Super-task and end-to-end action. Super task. End-to-end action
– Thus, for the artist himself, the end-to-end action is a direct continuation of the lines of aspiration of the engines of mental life, originating from the mind, will and feelings of the creating artist. If there were no cross-cutting action, all the pieces and tasks of the play, all the proposed circumstances, communication, adaptations, moments of truth and faith, etc., would languish separately from each other, without any hope of coming to life.
But the line of end-to-end action connects together, permeates, like a thread, scattered beads, all the elements and directs them to a common super-task. From now on, everything serves her.
How can I explain to you the enormous practical significance of cross-cutting action and super-task in our creativity? You are best convinced by cases from real life. I'll tell you one of them.
The actress Z., who enjoyed success and love from the public, became interested in the “system”. She decided to retrain first and for this purpose temporarily left the stage. For several years 3. studied using a new method with different teachers, completed the entire course and after that returned to the stage again.
Surprisingly, she did not have the same success. They found that the former celebrity had lost the most valuable thing in her: spontaneity, impulse, moments of inspiration. They were replaced by dryness, naturalistic details, formal playing techniques and other shortcomings. It is easy to imagine the situation of the poor artist. Every new exit on stage turned into an exam for her. This interfered with her play and aggravated her confusion, bewilderment, turning into despair. She checked herself different cities, suggesting that in the capital the enemies of the “system” are biased towards the new method. But the same thing happened in the provinces. The poor artist was already cursing the “system” and trying to renounce it. She tried to return to the old technique, but she did not succeed. On the one hand, the acting skill and faith in the old were lost, and on the other hand, the absurdity of the previous acting methods was realized in comparison with the new ones that the artist loved. Having left behind the old, she did not stick to the new and sat between two chairs. They said that Z. decided to leave the stage and get married. Then there were rumors about her intention to commit suicide.
At this time I had to see 3. on stage. At the end of the performance, at her request, I went into her dressing room. The artist greeted me like a guilty student. The performance had long ended, the participants and the theater employees had dispersed, and she, not made up, still in costume, did not let me out of her dressing room and with great excitement, bordering on despair, inquired about the reasons for the change that had taken place in her. We went over all the moments of her role and work on it, all the techniques she learned from the “system”. Everything was right. The artist understood each part of it separately, but as a whole did not assimilate the creative foundations of the “system.”
“What about cross-cutting action, what about a super task?!” – I asked her.
3. I heard something in general outline knew about them, but it was only a theory, not put into practice.
“If you play without a through action, it means that you are not acting on stage in the proposed circumstances and with a magical “if”; this means that you do not involve nature itself and its subconscious in creativity, you do not create the “life of the human spirit” role, as required the main objective and the foundations of our art direction. Without them there is no “system”. This means that you are not creating on stage, but simply doing separate, unrelated exercises according to the “system”. They are good for a school lesson, but not for a play. You forgot that these exercises and everything that exists in the “system” are needed, first of all, for end-to-end action and for a super task. This is why the individually wonderful parts of your role do not make an impression and do not give satisfaction as a whole. Break the Apollo statue into small pieces and display each one separately. It’s unlikely that the fragments will catch the beholder.”
The next day a rehearsal was scheduled at home. I explained to the artist how to imbue the pieces and tasks she had prepared with end-to-end action and how to direct them towards a common super-task.
3. She took up this work with passion and asked to give her a few days to get used to it. I went in and checked what she was doing without me, and finally went to the theater to watch the play in a new, revised form. It is impossible to describe what happened that evening. The talented artist was rewarded for her torment and doubts. She was a stunning success. This is what miraculous, wonderful, life-giving, end-to-end action and super task can do. Isn’t this a convincing example of their enormous importance in our art!
I'm going even further! – Arkady Nikolaevich exclaimed after a short pause. – Imagine an ideal human artist who will devote himself entirely to one big life goal: “to elevate and delight people with his high art, explain to them the innermost spiritual beauties of the works of geniuses.”
Such a person-artist will go on stage to show and explain to the assembled theater audience his new interpretation of the brilliant play and role, which, in the opinion of the creator, better conveys the essence of the work. Such a person-artist can give his life to the high and cultural mission of enlightening his contemporaries. He can, with the help of personal success, introduce into the crowd ideas and feelings that are close to his mind, soul, etc., etc. You never know what lofty goals big people can have!
Let us agree in the future to call such life goals of a human artist super-super tasks and super-through actions.
- What is this?
– Instead of answering, I will tell you an incident from my life that helped me understand (that is, feel) what we are talking about now.
Long ago, on one of our theater’s tours in St. Petersburg, on the eve of its start, I was delayed at an unsuccessful, poorly prepared rehearsal. Indignant, angry, tired, I left the theater. Suddenly an unexpected picture appeared before my eyes. I saw a huge camp spread across the entire square in front of the theater building. Bonfires were burning, thousands of people were sitting, dozing, sleeping in the snow and on benches they had brought with them. A huge crowd was waiting for the morning and the opening of the box office in order to get a closer number in line when selling tickets.
I was shocked. To appreciate the feat of these people, I had to ask myself a question: what event, what tempting prospect, what extraordinary phenomenon, what world genius could make me, not just one, but many nights in a row, shiver in the cold? This sacrifice is made in order to receive a piece of paper giving the right to approach the ticket office without guarantee and receive a ticket.
I was unable to resolve the issue and imagine an event that would force me to risk my health, and perhaps my life. How great the importance of theater is for people! How deeply we must realize this! What an honor and happiness to bring great joy to thousands of spectators who are ready to risk their lives for it! I wanted to create such a high goal for myself, which I called a super-super-task, and its fulfillment as a super-through action.
After a short pause, Arkady Nikolaevich continued:
“But woe is it if, on the way to the big final goal, be it the super-task of a play and role or the super-super-task of an artist’s entire life, someone who creates more than he should, stops his attention on a small, private task.
– What will happen then?
– Here’s what: remember how children, when playing, twirl a weight or a stone tied to a long rope above them. As it rotates, it is wound around the stick to which it is connected and from which it receives movement. Rotating quickly, the rope with the load describes a circle and at the same time is gradually wound around the stick that the child is holding. Eventually the weight will come closer, connect with the stick and hit it.
Now imagine that in the midst of the game, someone puts his cane in the way of rotation. Then, having touched it, the rope with the load will begin, due to the inertia of movement, to be wound not around the stick from which the movement comes, but around the cane. As a result, the load will not go to its real owner - the boy, but to a stranger who has intercepted the rope on his cane. In this case, naturally, the child will lose the opportunity to control his game and will remain on the sidelines.
Something similar is happening in our business. Very often, when striving for the ultimate super task, you simultaneously come across a secondary, unimportant acting task. All the energy of a creative artist is given to her. Is it necessary to explain that such a replacement of a large goal with a small one is a dangerous phenomenon that distorts the entire work of the artist.
