I An Actor

by Nicholas Craig, Christopher Douglas, Nigel Planer

Presents the humorous fictionalized memoirs of British thespian Nicholas Craig.

Genres: Comedy, Biography, Humor

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As a vagabond barometer of the human condition it is all too easy to lose track of one's identity. I have a wonderful self-awareness exercise which I can recommend to any other actors who suffer as I do. What I do is this. Sit naked in front of a mirror and tell myself my life story. I usually have a big pile of old school reports and reviews beside me so that I can interrupt myself if I get details wrong... I honestly think that if I didn't have my twice-weekly session I would start to lose touch with reality."

Best book about acting ever. Brings home to me all too keenly the wasted year I spent on a Performing Arts course. *shudders*

[Jack Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very silly. The friend who gave it to me said she and another friend know it almost by heart and quote it constantly and I can see how that would happen.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sometimes laugh out loud funny. But I sometimes found the humour a bit repetitive in style. I got about half way through and wondered if I should continue. Then I poured myself a glass or three of wine and found it very funny indeed again. I’d recommend it, but either only in small doses, or alternatively with lubricant.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I, An Actor featured on a recent edition of BBC Radio 4's A Good Read and was a hit with the presenter and both guests. I enjoyed this spoof of the worst sort of introspective, self-regarding actor's memoirs, but didn't find quite as uproariously funny as the A Good Read crew. Like many comic works I found that the premise wasn't strong enough to sustain a full-length book.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

the new nicholas craig podcast is proof that nigel planer loves us and wants us to be happy

[Russio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wryly amusing throughout. The man is a Partidgesque creation in his lack of personal awareness. Lent to me by a friend who works with creatives; he says this is bang on.

[Litbitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny funny funny send up of actors, acting, and the theatre in general (ridicule thereof is very close to my heart). Particularly loved the Peter Brook spoof. I can't remember it well enough to do it justice, but it had something to do with a play written in some native tongue which could only be performed during a full moon, in the shadow of a particular mountain, while an eagle was laying eggs.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicholas Craig IS the actor's actor. He breathlessly shares the details of his life, gives plenty of tips on "the craft" (including an extremely helpful list of back-up lines that one can memorize in case one forgets one's lines on stage), and dishes dirt on the many famous names he's trod the floorboards with.

[Susan Wands · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is hilarious doing a spoof on Ian McKellen type actors who take their craft very seriously (although the "Extras" scenes that Sir Ian does with Ricky Gervais show his great sense of humor).However, this comedy take off takes the piss out of celeb bios in theatre.

[Jimbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

wihout doubt the best book on acting ever written.

[Ian Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious.