Chekhov's Five Principles

Michael Chekhov speaks about five principles in a series of lectures he gave to a group of actors in Hollywood in 1955.

Actors must train their bodies through the use of psychosomatic exercises.
Chekhov’s technique seeks to establish a connection between external physical movement and how it triggers an internal (psychological) reaction. All physical exercises are designed to awaken an internal psychological response. This requires training the body until it becomes an exceptional tool—well-developed, expressive, obedient, and sensitive. The body becomes like a sponge, attuned to psychological stimuli. In this way, the actor seeks complete balance and harmony between body and thoughts, emotions, and desires. Body and mind are not separate from each other but constantly interact.
Actors must use intangible ways of expression and exploration in their acting and rehearsal if they want to achieve tangible and clear results.
The primary means of expression in Chekhov’s method are intangible (immaterial). The “material” means for the actor—body, speech, and voice—are always infused with “intangible” elements—emotions, imagination, and sensations.

For example, the “psychological gesture,” which is externally invisible during performance, serves as “material” for inspiration during rehearsal and performance. This also applies to the “imaginary or energetic body,” the “imaginary/ideal center,” and “atmosphere.” Chekhov urges actors to honor and cultivate these intangible tools, as they will guide all exercises in the method and elevate the acting process and profession to a higher (spiritual) level.

Actors must invite and harness their creativity (creative spirit) and higher intelligence (higher ego) to unify the various aspects of performance.
Michael Chekhov suggests that within each of us lies a hidden workshop, inhabited and directed by a wise scientist who represents our spirit—this scientist summarizes, synthesizes, concludes, and unites all of our abilities.

Chekhov links this capacity to our “higher self,” which plays a significant role in the development of our talent. Art is based on the combining powers of the spirit. Without synthesis, nothing exists; without it, we are left only with disconnected concepts and elements, making it impossible to experience archetypes or models.

Similarly, there can be no wholeness, psychological gesture, or sense of the character’s or the play’s entirety. Our critical mind always dissects and separates, while our creative impulse asks us to combine, synthesize, and unify.

The purpose of Chekhov’s method is to fully integrate and embody each component of the method as a way to awaken a creative state of mind.
The actor’s goal is to summon inspiration and a creative mindset at will. There is a “wholeness” (method) composed of many individual parts (exercises), but all these parts are interconnected. As the actor learns to properly use and fully embody one element of the method, the other elements begin to awaken on their own. The more deeply one experiences each component separately, the more likely other aspects of the technique will emerge naturally.
The actor must explore each aspect of Chekhov’s method and determine how and to what extent it liberates their talent.
The actor is not seeking a burdensome method of work but rather a method that will unleash their talent. Chekhov encourages actors to examine every element of the method, engaging in an open dialogue and exploration to understand how and to what extent these elements free their talent.

This is the central purpose of the method: the actor pays attention to how each part of the method answers this question of liberation and creative growth.