…………………19……g.
“To make you appreciate even more the importance of a super-task and cross-cutting action, I turn to the help of graphics,” said Arkady Nikolaevich, going up to a large black board and taking a piece of chalk. – It is normal for all tasks without exception and their short life lines of roles to be directed in one specific direction that is common to all - that is, towards a super task. Like this.
Arkady Nikolaevich drew on the board:
– A long series of small, medium, large life lines of the role are directed in one direction - towards the ultimate task. The short life lines of the role with their tasks, logically sequentially alternating one after another, cling to one another. Thanks to this, one continuous through line is created from them, stretching through the entire play.
Now imagine for a moment that the artist does not have a super task, that each of short lines the life of the role he portrays is aimed at different sides.
Arkady Nikolaevich again hastened to illustrate his idea with a drawing depicting a broken line of end-to-end action:
– Here is a series of large, medium, small tasks and small pieces of the role’s life, directed in different directions. Can they create a continuous straight line?
We all admitted that they cannot.
– Under these conditions, the through action is destroyed, the play is torn into pieces, blown in different directions, and each of its parts is forced to exist on its own, outside of the whole. In this form, individual parts, no matter how beautiful they may be, are not needed by themselves for the play.
I’ll take the third case,” Arkady Nikolaevich continued to explain. – As I already said, in every good play its ultimate task and end-to-end action flow organically from the very nature of the work. This cannot be violated with impunity without killing the work itself. Imagine that they want to introduce an extraneous, unrelated goal or tendency into the play.
In this case, the super-task and the naturally created through-action, organically connected with the play, partially remain, but they have to be constantly distracted in the direction of the introduced tendency: Such a play with a broken spine will not live.
Govorkov protested against this, with all his theatrical temperament.
- Excuse me, please, you are taking away from the director and the actor all personal initiative, personal creativity, the innermost self, the possibility of updating old art and bringing it closer to modernity!
Arkady Nikolaevich calmly explained to him:
– You, like many of your like-minded people, confuse and often misunderstand three words: eternity, modernity and simple topicality.
The modern can become eternal if it carries big questions and deep ideas. I do not protest against such modernity, if the poet’s work needs it.
In complete contrast to it, what is narrowly topical will never become eternal. It lives only today, and tomorrow it may be forgotten. That is why an eternal work of art will never be organically related to simple topicality, no matter what tricks directors, actors and, in particular, you yourself come up with.
When to the old, monolithic, classic work forcefully instill topicality or another goal alien to the play, then it becomes wild meat on a beautiful body and often disfigures it beyond recognition. The crippled super-task of the work does not attract or captivate, but only angers and dislocates.
Violence – bad remedy for creativity, and therefore the super task “updated” with the help of current trends becomes death for the play and for its roles.
But it happens, however, that a trend becomes akin to a super task. We know that you can graft a branch of lemon tree onto an orange tree, and then a new fruit grows, which is called “grapefruit” in America.
Such an inoculation can also be done in the play. Sometimes a modern idea is naturally grafted onto an old, classic work, rejuvenating the entire play. In this case, the tendency ceases to exist independently and degenerates into a super task.
Graphically, this will be expressed in the following drawing: a line of end-to-end action, stretching to the super task and to the trend.
In this case creative process proceeds normally, and the organic nature of the work is not damaged. Conclusion from all that has been said:
Most of all, cherish the overarching task and the through action; Be careful with the forcibly introduced tendency and with other aspirations and goals alien to the play.
If today I managed to make you understand the absolutely exclusive, primary role in creativity of the super-task and cross-cutting action, I am happy and will consider that I have solved the most important task - I explained to you one of the main points of the “system”.
After a rather long pause, Arkady Nikolaevich continued:
– Every action meets with a reaction, and the second causes and strengthens the first. Therefore, in each play, next to the end-to-end action, in the opposite direction, there is a counter-through action that is hostile to it.
This is good, and we should welcome this phenomenon, because opposition naturally causes a series of new actions. We need this constant clash: it gives rise to struggle, quarrel, argument, whole line relevant problems and their resolution. It evokes activity, effectiveness, which is the basis of our art.
If there were no counter-through action in the play and everything was arranged by itself, then the performers and those people whom they portray would have nothing to do on the stage, and the play itself would become inactive and therefore unstageable.
In fact, if Iago had not conducted his insidious intrigues, then Othello would not have had to be jealous of Desdemona and kill her. But since the Moor strives with his whole being for his beloved, and Iago stands between them with his counter-through actions, a five-act, very effective tragedy with a catastrophic end is created.
Need I add that the line of counter-through action also consists of individual moments and small lines in the life of the artist-role. I will try to illustrate what I said using the example of Brand.
Let’s assume that we have established Brand’s ultimate goal as his slogan: “all or nothing” (whether this is correct or not is not important for this example). This basic principle of a fanatic is terrifying. He does not allow any compromises, concessions, or deviations in the “fulfillment” of the ideological goal of life. Now try to connect with this super-task of the entire play individual pieces of the passage “with diapers,” at least the same ones that we once analyzed.
I began to mentally aim from baby diapers to the ultimate “all or nothing” task.
Of course, with the help of imagination and fiction one can make one dependent on the other, but this will be done with great exaggeration and violence, which will cripple the play. It is much more natural that the mother shows resistance instead of assistance, and therefore in this piece Agnes follows the line of not through, but counter-through action, not towards the super task, but against it.
When I began to do similar work for the role of Brand himself and looked for a connection between his task - “to persuade his wife to give up diapers - for the sake of making a sacrifice” - and between the super task of the entire play - “all or nothing” - I was able to immediately find this connection. Naturally, the fanatic demanded everything for the sake of his life idea. Agnes's opposition provoked increased action from Brand himself. Hence the struggle between two different principles. Brand's duty is in conflict with his mother's love; idea fights with feeling; fanatic pastor - with a suffering mother; masculinity- with the feminine. Therefore, in this scene the line of through action is in the hands of Brand, and the counter-through action is led by Agnes.
In conclusion, Arkady Nikolaevich, in a few words, schematically reminded us of everything he talked about during the entire course of this year. This brief review helped me put into place everything I perceived during the first school season.
“Now listen to me with all your attention, as I will say something very important,” said Arkady Nikolaevich. – All stages of the program, completed since the beginning of our school classes, all the research on individual elements carried out during the school period of this year, were carried out for the sake of creating an internal sense of stage well-being. This is what we worked all winter for. This is what now requires and will always require your exclusive attention.
But even at this stage of its development, the internal stage well-being is not ready for a subtle, soulful search for a super task and end-to-end action. The well-being created requires an important addition. Hidden in it main secret“systems”, justifying the most important of the foundations of our art direction: “The subconscious through the conscious.” We will begin studying this addition and the basics in the next lesson.
