Applying Stanivslaky's methods in rehersal

Today we focused on our rehearsal process and how we are applying the methods we have learnt such as the making of units, objectives and physical actions. I found this to be so much harder than I had anticipated, with all the work I had done on my script being forgot about the minute I started to rehearse the scene. Up until now learning about Stanislavsky and his methods had all been theoretical, and so when it came to applying the work I had done I found that I was unable to  hold any of it in my head and therefore it felt like I hadn't developed massively over the time period in terms of my character and how I act within the scene. The rehearsal was a big eye opener as it made we realize that half the work I had done (objectives, physical actions ans given circumstances) had not been properly thought about or been done in enough depth, explaining why it was impossible to apply it to my work as there wasn't enough of an understanding for me to be able to utilize that work I had done. Therefore from this rehearsal I know that I have to go back to all of my units, objectives, physical actions and given circumstances and really commit to working through each one of these things in detail so it become ingrained within my brain. When reading Bella Merlin's book, I found a

passage particularly interesting where she talked about how Stanislavsky said that you need to do all of this work and then forget it all once on stage. After experiencing this first rehearsal that concept makes perfect sense, however it is only possible if the work you did is really understood and imprinted in you as your character. If you reach this point you wont have to try and forget all your work while on stage, it will just disappear as you will no longer need to make the conscious effort to apply it as its so ingrained within you. 

I feel these methods are more important than ever with The Seagull as my character of Arkadina and the stage world of the play is something that is far away from the reality I live in, Arkadina especially is a character that I find really hard to grasp as shes so different to me and my encounters in life. She is a mother, someone of great wealth and status in the arts and is around 40 years old, all these things make it very difficult for me as a 16 year old who doesn't live on a huge country estate to connect with. Therefore methods like emotion memory are needed for me to draw on and real get inside this character and the play.