Using Stanislavskys Method in The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka

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Topic: The conventions of, Constantine Stanislavski, can be applied to the acting styles and techniques of performers in the first scene of “The Lion and the Jewel” by Wole Soyinka.
In Wole Soyinka’s, “The Lion and the Jewel”, Stanislavsky’s method of motivation should be utilized in the performance being applied to the acting styles and techniques of Lakunle to enhance the viewer’s realization of themes in the play. The Lion and the Jewel is a play that uses comedy to address the customs of the Yoruba village. It is somewhat satirical, although, the message of the play entirely is the journey of accepting yourself and loving others.
The Lion and the Jewel is a play based on the Yoruba Village in Nigeria, Africa. In this play the main characters are: Sidi (the Jewel), a beautiful young lady whose love is being fought for by Baroka and Lakunle, Baroka (the Lion) is the chief of the village, he had many wives and is very old, he aims to marry Sidi because of her beauty and the youth he hopes she will bring back to his life, Lakunle hopes to marry her to introduce her into the modern word outside of the village. Sidi’s two suitors; the one of which she respects very much because of his authority in the village, and the other who is introducing her into the modern world, are both only after her for the personal gain of her beauty. Although, Sidi must find herself, she does this only after becoming a model on a magazine and realizing the beauty that she has outside and inside. She is then able to make a competent decision of whom she will love. This is a story that clearly assesses the cliché, that “in order to be loved by others you have to love yourself.”

This picture shows a baby kissing itself as a symbol of loving oneself.
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...thers so a person may become frustrated. To express this frustration the performer may stand with his hand on his hip with and a confused look in his face to express his confusion with her consistent denial of him. The actor’s motivation for this would be the annoyance that they is understood when being introduced to something they feel is primitive. This is much like learning how to spell cat in high school.

This is a portrayal of the action that the male playing Lakunle may take when saying these lines.

Wole Soyinka through his play gave a satirical view into the Yoruba Village, which can be enhanced by Stanislavsky’s method of motivation. With Lakunle, understanding how to portray a love feigning man who is too modernized to be accepting of the culture of others is vital because there are many actors who will not understand how to portray the character.

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