“So, the first course on the “system” is over, and “in my soul,” like Gogol’s, “it’s so vague, so strange.” I expected that ours was almost annual work will lead me to “inspiration,” but, unfortunately, in this sense, the “system” did not live up to my expectations.”
With these thoughts, I stood in the front of the theater, mechanically putting on my coat and lazily wrapping a scarf around my neck. Suddenly someone launched a fire-ship at my side. I screamed, turned around and saw Arkady Nikolaevich laughing.
Noticing my condition, he wanted to know the reason for my low mood. I answered him evasively, but he stubbornly probed and asked in detail:
– How do you feel standing on stage? – he wanted to understand the perplexities that confuse me in the “system”.
“That’s the thing, I don’t feel anything special.” I’m comfortable on the stage, I know what needs to be done, it’s not in vain that I’m standing there, not empty; I believe everything, I am aware of my right to be on stage.
- So what do you need more?! Is it bad not to lie on stage, to believe everything, to feel like a master? That's a lot! - Tortsov convinced me.
Then I confessed to him about inspiration.
“That’s it!..” he exclaimed. – You don’t need to contact me about this part. The “system” does not fabricate inspiration. She only prepares favorable soil for him. As for the question of whether it will come or not, then ask Apollo, or your nature, or chance. I am not a magician and I am only showing you new tricks, techniques for arousing feelings and experiences. I advise you in the future not to chase the ghost of inspiration. Leave this question to the sorceress of nature, and do what is accessible to human consciousness. Mikhail Semenovich Shchepkin wrote to his student Sergei Vasilyevich Shumsky: “You can sometimes play weakly, sometimes somewhat satisfactorily (this often depends on your emotional disposition), but you will play correctly.” This is where your artistic aspirations and concerns should be directed.
A role set on the right track moves forward, broadens and deepens, and ultimately leads to inspiration. Until this happens, know for sure that lying, playing, cliche and breaking never give birth to inspiration. Therefore, try to play correctly, learn to prepare favorable soil for the “influx from above” and believe that this will make it much more in harmony with you. However, in the next lessons we will talk about inspiration. “We’ll sort him out too,” Tortsov said as he left.
“To analyze inspiration?!.. To reason and philosophize about it? Is this really possible? Was I reasoning when I said at a show performance: “Blood, Iago, blood!”? Was Maloletkova reasoning when she shouted her famous “Save!” Is it really like physical actions, their little truths and moments of faith, we will collect and put together inspiration bit by bit, bit by bit, by separate flashes?!” – I thought as I left the theater.
| | | |In an actor’s work on a role, both of these concepts occupy a particularly important place. Stanislavski saw them as the basis of everything we do on stage. “I work a lot,” he wrote, “and I believe that there is nothing more; super-task and end-to-end action - that’s the main thing in art.”
What is the super task and end-to-end action of the role? And why is their importance in the actor’s work so great?
Imagine that you have deeply and comprehensively studied the character of your hero, you know well who he is, what he is like, etc. But on stage you will not just have to show all this. The character of a person, his traits must be revealed and conveyed through some actions. The super-task and the end-to-end action of the role are the concepts that determine the main direction of all the actions of the performer on the stage, what should become their incentive.
Let's talk about each of these concepts separately, since they are different, although they are related to each other.
Let's start with the role's super task . This is the main vital interest of our hero, the most important desire that drives all his actions in life, and, in particular, in the play. Even Gogol once wrote in his “Pre-Notice” for those who would like to play “The Inspector General” as they should: “A smart actor must consider the main and primary work of each person, on which his life is spent, which constitutes a constant subject of thought, an eternal nail , sitting in the head. Having caught this main concern of the person he has taken, the actor must be filled with it himself in such a force that the thoughts and aspirations of the person he has taken will remain in his head inseparably throughout the entire performance of the play.”
This primary concern actor, “hold ^^head”, which constitutes the subject of all human actions, we call the super task of the role.
Each person has his own goal in life, his own direction. A person cannot live without it. His goal may be great and insignificant, beautiful and disgusting, but one way or another he strives for it. For one, personal comfort comes first: money, an apartment, a car, a dacha - this is the ideal and the limit of his aspirations. The second one dreams of devoting himself to science. The third wants the fame of an artist or artist. One wants to bring people happiness, joy, and the other wants to rule over them, etc.
The ultimate goal of the role is to guide and at the same time captivate and inspire the performer. Speaking about the meaning of the super task, Stanislavsky, as a figurative comparison, gave an example of the futility of preparing a good, rich broth, which cannot be eaten unless you heat it with fire. It’s the same on stage. An actor can act faithfully and conscientiously. But if he does not have a super task, then his entire behavior will be cold and indifferent. Only a super task - “fire” - can give his action on stage real activity and passion.
From this it becomes clear how important it is for a performer to find the ultimate task of his role, and, moreover, such a super task that would captivate him and warm him. The ultimate task must accurately express the essence of the hero’s life aspirations - and at the same time find an emotional response in the soul of the performer himself and his hero. Finding such a super task is very, very difficult, and it is not for nothing that Stanislavsky writes: “You need to try long and inquisitively to find a big, exciting and deep super task. How many super-tasks of all kinds need to be discarded and grown again. How many sights and unsuccessful searches have to be made before achieving the goal.” But this does not always happen. In addition, the hero can deceive others or be deceived himself. In order not to make a mistake, we need to compare all the actions, thoughts, feelings of our hero and look into his insides, see what lies there, what determines his attitude to everything that happens in the play.
Let's turn to the characters in our play. The sailor himself speaks about his ultimate task: “Let’s defeat the whites, and then... Oh, and then we’ll build a life, soldier. An unprecedented life." Obviously, this dream of an “unprecedented life,” a life for all the oppressed and disadvantaged, should become the ultimate goal of the role of the Sailor. If the Sailor had not uttered these words, we would still have come to her, having traced all the actions of the hero and asking ourselves the question: in the name of what he does them. “And the Soldier” admits his “primary concern”: he wants to improve his economy, “to live in peace.” The woman does not say anything about her life goals, but, following her actions in the play, it is not difficult to guess - they are to: return the goods taken away by the “boors”, return the old life.
In the difficult process of searching for a super task, the choice of its name plays an important role. When formulating the super-tasks of roles, students are often content with such general phrases as “I want happiness” (and who doesn’t want it?), “I want to serve the Motherland,” etc. Being essentially true, these phrases leave the performer indifferent and therefore of no benefit to they don't bring work. For a super task, you need to look (and you won’t find them right away) for precise, vivid words that would excite the performer and tease him. To define such a super task, the actor must still pass it through himself, make it his own, close and understandable. Then the super task of the role will actively participate in everything that you do on stage, will fill your actions with active and passionate force.
