Other People's Shoes: Thoughts on Acting [Paperback]

Harriet Walter (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1854597515 | ISBN-13: 978-1854597519 | Publication Date: April 1, 2004

Harriet Walter is well known for her performances at the Royal Court (Cloud Nine, Hamlet with Jonathan Pryce), the RSC (Nicholas Nickelby, Macbeth with Antony Sher) and the National Theatre (Arcadia), as well on television, where she played Amy on Unfinished Business and Harriet Vane in the Lord Peter Wimsey series. In this book, she uses her experience to illustrate the processes involved in performance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'My advice to a young actor: read this book' Richard Eyre 'Buy it, and be delightfully and unhectoringly informed about exactly what it is that actors get up to and why... Harriet Walter is sharp, clear, elegant, sturdily sensitive' Simon Callow, Observer 'A fascinating insight into the working life of an actor... very enjoyable' Jeanette Winterson, The Times

About the Author

Harriet Walter trained at LAMDA and started with fringe groups such as joint stock before moving on to the Royal Court (Cloud Nine, Hamlet with Jonathan Pryce), the RSC (Nicholas Nickelby, Macbeth with Antony Sher) and the National (Arcadia). On TV, she is best known as Amy in Unfinished Business and Harriet Vane in the Lord Peter Wimsey Series. Her films include Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility and Louis Malle's Milou in Mai.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Nick Hern Books (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1854597515
• ISBN-13: 978-1854597519
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 4.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #573,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An inside look and a pleasure to read, June 3, 2011

By 

M. Hunter "Downtown Diva" (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Other People's Shoes: Thoughts on Acting (Paperback)

Miss Walter's take on acting is frank and original, making us feel as if we're being let in on the secret lives of those we see in darkened theaters and movie houses. The book is filled with details about the interior life of a role. She leads us through the different processes actors use to create characters, how directors influence each role, and gives us a real sense of how film is different form the stage. It is a great, absorbing read, and made three recent airplane trips zip by in spite of travel hassles.

Her writing style is both conversational and philosophical. She has a sure, strong voice. I hope she keeps writing! While she claims not to be the one who will produce plays and screenplays for interesting women characters, I hope she changes her mind.

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a Relaxed Conversation With One of Today's Best, June 28, 2010

By 

Kelli S. Ruttle - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Other People's Shoes: Thoughts on Acting (Paperback)

This is a fantastic read for any actor/director to pick up. Harriet Walter says early on that she doesn't consider the book to be a how-to type of acting book. It's more along the lines of hearing about how she started, what her experiences have been thus far, and what opinions have formed as a result of those experienes (in terms of what applications have worked for her and what haven't). One of my favorite sections was a play-by-play action of her location and thought process during a performance of Nina in The Seagull, both backstage and onstage. Her philosophies on the business of theatre and film and the importance of etiquette are wonderful bits of knowledge for those just starting out to know early on. Her writing style is also delightfully funny at times, which makes the book read like you're having a conversation over coffee with a great friend. If you've had the fortune to see Harriet Walter onstage or onscreen (and luckily enough for me, I have), you will close this book adoring her even more.