Stanislavski's directors: Michael Chekhov and the revolution in Lithuanian theatre of the 1930s

Michael Chekhov is considered to be one of the most talented and widely recognised students of Konstantin Stanislavski. After leaving Moscow, Chekhov was invited to share his innovative ideas on actor training with theatre circles in Lithuania. In 1932 he was employed at the then capital’s State Theatre for a year, during which time he taught at the Drama Studio and directed three plays. His work in Kaunas proved to be beneficial for the development of Lithuanian theatre. To this day, the critics there remark on how he influenced some of his students, and how his productions challenged the audience’s views of contemporary theatre. In terms of the English sources, Chekhov’s Lithuanian period is mostly ignored. This discussion will outline how the method he taught in the Kaunas classes informed Chekhov’s theories that are now associated with his name. The analysis of his three productions in Kaunas will shed some light on his early ventures as an independent director. The text will conclude with a summary of the careers of two of Chekhov’s students in order to illustrate his influence on the development of theatre in Lithuania