17. Psychology in Drama
Lessons of the 'Troupe 1931' Theater Ensemble
The original author of these essays was Ingeborg Franke von Wangenheim
Our director, Gustav Wangenheim, was never against using psychology as a means for deepening the actors’ insight into our characters, or for improving our understanding of any dramatic content. This sets him against others in the field today, those who reject psychology as a tool for understanding anything.
I’m of the same mind: People in theater who reject this new realm of thought are dismissing a useful tool for improving one’s art. To the director — and to us actors — psychology is just another tool in the toolbox, a language that helps us comprehend in new ways our world of people (our characters), their truths, and the paths they choose.
