A Shakespearean Actor Prepares (Career Development) [Hardcover]

Adrian Brine (Author), Michael York (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 2001 | Series: Career Development

Shakespeare knew more than any other playwright about the art of acting and the art of theater; practitioners affirm this. While creating superhuman characters and setting them in situations that stretch the imagination to its limits, he also provided his actors with the keys to playing them. A Shakespearean Actor Prepares reveals these keys.

There is no general consensus about how Shakespeare "should" be played: there are no rules. This book is not concerned with arriving, but with setting out. It will point out the sources of energy in his plays, which, if tapped, will galvanize an actor's fantasy and liberate his talent.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

For centuries, actors have known what the American hoi polloi, through the efforts of Kenneth Branagh, films like Shakespeare in Love, and eminent critic Harold Bloom's Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human (LJ 10/1/98), is now acknowledging: Shakespeare is cool. The venerable dramatic publisher Smith & Kraus, of course, has known this for years and contributes to their fine stable of theatrical thoroughbreds with a fine work from esteemed actor York and European actor, director, and teacher Brine. Geared to actors studying and performing Shakespeare, the instructional and conversational text is also appropriate for nonactor Shakespearean fans. Both Brine and York smoothly blend together their considerable experience and expertise through practical commentaries on language, verse, and soliloquies and an intriguing chapter on Stanislavsky, from whose seminal acting text, An Actor Prepares, the title is taken. Appendixes include a brief "Who's Who" and a Shakespearean biography, chronology of plays, and reading list.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Director Brine and actor York met 40 years ago and became fast friends. York found success in movies, while Brine remained a respected but obscure stage director. Yet they kept in touch, trading stories and opinions about theater in general and Shakespeare in particular. This book is a distillation of their long correspondence. Both men have lively, witty, accessible styles, and they touch memorably on every aspect of Shakespeare's work--his use of poetry, his finely delineated sense of character, the kind of theater in which his plays were initially performed. They even discuss the merits and liabilities of using Stanislavsky-style techniques to prepare for a Shakespearean role. Especially fascinating are the chapters devoted to unpacking the Bard's rich poetry and learning how to speak his words to convey the excitement and emotion he intended. Actors may find the book valuable for honing their craft, while lovers of literature will enjoy its intelligent close readings of Shakespeare's words. Jack Helbig
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Smith & Kraus Pub Inc; 1 edition (April 16, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575250594
• ISBN-13: 978-1575250595
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,624,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, January 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: A Shakespearean Actor Prepares (Paperback)

This is really a wonderful and accessible and readable book about Shakesepeare and his work. Even if you're not interested in the craft of acting, but do have an interest in Shakespeare, I highly reccomend this book. And it is written without any pretension. Obviously the name "Shakespeare" in our culture can carry as much snob appeal as the name "Gucci" or "Hermes" and a fair amount of snobbery is often attached to Shakespeare because of it. But this book comes from a pure love of Shakespeare, so you don't feel you are reading something that is "good for you." He is made enjoyable. As the authors point out, Shakespeare ran the Globe Theater for profit, so had to appeal to the masses to get them to buy tickets. And so he was likely not a snob, and should be (I think!) approached as these authors approach him. This book is an absolute treat.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important view of Shakespeare as performance art., August 21, 2000

By 

David L. Scott (Sherman Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Shakespearean Actor Prepares (Paperback)

This book is well thought out, precise and one of the best, most informative books I have read regarding the performance of Shakespeare. I have studied with many acting teachers including Ada Brown Mather, formerly of RADA, and Patrick Tucker, the main proponent of the First Folio method. Without doubt, this common sense approach to Shakespearean performance is on the mark. The idea of making an argument with a speech, finding the points of a scene that move the story forward, not accepting that the script is a blueprint for performance, etc. are all important points. I also enjoyed the comparison of Shakespearian acting concepts with Stanislovski's approach. A book to keep and review periodically, as important as Granville-Barker's Prefaces to Shakespeare. And timely for me personally considering I am currently performing Macduff in a local theater.

Thank you for this practical guide.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An actor and gentleman, September 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: A Shakespearean Actor Prepares (Paperback)

I had the good furtune to meet Michael York at a book signing for A Shakespearean Actor Prepares, while he was on tour in Vermont. He was open, very friendly and respectful of everyone, a gentleman in the best sense of the word.

In his book, he generously shares his early theater experiences and his love of the bard. He sensitively guides the reader through the delicate process of uncovering meaning and emotions in the text.

Michael's warm, resonant voice, a trademark, naturally results from his text-based approach to acting. In A Shakespearean Actor Prepares, he recommends studying for Richard II this way: "If you read the speech aloud, paying attention to the suggested breaks, and to the key words (the words that are important to Richard), and to the heavy stresses, you will probably find a patrician fury welling up inside you--almost of its own accord."

The emotions come through the words, not before them. That's how respect for the writer becomes high art. Careful preparation and passion naturally expressed keeps the actor open to experimentation. Openness, a fresh creative attitude, keeps the actor and person young and handsome.

We are lucky to have such teachers and artists.