More Alternative Shakespeare Auditions for Women (Theatre Arts (Routledge Paperback)) (Paperback)

by Simon Dunmore (Author) "The Countess of Rossillion is the mother of Bertram and Helena is her ward..." (more)
Key Phrases: Julius Caesar, King John, Octavius Caesar (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Actors need audition material, and no playwright is as frequently mined for gold as the Bard himself. But actors too frequently rely on the same great speeches from the same great plays. Following on his successful Alternative Shakespeare Auditions for Women, Simon Dunmore presents even more underappreciated speeches that will make a classical audition sound fresh. Here are fifty speeches from Shakespeare-- overlooked speeches from favorite plays like Antony and Cleopatra, as well as good speeches from plays frequently ignored, like Love's Labour's Lost. Each speech is accompanied by brief character descriptions, notes on obscure words and references, and a helpful explanation of context.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Theatre Arts Book; 1 edition (May 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878301135
• ISBN-13: 978-0878301133
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,498,136 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible, July 26, 2000

By	Kathryn Rebecca Van Winkle (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Like its counterpart, "Alternative Shakespeare Auditions for Women", this book is an excellent resource for the actress. It provides unconventional monologues that, while not as well-known as Juliet's balcony or Viola's ring scene, are Shakespearean gems and are sure to spark the interest of the director. There are good choices for older actresses, as well as some teen/twenties pieces that break the ingenue mold or put a different spin on the stereotypes. Also included are good, solid tips on auditioning for and acting in Shakespeare. This is a wonderfully useful book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Again, a wonderful guide to offbeat Shakespeare, April 16, 2001

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

This book is attractive, sturdy and is formatted well. That being said, the content is equally stellar. The author knows a lot about each piece, and provides the background you need to make the character come alive at an audition, or just in your mind for reading. There are footnotes to the language that are useful, and the speeches themselves are constructed nicely and are good choices for any level of Shakespeare performer. MY only complaint, which isn't that important, is that the characters are not studied with as much depth as you would like if you were reading this book for literary pleasure. But it does give this book as an actors guide a sense of poetic freedom and freedom of creativity. Also good is the previous volume "Alternative Shakespeare Auditions for Women." Don't expect Juliet scenes or Beatrice monologues--- the "alternative" characters and speeches of Shakespeare get their 15 minutes! Recommended for anyone who has every wanted to be a Shakespeare "snob" at auditions and freshen up your Bard inventory. :O)