If, say, playing the role of the Sailor, you are truly captivated by his dream of an “unprecedented life” for all working people, then you will not be able to remain indifferent when you meet the Soldier who is heading home. Your hands will begin to itch when you recognize the “counter” in a Woman, you will understand that you have nothing to fear - not even death, you will want to “beat the bastards”, fight them “until last breath" The same thing will happen with other roles in the play. Justify the ultimate task of the role of a Woman, make it understandable to yourself, exciting (I had a house, “rare” paintings, jewelry, my own stable, and now these dirty and rude men, these “rabble” have robbed, taken away everything and are still shouting about justice. ..) and your eyes will “go white” from hatred for the Sailor, you will want to bite, fight, you will feel the ability to hit him, even kill him, just to get out of the hands of these “boors.” In other words, you will perform all the actions that your hero performs in the play naturally, without any effort, because you will be guided by a super task that is close to you and exciting.
Now about the end-to-end action of the role . This is the path that your hero in the play will follow, driven by his ultimate task. In other words: what he will strive for in the performance itself, what he will achieve in it.
The cross-cutting action must subordinate and direct to a single and specific purpose all actions performed by an actor in a performance. Without end-to-end action, the role is broken into pieces that are not connected to each other. The actor acts without any idea of what his actions are aimed at. Therefore they can become random, chaotic, sometimes even contradictory to a friend.
A cross-cutting action is formulated (like a super-task) in one phase. This formulation should express with utmost specificity and accuracy the ultimate goal of the character’s actions.
To determine the end-to-end effect of the role, it is necessary to consider all the actions of the hero and establish their general direction, while not forgetting about the end-to-end effect of the entire performance - the struggle that will underlie it. Just as a river absorbs the waters of its tributaries, so the end-to-end action of the play should encompass the end-to-end actions of all the roles.
We already know that the cross-cutting, that is, the main, action of the play “At the Stop Station” should be the struggle for Soviet power, for the victory of the revolution. Let's try to establish cross-cutting role actions.
Let us remember the main actions of the Sailor that he performs. It is known that Sailor recruits volunteers into the Red Army. Having met the Soldier, he tries to win him over to his side, then exposes and detains the enemy. Even being seriously wounded, he continues to think about the fight. If we generalize these actions and establish their general direction, we will see that they are all connected to one desire, one desire - to do everything possible to defeat the enemy. This will be the end-to-end action of the role. All the Soldier’s actions - his “revelations” in a conversation with the Sailor, an argument with him, waiting for a train, etc. - are aimed at getting home as quickly as possible. This is its end-to-end effect. Even though he ultimately ends up with Sailor. Sometimes this happens in life - a person strives for one thing, but ends up with another. Here is the Soldier - he strives to quickly get to the ground, to home, but as a result of the events that happen to him in the play, he realizes that the way home lies only through the defeat of the enemy, and joins the fight With him. The end-to-end action of the role in this case, naturally, is determined by the initial intentions of the sleeper - after all, it is they who direct all his actions until the end of the play, until the very moment when the Soldier “sees the light.” As for the Woman, her end-to-end action - all her actions testify to this - is to get to her people, to help them.
Knowing the end-to-end action of the future performance, having established the ultimate task and end-to-end action of the role, we already imagine the main line of action through which the character of our hero will be revealed. In future work we will concretize and clarify this line of action.
Thus, for the artist himself, the through action is direct
continuation of the lines of aspiration of the engines of mental life, taking their toll
the beginning comes from the mind, will and feeling of the creative artist.
If there were no end-to-end action, all the pieces and tasks of the play, all proposed
circumstances, communication, adaptations, moments of truth and faith, etc.
they would vegetate apart from each other, without any hope of reviving.
But the line of end-to-end action connects together, pierces like a thread
scattered beads, all elements and directs them towards a common super task.
From now on, everything serves her.
How can I explain to you the enormous practical significance of end-to-end action and
super-tasks in our creativity?
You are best convinced by cases from real life. I will tell you
one of them.
Actress 3., who enjoyed success and love from the public, became interested
"system". She decided to retrain first and for this purpose temporarily left her job.
scenes. For several years 3. studied using a new method with different
teachers, completed the entire course and after that returned to the stage again.
Surprisingly, she did not have the same success. Found that the ex
the celebrity has lost the most valuable thing in her: spontaneity,
impulse, moments of inspiration. They were replaced by dryness, naturalistic details,
formal playing techniques and other shortcomings. It's easy to imagine the situation
poor artist. Every new appearance on stage turned into a
exam. This interfered with her play and aggravated her confusion, bewilderment,
turning into despair. She tested herself in different cities, guessing
that in the capital the enemies of the “system” are biased towards the new method. But also in
The provinces repeated the same thing. The poor artist was already cursing the “system” and
tried to renounce her. She tried to go back to the old trick, but it
she couldn't. On the one hand, the craft acting was lost
dexterity and faith in the old, and on the other hand, the absurdity was realized
old methods of playing compared to new ones that the artist loved. Left behind
from the old, she did not stick to the new and sat between two chairs. They said
that 3. decided to leave the stage and get married. Then there were rumors about her
intention to commit suicide.
At this time I had to see 3. on stage. At the end of the performance,
At her request, I went into her dressing room. The artist greeted me like
delinquent student. The performance ended long ago, the participants and employees
the theaters were gone, but she, not made up, still in costume, did not let out
me from my dressing room and with great excitement bordering on despair,
tried to find out the reasons for the change that had taken place in her. We went through all the moments of her
role and work on it, all the techniques she learned from the “system”. All
was true. The artist understood each part of it separately, but did not understand it as a whole.
learned the creative foundations of the “system”.
“What about cross-cutting action, what about a super task?!” - I asked her.
I heard something and knew about them in general terms, but it was just a theory,
not applied in practice.
"If you play without through action, then you are not acting on
scene in the proposed circumstances and with the magical “if”; it means you don't
involve nature itself and its subconscious in creativity, you do not create
"life of the human spirit" role, as required by the main purpose and foundations
our art direction. Without them there is no "system". So you don't create
on stage, but simply perform separate, unrelated
exercises according to the "system". They are good for a school lesson, but not for
performance. You forgot that these exercises and weights exist in the "system"
necessary, first of all, for end-to-end action and for a super task. Here
why individually beautiful parts of your role do not make an impression and
do not provide overall satisfaction. Break the Apollo statue into small pieces and
show each of them separately. The fragments are unlikely to be captured
the beholder."
The next day a rehearsal was scheduled at home. I explained
the artist, how to permeate the pieces and tasks she has prepared with end-to-end action
and how to guide them towards a common overarching goal.
I grabbed this job with passion and asked to give it a few days
to get used to it. I went in and checked what she was doing without me, and
finally went to the theater to watch the performance in a new, revised form.
It is impossible to describe what happened that evening. She was a talented artist
rewarded for her torment and doubts. She was a stunning success. That's what
can do miraculous, wonderful, life-giving effects
and a super task.
