This title makes available in English Dutch director and acting teacher Paul Binnerts's concept of 'real-time theater'. Real-time theater offers a challenge to Stanislavski and Brecht, whose
theories of stage realism dominated the 20th century. In providing a new way to consider the actor's presence on stage, Binnerts advocates breaking down the 'fourth wall' that has been a
central tenet of acting theories associated with realism. In real-time theater, actors forgo attempts to 'become a character' and instead understand their function as storytellers who are fully
present on stage and may engage the audience and their fellow actors directly. This level of involvement allows actors to deepen their grasp of the material and amplify their stage presence,
resulting in more engaged and nuanced performances. Illuminated by practical examples from the author's experience, the book explains why realism has become the dominant theater and acting
convention and how it can hinder the creation of real imaginative theater.
