

Series: Bloomsbury Revelations

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Peter Brook praises the book for revealing the intricate science behind performance, sharing vital lessons with elegance and subtlety that make complex challenges seem effortless.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781350148260

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 October 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic

Audience: Tertiary education

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 136.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 120g

Pages: 128

About the Author

Yoshi Oida became the first member of Peter Brook's international theatre company in Paris in 1968. Trained in the traditional Japanese arts of Noh theatre, Kabuki dance and Bunraku storytelling, since joining he has become a leading member of the company. He participated in the extraordinary explorative journey through Africa, and has played starring roles in The Ik, The Conference of the Birds, The Mahabharata and The Tempest. He was made Chevalier de l'Ordre des Art et des Lettres in 1992, and in 2007, made an officer of the same order.

Lorna Marshall
has taught physical acting to performers in almost every area, from ballet dancers to classical actors and opera singers, and from performance artists to circus acts. She has worked with companies such as The Royal Shakespeare Company, Shared Experience, The Royal National Theatre, and The Consort of Musicke. She runs international workshops and is currently Honorary Research Fellow at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Adviser on Actor Training at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.

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