On Actors And Acting
by Peter Thomson
(Paperback) (Published)
(April 2002)
ISBN: 9780859897426
6.1 x 9.17 inches
Price: $33.00
In stock
(Hardback) (Published)
(October 2000)
ISBN: 9780859896719
6.1 x 9.17 inches
Price: $112.00
In stock
This is a book for theatre-lovers, written for anyone who shares the author’s curiosity about the art of acting and about theatre past and present.Three sections cover from the Elizabethan period to the 20th century.
This is a book for theatre-lovers, written for anyone who shares the author’s curiosity about the art of acting and about theatre past and present. The first section centres on Elizabethan theatre practice, the second highlights themes, episodes and contemporary taste in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in England, and the third focuses on twentieth-century performances of Shakespeare at Stratford in the 1970s and in the New Globe as the new century begins. The extensive cast of actors discussed includes Richard Tarlton, Will Kemp, David Garrick, Samuel Foote, Richard and Mary Ann Yates, Thomas Weston, John Kemble, Edmund Kean, Frederick Robson, Henry Irving, Ian Richardson and Ben Kingsley.
Part 1 Actors and acting in the early modern theatre: the Elizabethan actor - a matter of temperament
making an entrance - Chaucer to Tarlton
the missing jig
three Elizabethan actors
a note on Elizabethan rehearsal. Part 2 Actors and acting in the 18th and 19th centuries: bigamy and theatre
David Garrick - alive in every muscle
summer company - Drury Lane in 1761
Edmund Kean versus John Philip Kemble
Frederick Robson - a downright good actor
Irving and the Lyceum - volcano and cathedral. Part 3 Shakespeare in the 20th century: Shakespeare at Stratford - 1970-1975
the New Globe - monument or portent?
- By (author) Peter Thomson
"In this resonant collection of essays, Peter Thomson invites us to contemplate the performance techniques of key actors in the British theatre from the Shakespearean era to the present day. throughout the book Thomsons elegant prose draws the reader into a completely absorbing commentary, mixing anecdote and humour with a passionate belief in the power of the actor as a popular figure Thomsons own excitement for the art reminds us how exciting acting can be." Contemporary Theatre Review, Vol. 14, No. 4, 2004 "When Peter Thomson was writing reviews of Stratford productions for Shakespeare Survey in the 1970s, he saw his job as being to reproduce in words what it was like to be there, but without ducking away from a responsibility to enter into contemporary debate. This is the spirit in which On Actors and Acting is written, and it is deeply pleasurable ... interspersed with amplifications, second thoughts, wry self-criticisms and addenda from an author to whom the issues and arguments of the past still matter today ... Historical practices and personages repeatedly are illuminated by reference to the contemporary, and many of Thomsons throw-away remarks such his comparison between Irving and David Warner are worth their weight in gold." Theatre Research International, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2002 "Whilst Thomson disclaims the talent of Hazlitt, his readers, relishing his pithy insights, his biting wit, and admiring his crispness of phrase, will decide for themselves ... [The book] will be enjoyed by anyone who cares deeply, with both head and heart, about not only teaching of drama but the future of theatre." Speech and Drama, Vol. 51, No. 1, Spring 2002 "Thomsons affection for actors, advocacy for the primacy of the actors role in the theatrical process, and strong belief in the significant art of the actor permeate this eclectic, learned, and entertaining collection of essays ... Thomsons style is scholarly yet somewhat quirky and anecdotal, and very accessible ... Well documented and nicely illustrated, Thomsons book provides a capstone to his productive writing and scholarly career." Choice, Vol. 39, No. 4, Dec 2001
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Other Titles in this Series
Singing Simpkin and other Bawdy Jigs
Musical Comedy on the Shakespearean Stage: Scripts, Music and Context
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