Mr Schickel is sympathetic to Kazan's ideals and the political engagement of The Group Theatre, the left-wing repertory company which introduced the Stanislavsky method to America and where Kazan started out.

ECONOMIST: American film: Big little man | The

The Moscow Arts Theatre celebrates its centenary this year: its heritage has been transmitted through an unbroken relay of actors trained by the company school in Stanislavsky's Method.

ECONOMIST: Repertory theatre in Britain