Like every week we post a book review on a subject related to acting, health, personal growth or anything related to the showbiz industry. In this case we talk about Ned Manderino’s THE TRANSPERSONAL ACTOR.
Manderino makes very good points with which I agree right off the bat. Such as the need to respect for tradition, but the belief that techniques of Stanislavski or Boleslavski should have been used as a springboard for further development. Not as something static.
His writing has a very scientific undertone and he focuses his logic on areas technically un-related to the actor. The book is comprised of 2 very distinct parts. The first a review on Strasberg/Stanislavski and ancient Greek Sensory work. He includes plenty of exercises, improv and scene work.
The second half focuses on the “transpersonal” actor. He uses Imagination exercises, and uses the physiological and phychological functioning of the body and mind to guide his work. There are also plenty of interesting animal behavior exercises as well as vocal work.
Overall the book is more of a varied technique-exercises, than a guide. Is it worth buying? Personally, NOT. It’s a book worth looking at on a bookstore, but the problem (as with plenty other books) is that you get just as much reading over the index as you do reading the entire book. Some exercises are great, but not worth purchasing the entire book.
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