Players of Shakespeare 1

This is believed to be the first book of its kind. Twelve distinguished actors were asked to write about the preparation and performance of a Shakespeare role they had played in a production with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Contents

List of illustrations; Foreword; Acknowledgements; List of productions; 1. Introduction: abstracts and brief chronicles Philip Brockbank; 2. Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Patrick Stewart; 3. Portia in The Merchant of Venice Sinead Cusack; 4. Malvolio in Twelfth Night Donald Sinden; 5. Orlando in As You Like It John Bowe; 6. Lavatch in All’s Well That Ends Well Geoffrey Hutchings; 7. Nurse in Romeo and Juliet Brenda Bruce; 8. Polonius in Hamlet Tony Church; 9. Hamlet Michael Penington; 10. Timon of Athens Richard Pasco; 11. Postumus in Cymbeline Roger Rees; 12. Hermione in The Winter’s Tale Gemma Jones; 13. Caliban in The Tempest David Suchet.

Reviews

‘This volume of twelve essays by members of the Royal Shakespeare Company is brilliant testimony to the specific and incomparable commentary that actors can be persuaded to provide.’ Peter Holland, Theatre Notebook

‘Rarely can we participate in the actor’s creative process as he or she prepares and performs a specific role, but in this collection we have a concentrated, thoughtful, energetic, and delightful set of essays on the actor’s art … the level is outstandingly high.’ Library Journal, New York

‘At their best they provide a richness of experience obtainable in no other way … this is a book I am eager to recommend.’ David Bevington, Yearbook of English Studies