Consciousness and the actor

The extent of the actor's emotional involvement has gained a prominent position in theatre research since Diderot formulated his famous paradox in 1773. This study analyses major Western approaches to the issue (by Stanislavsky, Brecht, Artaud, Grotowski, Schechner, Barba and Brook) as well as the Indian Natyashastra. Emotions are a vital aspect of human consciousness. The study shows Western models of consciousness lacking in explanatory value. Instead, the model of consciousness proposed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Vedic Psychology is critically introduced to enable a challenging reassessment of both Western and Indian approaches to the actor's emotional involvement.