Isn’t this a convincing example of their enormous importance in our art!
pauses. - Imagine an ideal human artist who will devote everything
yourself one big life goal: "to elevate and delight people with your high
art, to explain to them the innermost spiritual beauties of the works of geniuses."
Such a person-artist will go on stage to show and
explain to the assembled theater audience his new interpretation of the brilliant play
and role, which, in the opinion of the creator, better conveys the essence of the work.
Such a person-artist can give his life to a high and cultural mission
enlightenment of his contemporaries. He can, with the help of personal success,
to introduce into the crowd ideas and feelings that are close to his mind, soul, etc., etc.
You never know what lofty goals big people can have!
Let us agree in the future to name such life goals
human artist super-
super-tasks and super-cross-cutting actions.
What is this?
Instead of answering, I will tell you an incident from my life that helped me
understand (that is, feel) what is being discussed now.
Long ago, on one of our theater’s tours in St. Petersburg, on the eve of it
started, I was delayed by an unsuccessful, poorly prepared rehearsal.
Indignant, angry, tired, I left the theater. Suddenly my eyes
An unexpected picture presented itself. I saw a huge camp spread out
throughout the area in front of the theater building. Bonfires were burning, thousands of people were sitting,
they dozed and slept in the snow and on the benches they brought with them. Big crowd
I was waiting for the morning and the opening of the ticket office in order to get a closer number in
queues when selling tickets.
I was shocked. To appreciate the feat of these people, I had to ask
question to yourself: what event, what tempting prospect, what
an extraordinary phenomenon, what kind of world genius could make me not alone,
and shivering in the cold many nights in a row? This sacrifice is made in order to
to receive a piece of paper giving the right to approach the cash register without guarantee
get a ticket.
I was unable to resolve the question and imagine such an event,
which would force me to risk my health, and maybe even my life.
How great the importance of theater is for people! How deeply we must realize
This! What an honor and happiness to bring great joy to thousands of spectators,
ready to risk their lives for her! I wanted to create myself such a tall
goal, which I called super-super-
task. and its implementation is a super-through action.
After a short pause, Arkady Nikolaevich continued:
But woe, if on the way to a big final goal, be it a super task
plays and roles or the super-super task of an artist’s entire life, creating more than
should focus on a small, private task.
What will happen then?
Here's what: remember how children, when playing, twirl a load above them or
a stone tied to a long rope. As it rotates, it winds around
a stick with which it is connected and from which it receives movement. Spinning fast
a rope with a load describes a circle and at the same time gradually winds around
a stick held by a child. Eventually the load will approach, connect with
with a stick and hits it.
Now imagine that in the midst of the game on the path of rotation
someone will lend their cane. Then, touching it, the rope with
the load will begin, by the inertia of movement, to wrap itself around the stick, from which
movement comes from the cane. As a result, the cargo will not reach the real
to its owner - a boy, and to a stranger who intercepted the rope on
your cane. In this case, naturally, the child will lose the opportunity
control your game and stay on the sidelines.
Something similar is happening in our business. Very often, when striving for
the ultimate super task, along the way you come across a side, unimportant
acting task. All the energy of a creative artist is given to her. If necessary
explain what this replacement is big goal small - a dangerous phenomenon that distorts
all the artist's work.
19......g.
To make you appreciate even more the importance of the ultimate goal and
end-to-end action, I turn to the help of graphics,” said Arkady
Nikolaevich, going up to the large black board and taking a piece of chalk. - Normal,
so that all tasks and their short life lines of roles are directed
in one specific direction, common to all - that is, towards a super task. Here
Arkady Nikolaevich drew on the board:
A long series of small, medium, large lines of life roles are directed to
one side - to the ultimate task. Short life lines of roles with their tasks,
logically sequentially alternating one after another, clinging to one another
another. Thanks to this, one continuous through line is created from them,
stretching throughout the entire play.
Now imagine for a moment that the artist does not have a super task, that
each of the short lines of life of the role he portrays is directed to different
Arkady Nikolaevich again hastened to illustrate his idea with a drawing,
depicting a broken line of through action:
Here are a number of large, medium, small tasks and small pieces of life roles,
directed in different directions. Can they create a continuous straight line?
We all admitted that they cannot.
Under these conditions, the through action is destroyed, the play is torn into
pieces, spread in different directions, and each of its parts is forced
exist on its own, outside of the whole. In this form, the individual parts
no matter how beautiful they are, they are not needed by themselves for the play.
I’m taking the third case,” Arkady Nikolaevich continued to explain. “As I already
said that in every good play its ultimate task and end-to-end action
organically follow from the very nature of the work. This can't be broken
with impunity, without killing the work itself.
Imagine that they want to introduce an extraneous element into the play that does not belong to
a goal or tendency towards it.
In this case, the super task is organically connected with the play and naturally
the end-to-end action being created partially remains, but they have to minutely
to be distracted towards the introduced tendency:
Such a play will not survive with a broken spine.
Against this, with all his theatrical temperament, he protested
Govorkov.
Excuse me, please, you are taking away all sorts of things from the director and the actor.
personal initiative, personal creativity, innermost self, opportunity
updating old art and bringing it closer to modern times!
Arkady Nikolaevich calmly explained to him:
You, like many of your like-minded people, mix and often incorrectly
you understand three words: eternity, modernity and simple topicality.
The modern can become eternal if it carries big questions,
deep ideas. Against such modernity, if the work needs it
poet, I do not protest.
In complete contrast to it, the narrowly topical will never become
eternal. It lives only today, and tomorrow it may be forgotten. That's why
an eternal work of art will never be organically related to a simple
topicality, no matter what tricks directors, actors and, in
in particular, yourself.
When an old, monolithic, classical work is forcibly
instill topicality or another goal alien to the play, then it becomes
wild meat beautiful body and often disfigures it beyond recognition.
The crippled super-task of the work does not attract or captivate, but only angers
and dislocates.
Violence is a bad means for creativity, and therefore “updated” with
with the help of topical trends, the super task becomes death for the play and
for her roles.
But it happens, however, that a trend becomes akin to a super task. We
we know that you can graft a branch of lemon tree onto an orange tree, and then
A new fruit grows, which is called "grapefruit" in America.
Such an inoculation can also be done in the play. Sometimes to the old
a classic work is naturally grafted with a modern idea,
rejuvenating the entire play. In this case, the trend ceases to exist
independently and degenerates into a super task.
Graphically this will be expressed in the following drawing: a line of through action,
reaching towards a super task and a trend.
In this case, the creative process proceeds normally, and organic
the nature of the work is not damaged. Conclusion from all that has been said:
Most of all, cherish the overarching task and the through action; be careful
with a forcibly introduced tendency and with others alien to the play
aspirations and goals.
