Abstract
Drawing on twenty in-depth interviews as well as questionnaires undertaken over ten years, and informed by her own practice as a professional actor and acting teacher, Hilary Halba's essay explores ways in which Stanislavsky's System has been adopted, challenged, transformed and adapted within the distinctive theatrical and socio-cultural landscape of Aotearoa. She argues that Stanislavsky's techniques are surprising widespread in Aotearoa, despite some thinking to the contrary, but are "hiding in plain sight" under the guise of conventional theatre exercises and approaches that may not appear overtly Stanislavskian. The essay concludes by examining and comparing the trajectory of the Stanislavsky-inspired Meisner Technique in the Aotearoa context.