“All true artists bear within themselves a deeply rooted and often unconscious desire for transformation.” 

— Michael Chekhov

How does the performer transcend personal experience to embody the expansive reality of a character? Following a pre-conference workshop grounded in the Michael Chekhov technique, this work demonstration investigates the psycho-physical interplay between the psyche and the body, the tangible and the intangible.

Drawing from Martin Buber’s dialogical principle—where the encounter with the "Other" transforms the self—this presentation moves away from searching for similarities between actor and character. Instead, the master teacher and participants demonstrate how embracing absolute difference can unlock a performer's creative individuality.

Through a live showcase of Chekhov tools—including the Imaginary Body, Imaginary Centers, and the relationship between inner images and organic breathing—the presentation lays bare the mechanics of inspired acting. Audiences will observe how multilingual texts are transformed when performers look at the world entirely through the perspective of the "Other." Ultimately, this session offers an analytical look at how Chekhov’s objective principles function in contemporary practice, showing how concentration and imagination can rapidly bridge the gap between the actor’s reality and the character's world.

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Ulrich Meyer-Horsch will conduct a pre-conference workshop from 18 to 21 Nov at Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI). Registration is required.