If I managed to make you understand completely today
an exclusive, leading role in the creativity of the super task and end-to-end
explained to you one of the main points of the “system”. : After quite a long
After a pause, Arkady Nikolaevich continued:
Every action is met with a reaction, and the second
evokes and enhances the first. Therefore, in each play, next to the end-to-end
action, in the opposite direction, passes the oncoming one, hostile to it
counter-through action.
This is good and we should welcome this phenomenon because
opposition naturally provokes a series of new actions. We need this
constant clash: it gives rise to struggle, quarrel, dispute, a whole series
relevant problems and their resolution. It causes activity
effectiveness, which are the basis of our art.
If there were no counter-through action in the play and that’s all
was arranged by itself, then the performers and those persons whom they portray,
there would be nothing to do on the stage, and the play itself would become ineffective and
therefore unscenic.
Indeed, if Iago had not conducted his insidious intrigues, then Othello would not have
I would have to be jealous of Desdemona and kill her. But since the Moor with all his being
with his own strives for his beloved, and Iago stands between them with his
counter-through actions - a five-act, very effective tragedy is created
with a catastrophic end.
Is it necessary to add that the line of counter-through action develops
also from individual moments and from small life lines of the artist-role.
I will try to illustrate what I said using the example of Brand.
Let's say that we have established Brand's super task as his slogan: "everything or
nothing" (whether this is correct or not is not important for this example). Such
The fundamental principle of the fanatic is terrible. He doesn't allow any compromises,
watuggek, deviations in the “fulfillment” of the ideological goal of life.
Now try to connect individual
pieces of the passage "with diapers", at least the same ones that we once
dismantled.
I began to mentally take aim from baby diapers to the super task of “all or
nothing." Of course, with the help of imagination and fiction one can put in
dependence on one another, but this will be done with great reserve and
violence that will cripple the play.
It is much more natural that opposition appears on the part of the mother
instead of assistance, and therefore in this piece Agnes follows the line not through, but
counter-through action, not towards the super-task, but against it.
When I began to do similar work for the role of Brand himself and
was looking for connections between his task - "to persuade his wife to give up diapers - for the sake of
making a sacrifice" - and between the super task of the entire play - "all or nothing" - then
I was able to immediately find this connection. Naturally, the fanatic demanded everything -
for the sake of your life idea. Agnes's opposition caused increased action
Brand himself. Hence the struggle between two different principles.
Brand's duty is in conflict with his mother's love;
idea fights with feeling; fanatic pastor - with a suffering mother;
masculine - with feminine.
Therefore, in this scene, the through line is in the hands of
Branda, and the counter-through action is led by Agnes.
In conclusion, Arkady Nikolaevich, in a few words, schematically recalled
everything he talked about throughout this year's course.
This brief review helped me put everything in place
perceived during the first academic season.
Now listen to me with all your attention, as I will say something very
important,” said Arkady Nikolaevich. - All stages of the program completed with
the beginning of our school activities, all the research on individual elements,
produced during the school period of this year were committed for the sake of creating
internal stage well-being.
This is what we worked all winter for. This is what is required now and will be
always require your exclusive attention.
But even at this stage of its development, the internal stage well-being
not ready for subtle, penetrating searches for the ultimate task and end-to-end
actions. Creating well-being requires an important addition. Hidden in it
the main secret of the “system”, which justifies the most important of the foundations of our
art directions:
"The subconscious through the conscious." To study this addition and
We will start with the basics in the next lesson.
“So, the first course on the “system” is over, but “in my soul”, like
Gogol, “so vague, so strange.” I figured that our almost annual
work will lead me to "inspiration", but, unfortunately, in this sense
The "system" did not live up to my expectations."
With such thoughts I stood in the front of the theater, mechanically putting on my coat and
lazily wrapping a scarf around his neck. Suddenly someone launched a fire-ship at my side. I
screamed, turned around and saw Arkady Nikolaevich laughing.
Noticing my condition, he wanted to know the reason for the decreased
moods. I answered him evasively, but he stubbornly questioned me in detail.
asked:
How do you feel standing on stage? - he wanted to understand the confusion,
confusing me in the "system".
That's the thing, I don't feel anything special. I'm comfortable with
on the stage, I know what needs to be done, it’s not in vain that I’m standing there, not empty; I believe
everything, I am aware of my right to be on stage.
So what do you need more?! Is it bad not to lie on stage, to believe everything,
feel like a master? That's a lot! - Tortsov convinced me.
Then I confessed to him about inspiration.
That's it!.. - he exclaimed. - Regarding this part, you should not contact
to me. The "system" does not fabricate inspiration. She's just preparing for him
favorable soil. As for the question of whether it will come or not, then
Ask Apollo, or your nature, or chance. I'm not a wizard
and I show you only new decoys, methods of arousing feelings, experiences.
I advise you in the future not to chase the ghost of inspiration.
Leave this question to the sorceress of nature, and do what you need to do.
accessible to human consciousness.
Mikhail Semenovich Shchepkin wrote to his student Sergei Vasilievich
Shumsky: “You can sometimes play weakly, sometimes somewhat
satisfactorily (this often depends on the state of mind), but you will play
This is where your artistic aspirations and concerns should be directed.
A role put on the right track moves forward, expands and
deepens and ultimately leads to inspiration.
Until this happens, know for sure that a lie, a tune, a cliche and
breaking never gives birth to inspiration. So try to play it right
learn to prepare favorable soil for the "influx from above" and believe that it comes from
this will be much more in harmony with you.
However, in the next lessons we will talk about inspiration. Let's sort it out and
him,” said Tortsov, leaving.
"Disassemble inspiration?!.. Reason, philosophize about it? But really
is this possible? Was I reasoning when I said at a show performance:
"Blood, Iago, blood!"? Was Maloletkova reasoning when she shouted her
the famous "Save!" Is it really possible, like physical actions, their small
truths and moments of faith, we will be in crumbs, in pieces, in separate
flashes to collect and put together inspiration?!” I thought as I left the theater.
The concepts of “through action” and “super task” are one of the most important aspects of Stanislavsky’s aesthetic principles. Stanislavsky in his works reveals the essence of various elements of stage creativity, the study of which is necessary for the clearest understanding of the method of effective analysis of the play and role. But the concepts of “cross-cutting action” and “super task” are the most frequently used. Stanislavsky himself talks about the super-task and cross-cutting action in his book “The Actor’s Work on Oneself,” in which he gives a detailed description of the concepts, explains their practical necessity and significance in directing and acting, wrote the following: “The super-task and cross-cutting action are the main life essence, artery, nerve, pulse of the play. The super task (wanting), the end-to-end action (desire) and its implementation (action) create a creative process of experiencing.” K.S. Stanislavsky. An actor's work on himself. M., 1956. Part 1, p. 360
Stanislavsky said that just as a plant grows from a grain, so exactly from the individual thoughts and feelings of a writer his work grows. The thoughts, feelings, and dreams of a writer that fill his life, that excite his heart, push him onto the path of creativity. They become the basis of the play, for the sake of them the writer writes his literary work. His entire life experience, the joys and sorrows he himself endured, become the basis of a dramatic work, for the sake of which he takes up the pen. The main task of actors and directors is, from Stanislavsky’s point of view, the ability to convey on stage those thoughts and feelings of the writer in whose name he wrote the play.
