OVERVIEW

The discipline deals with the constitutive elements of acting: pedagogy, training, technique, poetry, social and political role. To this end, it interweaves the point of view of actors with that of criticism and studies, by considering a wide range of sources: memorials, manuals, dramatic and theoretical texts, iconographic documents and videos.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to offer examples and methodological tools to allow students to navigate the panorama of practices and theories of acting in history, with particular reference to the XIX-XX centuries and the present day. Special attention will be paid to the intertwining of the construction/use of the body on stage, the relationship with the audience and the social role of actors and actresses.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students are able:

• to be familiar with the methodological tools necessary for the study of acting in history;

• to know the main theories on acting, with special reference to the XIX and the XX centuries;

• to place the profiles of actors in their socio-cultural context;

• to analyze the different types of sources useful to the study of acting.

PREREQUISITES

There are no prerequisites, but a basic knowledge of the history of theatre is certainly useful.

Registration with Aulaweb is mandatory.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures.

Active participation in the lesson will also be encouraged, in order to facilitate the understanding of the contents of the teaching and to develop an independent reflection on them. Activities will be organized, to be carried out independently and in groups, such as commented readings, analysis of archival documents, debates on particular problems and case studies.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Programme for students using the teaching for 6 CFU:

a)  Actresses and actors in the nineteenth century, between practices and theories

In the first part, the teaching offers an overview of the transformations that have characterized the art of acting in the transition between the nineteenth and the twentieth century, both on the level of practices (artistic, technical, organizational) as on that of theories.

b) The art of acting according to Stanislavsky

The second part of the teaching focuses on the method developed by russian director Konstantin Stanislavskij, from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.

Programme for students using the teaching for 9 cfu:

a)  Actresses and actors in the nineteenth century, between practices and theories

In the first part, the teaching offers an overview of the transformations that have characterized the art of acting in the transition between the nineteenth and the twentieth century, both on the level of practices (artistic, technical, organizational) as on that of theories.

b) The art of acting according to Stanislavsky

The second part of the teaching focuses on the method developed by russian director Konstantin Stanislavskij, from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.

c)  Acting as a woman, between the nineteenth and the twentieth century

The third part of the teaching proposes an in-depth study on the main Italian actresses of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a particular attention to the cases of Adelaide Ristori, Giacinta Pezzana, Eleonora Duse.

Erasmus students with insufficient familiarity with the Italian language can agree on a substitute bibliography and take the exam in a substitute language (English and French).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For 6 cfu:

Paola Degli Esposti, L’attore nell’Ottocento europeo. La prassi e la teoria, Roma, Dino Audino, 2021.

Franco Ruffini, Stanislavskij: Dal lavoro dell'attore al lavoro su di sé, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015.

For 9 cfu:

Paola Degli Esposti, L’attore nell’Ottocento europeo. La prassi e la teoria, Roma, Dino Audino, 2021.

Franco Ruffini, Stanislavskij: Dal lavoro dell'attore al lavoro su di sé, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015,

A volume to be chosen from the following:

Laura Mariani, L'Ottocento delle attrici. Da Carlotta Marchionni a Eleonora Duse, Roma, Viella, 2024.

Mirella Schino, Eleonora Duse. Storia e immagini di una rivoluzione teatrale, Roma, Carocci, 2023.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

September 2025

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral interview.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Expected knowledge and skills will be verified through an oral interview. Preparation is considered adequate if students demonstrate:

- to recognize the fundamental points of reference related to the history of acting;

- to understand the main theoretical problems concerning the art of acting;

- to master the terminology related to the historical and theoretical study of acting;

- to critically process the contents of the teaching.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with disabilities or DSAs are reminded that in order to request adaptations in the exam, they must first enter their certification on the University website at servizionline.unige.it in the "Students" section. The documentation will be verified by the University's Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and DSA Sector (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111). Subsequently, at least 10 days before the date of the exam, an e-mail
must be sent to the teacher with whom you will take the exam, including in the knowledge copy both the School's Teacher Referent for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with DSA (Prof. Elisabetta Colagrossi: elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it) and the Sector indicated above. The e-mail should specify: the name of the teaching; the date of the call; the student's last name, first name and roll number; the compensatory tools and dispensatory measures deemed functional; and required.  The contact person will confirm to the lecturer that the applicant is entitled to apply for adaptations in the examination and that these adaptations must be agreed upon with the lecturer. The lecturer will respond by informing whether the requested adaptations can be used. Requests should be sent at least 10 days before the date of the call in order to allow the lecturer(s) to evaluate the content. In particular, in case you intend to make use of maps conceptual maps for the exam (which must be much more concise than the maps used for studying) if the submission does not meet the deadline there will not be the technical time needed to make any changes.