Shakespeare's Advice to the Players

Description

The best-selling guide to acting Shakespeare in a new smaller and lighter handbook size. Shakespeare tells the actor when to go fast and when to go slow; when to pause, when to come in on cue and when to accent a word. His text is full of such clues. He tells the actor when but never tells him why or how. That is up to the actor. Much like bringing a musical score to life, Peter Hall guides us to 'speak the speech'. An essential text for classical training at drama school and an invaluable reference book for actors and directors working on Shakespeare productions. Peter Hall makes watching or reading Shakespeare a richer experience, for audiences as well as actors.

Sir Peter Hall was one of the greatest theatre, film and opera directors of our time. At the age of 29 he founded the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1973 he became Director of the National Theatre and opened the new theatres on the South Bank. He later founded the Peter Hall Company, producing many West End and Broadway successes. He directed at many international opera houses, including Glyndebourne, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera and Bayreuth. He directed over two hundred productions, including the world premiere in English of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, and the premieres of most of Harold Pinter's plays.

Acting students and young professionals will flock to learn from him - passionate, entertaining - Indisputably wise and true - Wonderfully illuminating * Telegraph * As fascinating to readers as it is to actors * Independent * This is the most fabulously hybrid book - part actor's handbook, part memoir - what is most inspiring is Hall's conviction that form can be as exciting as feeling. Acting in this way is more than just listening to Shakespeare - it is responding to Shakespeare's linear needs * Observer *