Konstantin Sergeevich writes: “Let us agree for the future to call this basic, main, all-encompassing goal, which attracts to itself all tasks without exception, which evokes the creative aspiration of the engines of mental life and the elements of well-being of the artist-role, the super task of the writer’s work”; “Without the subjective experiences of the creator, it (the supertask) is dry, dead. It is necessary to look for responses in the artist’s soul, so that both the ultimate task and the role become alive, trembling, shining with all the colors of true human life.” Ibid.
Thus, the definition of a super task is a deep penetration into the spiritual world of the writer, into his plan, into the motivating reasons that moved the author’s pen.
According to Stanislavsky, the super task must be “conscious”, coming from the mind, from the creative thought of the actor, emotional, stimulating his entire human nature and, finally, volitional, coming from his “mental and physical being”. The ultimate task must awaken the artist’s creative imagination, arouse faith, and arouse his entire mental life.
Moreover, the super-task has a peculiarity - the same correctly defined super-task, obligatory for all performers, will awaken in each performer his own attitude, his own individual responses in the soul. When searching for a super task, it is very important to have it precise definition, accuracy in its name, expressing it in the most effective words, since often the incorrect designation of a super task can lead performers down the wrong path. There are many examples of such “false” situations in Stanislavsky’s work.
It is necessary that the definition of the supertask gives meaning and direction to the work, that the supertask is taken from the very thick of the play, from its deepest recesses. The ultimate task pushed the author to create his work - it should also direct the creativity of the performers. The fundamental concept of the method is the super-task - that is, the idea of the work, addressed to today's time, that in the name of which the performance is staged today. Comprehending the super-task is helped by penetration into the author’s super-super-task, into his worldview.
The way to implement the super task is through action - this is that real, concrete struggle taking place before the eyes of the audience, as a result of which the super task is approved. For an artist, the end-to-end action is a direct continuation of the lines of aspiration of the engines of mental life, originating from the mind, will and feelings of the creative artist. If there were no cross-cutting action, all the pieces and tasks of the play, all the proposed circumstances, communication, adaptations, moments of truth and faith, etc., would languish separately from each other, without any hope of coming to life.
By identifying the conflict of the play, we are faced with the need to determine the end-to-end action and counteraction. End-to-end action is a path of struggle aimed at achieving the ultimate goal, at getting closer to it. In the definition of end-to-end action, there is always a struggle, and, therefore, there must be a second side - something that needs to be fought, i.e. counteraction, the force that resists solving the problem posed. Thus, through-action and counter-action are components of the strength of stage conflict. The line of counteraction consists of individual moments, of small life lines of the artist-role.
Theme of the play
The theme of the play determines what the play will be about. At the center of any story is a hero or group of heroes. Only a creature with human psychology can be a hero. When defining and formulating a theme, it is necessary to indicate the hero (who the play is about), what the hero strives for and what he does to achieve the goal.
The play “The Royal Cow” is a story about a cow who wanted to bring happiness to everyone and achieved this: “The more happy people, the less dirty tricks there are from them” (Cow Zorka).
The idea of the performance
The idea of the performance is a universal truth, which, as a rule, does not provide sufficient food for imagination. The idea of the play is somewhat similar to the moral that the viewer should take away after watching the play.
The main idea of this performance is that happiness is somewhere nearby, you just need to be able to look at it.
Main conflict
Conflict means a clash of parties and their interests. Conceptconflict for dramaturgy is more general; it covers not only plot collisions, but also all other aspects of the play - social, ideological, philosophical. There can be several conflicts in a play. The main conflict is understood as one that directly or indirectly concerns all the characters in the play. The basis for this conflict is provided by the aspirations of the characters in the play, or rather, the contradiction of aspirations.
From the point of view of directing, conflict is the basis of that very notorious action, which is the only truthful way to translate a play on stage, without which, according to Stanislavsky, there is no performance. The material, the means of expression of director's art is wrestling. “...Conflict is the opposition of people in the struggle for their goals, interests, etc.” (S.V. Klubkov).
In the play “The Royal Cow” the Princess strives for changes in life, Shepherd Phil - to stay with the princess, Sigismund's maid of honor - to stay in the palace and Zorka the Cow - to be close to the Princess, the King - wants happiness own daughter and a friend for himself, and the Guard strives to be with Sigismunda. Everyone wants their own happiness.
The main conflict of the play unfolds between Korova Zorka and Maid of Honor Sigismunda for a place next to Princess Anya. Through Sigismunda, the Guard, who loves the maid of honor, is drawn into this conflict. On the other hand, the shepherd Filya participates in the conflict as a representative of the cow and the King, who is not indifferent to his daughter’s happiness, which depends on her immediate environment. And, finally, the princess herself as a direct object of influence.
Super task
The super task is a general creative, semantic, moral and ideological goal, uniting the entire production team and contributing to the creation of an artistic ensemble and a unified sound of the performance.
The super task - in Stanislavsky's system - is the main ideological task for the sake of which the play, the actor's image and the entire performance are created. The idea in stage creativity is revealed in actions and deeds, which in their totality constitute the end-to-end action of the performance.
In Stanislavsky's method, the entire process of working on a play and role is aimed at comprehending the ultimate goal and end-to-end action of the play and each of the characters.
The ultimate goal is the unifying element of the production and moral aspirations of the participants in the performance. This is at the same time what I want to say to the viewer and life principles, which are shared by the actors.
The main goal of the play “Royal Cow” is to find happiness. Every person has the right to happiness, regardless of his social status and worldview. There is no general measure of happiness - it is individual, everyone is happy in their own way.
End-to-end action
By end-to-end action, K. S. Stanislavsky understood “an effective, internal desire through the entire play for the engines of the mental life of the artist-role... The line of end-to-end action connects together, permeates... all elements and directs them to a common super-task.”
A cross-cutting activity is created from a long series of large tasks, each with a huge number of small tasks. Thus, the logic of all actions is combined into a single end-to-end action.
The cross-cutting action of the play “The Royal Cow” is the subconscious desire of all the characters to find happiness, which is realized, oddly enough, through leisure at the royal dacha as the main proposed circumstance.
Event sequence and actionable analysis
The series of events and the actions of the characters take place in the proposed circumstances. In Stanislavsky’s system, proposed circumstances mean the circumstances of the character’s life, proposed by the author, found by the director and created by the actor’s imagination.
The proposed circumstances induce the actor to perform certain actions that embody the image, and all of them can be specified as a line of physical actions.
Our play takes place in the garden of the royal dacha.
