For Women: Pocket Monologues from Shakespeare [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author), Dick Dotterer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0940669382 | ISBN-13: 978-0940669383 | Publication Date: December 1997

Here is a book for handbag or pocket that is full of monologues from the Bard; fifty-six speeches embracing the greatest female characters in Shakespeare's canon. Each is preceded by an in-depth exposition establishing intent as well as placing you in the scene. This handy tome can conceivably save your life out there in the field of drama. All you have to do is whip it out and start acting. The perfect pocket companion for the dedicated actress.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Mr. Dotterer is a Shakespearean authority who holds an M.F.A in theater, playwriting, and directing.

About the Author

Dick Dotterer

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dramaline Pubns (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940669382
• ISBN-13: 978-0940669383
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 3.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,298,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Theater > Acting & Auditioning

More About the Author

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of some standing in his community. William probably went to the King's New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( who would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By 1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and already known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred to him as "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers." Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later under James I, called the King's Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain's Men built and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the Thames River. Here many of Shakespeare's plays were performed by the most famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or 1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such plays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613. He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during his life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now called the First Folio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful monlouges and size, but format..., February 7, 2001

By 

Margaret P Harvey (Charlottesville, Va United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: For Women: Pocket Monologues from Shakespeare (Paperback)

First of all, this book gives a lot of stellar monologues for actresses of all ages and talents. I loved the selections that were included, and I felt that there were a variety of choices. However, the book did not have footnotes or ANYTHING to decipher the language, so you would need a separate Shakespeare dictionary if you wanted to understand some Elizabethan phrases. Also, the setup was confusing and not very convenient to use. For example, before every monologue there is an italicized description of the character and the situation, then there is the actual monologue in plain text. I found this setup, which often spanned a number of pages, annoying. Also, the author pasted together speeches (sometimes awkwardly) without even noting that he had done so. This may not make much of a difference, but it did somewhat irk me. Don't get me wrong; the book is a useful resource, but mostly because of the size and selection. If you aren't concerned about size (it actually is pocketsize and highly accessible,) then there are plenty of other Shakespeare monologue books out there. Final verdict: Compact and accessible, but awkwardly formatted and pasted together at times.