ABSTRACT
The Psychological Gesture (PG) is central to the acting theory of Michael Chekhov. That it is a powerful tool in the development of action and character is undeniable. Combining the force of physical movement with the imaging of psychological states, actors are able to develop repeatable scores that communicate the action with clarity and intensity. The growing number of people taking courses and workshops under the auspices of the Michael Chekhov Association (MICHA) is a strong indication of the relevance of Chekhov’s theories to current actor training. While many believe that the success of actors trained in the system, such as Geoffrey Rush, is sufficient proof of Chekhov’s theory, placing the PG in the frame of cognitive science has the potential for providing a deeper understanding of how his theory works in practice. In recent years theatre theorists and practitioners have been turning to the cogni-
tive sciences, a range of disciplines from neuroscience to psychology to linguistics to philosophy, as a tool for understanding the arts and humanities. This fertile research provides a bridge between the micro (the actor as a biological being) and the macro (the actor’s engagement with other performers and the world of the stage), overcoming prejudices that prefer one form of analysis to the other. The cognitive turn gives us an opportunity to link the personal with the cultural, giving a stronger basis for making claims about techniques used to train actors. This is the argument I wish to make: the significance of the PG in the creative process can be better understood when cognitive science is used to understand the value of the gesture, a model that does not depend on reducing the concept to a formula or diminishing its usefulness in creating a role. To this end, I begin with a general statement about acting, followed by a brief discussion of Psychological Gestures. Then I address two cognitive
systems, memory and the mirroring system, and conclude with a return to the PG and its function in developing and performing the actor’s score.
