Tortsov
A semi-fictionalised version of Constantin Stanislavsky in his older years as the the master actor-trainer-impressario. The relationship between the real Stanislavsky and his fictional other manifests in his writings, in particular “An Actor Prepares”, “Building a Character”, and “Creating a Role”, which are US published and adapted translations of some of his writings known in the Russian version under the generic title “An Actor’s Work on…”.
Maxim
A young Russian citizen and aspiring actor, thrilled to be selected to take part in the intensive training provided by the newly formed Moscow Arts Theatre Studio. Or at least that’s what he appears to be. But he is actually a perfectly human-like android crafted in the mid 21st century, slipped back in time in order to become as human-like in behaviour as he is in appearance. And the best way to achieve this, he has inferred, is to learn how to act. His research leads him to seek out the mentorship of the one and only grandfather of modern actor training: Constantin Stanislavsky.
Irina
Accomplished dancer and aspiring actress, one of a small troupe of students selected to join the first cohort of the Moscow Arts Theatre Studio training programme. Based partly on Isadora Duncan and partly on fictional characters from the ‘cast’ of an Actor Prepares.