1. Fall of the Cow.
The original event The play is the Cow hitting a tree, which contributed to changing her life principles and finding a goal - happiness for everyone. The initial event is outside the scope of the play; we learn about it from the story of the shepherd Fili.
2. Princess's boredom.
The princess comes to the royal dacha for the umpteenth time, but nothing new happens, and therefore she is terribly bored.
In this scene, there is a conflict between the maid of honor Sigismunda and the Princess, since the maid of honor was tasked with cheering up the princess, and the very fact that Sigismunda should amuse her already makes the Princess sad. The princess sends Sigismund away.
3. Appearance of the Cow.
The appearance of Zorka the Cow at the dacha brings excitement to the Princess's boring life. The Cow interests the Princess with a story about her unusual origin: Claims to be the daughter of the sun and that her mission is to bring happiness to everyone.
4. Indignation of the Maid of Honor.
In the next scene, an event occurs from which, among other things, we learn about the Guardian’s sympathy for the maid of honor. Sigismunda is outraged by the appearance of a cow at the royal dacha and the influence it has on the Princess. The princess stands up for the Cow, and the guard takes the side of the maid of honor.
5. Appearance and story of Fili.
The event of the next scene is the appearance of the shepherd Fili, who is looking for his runaway cow Zorka. From Fili’s story it becomes clear that the Cow hit her head on a tree and ceased to adequately perceive surrounding reality. This information, on the contrary, makes the princess even more interested in the Cow.
6. Leaving Fili at the dacha.
Next, a conflict begins to emerge between Sigismunda and the Princess, since both liked the shepherdess Phil. Sigismunda cunningly tries to leave the cow at the dacha, so that Phil will remain at the dacha with the cow.
7. Warning to Sigismunda by the Guard.
From the next scene we learn about the Guardian's feelings for Sigismunda. There is a conflict between them, since the Guard is afraid that the king will kick Sigismunda out of the dacha and, accordingly, deprive them of the opportunity to communicate, so he tries to turn Sigismunda against the Cow, and Sigismunda, on the contrary, tries to leave the Cow because of his feelings for Phil.
8. Giving the Cow the title of “royal”
After this, the Princess contributes to the development of the conflict between the Cow and Sigismunda, promoting the Cow to the rank of royal and designating her as a more important person than the maid of honor. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the Princess demands that Sigismund teach the Cow court etiquette.
9. Search common interests Fili and the Princesses.
The next event is that Filya helps the Princess, who is tired of doing nothing, to find an interesting activity. They find a common favorite thing to do and go planting flowers together.
10. Affirmation of the influence of the Cow in the country.
Over the next few scenes, the Cow asserts her presence at the dacha. At the beginning there is a conflict between her and the Guard, when she causes disturbances in the royal kitchen, then between Sigismunda and the Cow, who is trying to force the maid of honor to milk herself. As a result of this scene, the Cow leaves the inept Sigismunda to milk the milkmaids in the village.
11. Gaining the attention of Fili by Sigismunda.
Taking advantage of the situation, Sigismunda tries to win Fili's attention. There is a conflict between them, since Filya is not at all inclined to have a relationship with the Maid of Honor.
12. Intimidation of Fili by the Guard.
Filya shares her feelings about this situation with the Guard, who, in turn, tries to take Filya away from the maid of honor. He invites Phil to escape from the palace, tries to intimidate him with the hidden (invented by him) oddities of Sigismunda. A conflict occurs, since Filya is not at all in the mood to leave the dacha. However, when the Guard finds out that Phila likes the Princess, he calms down.
13. Clarification of the relationship between the Cow and the Maid of Honor.
The cow Zorka learns about Sigismunda's attempts to win Filya. And in the next scene we observe the conflict between the Cow and the Maid of Honor, as Zorka, sensing the emerging relationship between Fili and the Princess, tries to interfere with Sigismunda in her attempts regarding Fili.
14. The appearance of the King.
In the next scene, a conflict occurs between the King and the Cow who arrived at the dacha. The king is discouraged by the fact of the appearance of a cow at the dacha and her familiar attitude towards him. However, during the next scene, he becomes interested in Zorka, since she knows how to play checkers and has a beneficial influence on the king’s daughter, the Princess.
15. Sigismunda's accusation of the Cow.
The following events take place at the same royal dacha a week later. Sigismunda is brought to a critical state by the behavior of the Cow and carries out an intrigue, accusing the Cow of eating the king’s favorite roses, thereby trying to remove the Cow from the palace, leaving Filya with her. This - main event plays.
16. Finding out the true culprit.
The king arranges a trial. Sigizumunda's intrigue fails, as during the proceedings it turns out that it was she who plucked the roses, trying to blame the Cow. The conflict begins between Korova and Sigismunda, but during the proceedings everyone becomes involved in it.
17. The guard takes the blame upon himself.
Seeing Sigismunda's hopeless situation, the Guard takes the blame upon himself.
18. Coming up with a punishment for Sigismunda.
Sigismunda admits her guilt and asks to marry her to the shepherd Filya. Everyone is outraged by this. The cow offers to marry her to another shepherd. Sigismunda faints and the Guard carries her away.
19. Assignment of the princely title to Phil.
The cow strives to ensure the happiness of the Princess and Fili, for this she tries to convince the King that the shepherdess needs to be made a prince so that he can marry the Princess. The king is outraged by this proposal. The princess, having already fully realized her feelings for Phila, promises her father to become a shepherdess. The king, wanting to keep his daughter next to him, signs a decree conferring the title of Prince on Phil.
20. Revealing the Maid of Honor's dreams.
Having arranged the happiness of Fili and the Princess, the Cow intervenes in the conflict between the Guard and Sigismunda, trying to draw the attention of the maid of honor to him. The cow learns about Sigismunda's superstitious dream: to marry a baronet with a scar on his forehead.
21. Changing the image of the Guardian
Cow asks the King for a baronetcy for the Warden and beats the Warden, giving him a scar on his forehead, forcing him to remove his helmet. Thus, the Cow changes the image of the Guard in the eyes of the maid of honor.
As this situation unfolds, a series of minor conflicts occur - between the Cow and the King for the title of baronet for the Guard, between the Guard and the Cow at the time of inflicting the scar.
As a result, the Guard and Sigismunda find each other.
22. Finding happiness by the Cow.
The last event of the play is the confrontation between all the characters and the Cow. Zorka strives to find happiness for herself, for which she tries to go to India for sacred bull, everyone else tries to persuade her not to leave them, offering various options solving the problem. During this event, it becomes obvious that everyone has become not only happy, but also helping others find happiness. The cow easily agrees to the King's proposal to marry the bull Ogonyok, whom the King declared royal by his decree.
IN last event reflects the complete achievement of his goal by the main character: all the heroes became not only happy, but also learned to bring happiness to others. This event is a fulfillment super goals of the performance .
