A Piece of Work: Playing Shakespeare and Other Stories

by Simon Russell Beale

Simon Russell Beale is one of Britain's most recognisable and well-loved actors. He has played many roles on stage, film, television and radio - ranging from Winston Churchill to Stalin, George Smiley to King Arthur. But ever since his appearance at school as a glamorous Desdemona, complete with false eyelashes that rendered him half-blind, he has been captivated by Shakespeare.

In A Piece of Work, Russell Beale tries to get under the skin of the playwright and find out what interested him. Was Shakespeare an instinctive 'conservative' or, rather, gently subversive? How collaborative was he? Did he add a line to Hamlet in order to accommodate his ageing and increasingly chubby principal actor, Richard Burbage? Did he suffer from insomnia and experience sexual jealousy?

Russell Beale describes what it is to approach and live with some of Shakespeare's most famous characters. Some of the actor's inspiration comes from surprising sources. Watching Coronation Street gave him an idea for how Richard III might react on hearing of the death of the two Princes in the Tower; a visit to elderly patients in a local hospital gave him insights into King Lear's descent into madness; and the memory of childhood family holidays led him to a spectacular plunge into an ornamental pool in Much Ado About Nothing.

Funny and touching about his family, Russell Beale also writes fascinatingly about some of the supremely creative people he counts as his friends - including Sam Mendes, Nick Hytner, Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall.

A Piece of Work is a brilliant account of an actor's life and work - and his relationship with our foremost dramatist.

Genres: Shakespeare, Nonfiction, Art

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2024

Reviews

[Jane Fudger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Russell Beale is one of the UK's most valued Shakespearean actors. This book is his auto biography of his life set around the various Shakespeare plays he has performed in both abroad and more importantly his work at the shakespeare Theatre in Stratford and the National Theatre in London.
An honest and engaging account especially if, like me, you are interested in Shakespeare and the background of his plays interpretation.

[Harry McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warm and insightful - lots of interesting thoughts on verse-speaking. I only wish I'd been able to see more of his performances.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous memoir by one of the greatest actors of our time.

Simon Russell Beale headlines productions at the RSC and consistently sells out shows, yet his memoir is surprisingly modest. perfections, good fortune, and the extraordinary talent of the actors and directors he's had the privilege of working alongside. Rather than dwelling on his successes, he's candid and engaging about his setbacks—such as being passed over for Clive Owen or playing second fiddle to Ralph Fiennes and Stephen Fry. We even get a glimpse of his insecurities and unpleasant characteristics: after sustained an injury during Richard III, he pestered Sam Mendes from the hospital repeatedly, until Sam eventually asked him to stop calling because the conversations were emotionally taxing.

His accomplishments are incidental mentions rather than centre-stage in the narrative—throughout the 1990s and 2000s, it was unusual to see a National Theatre production without him; dinner with Lauren Bacall; sharing crossword puzzles with Stephen Sondheim. His near-complete performance of Shakespeare's leading roles (Hamlet, Macbeth, Falstaff, Prospero, Lear, the list goes on) speaks volumes.

The memoir also offers insightful reflections on Beale's artistic process. First is the importance of widening your repertoire: he warmly recalls playing Konstantin in Chekhov's "The Seagull" under Terry Hands and Ariel in "The Tempest" with Sam Mendes, roles that significantly broadened his range and prevented him from being typecast as a comedic type. Indeed, his career spans an impressive breadth—from Shakespeare and Restoration Comedy to contemporary dramas like "The Lehman Trilogy," works by Tom Stoppard, and even the musical "Spamalot."

Second, SRB emphasises continuous learning. Whether mastering the art of ballet dancing for "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," learning how to present a BBC documentary, taking workshops at the RSC, or reading Proust, Vikram Seth, and Shakespearean criticism, his demanding intellectual curiosity and continual student posture is evident.

Thirdly, the book underscores the critical role of personal networks in Beale’s career. His longstanding relationships with directors like Sam Mendes and Nicholas Hytner have clearly been instrumental throughout his distinguished career.

Lastly, SRB’s extreme work ethic is clear: the RSC schedule permitted one evening off a year, and his demanding productivity speaks to his relentless hard work.

The memoir is a delightful read—a inspiring prompt to revisit, or newly discover, Simon Russell Beale’s remarkable performances.

[Brian Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're here, you know that you enjoy the work of Simon Russell Beale, an actor who is mostly known for his work on the English stage, primarily in classical roles, and most especially in those of Shakespeare. He's not a traditional looking Shakespearean character actor (critics often cruelly refer to his weight which is not slim and he is not what is considered handsome in the face), but he has overcome all of this by simply being one of the great and most original interpreters of these roles in the past forty years. He takes the scripts that we are all familiar with and parses them word for word for meaning, and his delivery style (which I have written about academically at length) is deeply one-way conversational. By that, I mean that SRB will deliver a Shakespearean soliloquy as if he is truly asking the audience questions and speaking to them in a dialogue in which we never respond back but one in which he pauses for an extraordinary amount of time in order to allow the audience to think through the questions his character is posing. I once clocked one of his Hamlet soliloquies as delivering a 27 second pause between lines mid-speech. That is an extraordinarily long time in the theater and makes you even wonder if he has forgotten the next line. No, he hasn't. He is making you remember your own responsibility to interact silently in the dark with the character.

This book is part memoir (nothing explosive or controversial) and mostly recounting (1/3 - 2/3 ratio of those two) of SRB's landmark roles, mainly Shakespearean. They span a wide range: Hamlet, Macbeth, Iago, Richard III, Richard II, Falstaff in The Hollow Crown, Prospero, Malvolio, Benedick, Cassius, Leontes, Thersites, Ariel, and Timon of Athens. He has even played King Lear a bit earlier than his age. I have seen Hamlet, Macbeth, Cassius in person and Falstaff, Thersites, and Lear via recording.

I could go on, but ultimately, this memoir is for those who are interested in a master of their craft discussing the above and their decisions and those of the productions. It's a bit like the series Players of Shakespeare, except all of the essays are written by one actor. One of the few actors around who have found a niche playing classical roles on the stage without a major transition to film, though he has appeared there on occasion as well, with an upcoming appearance in House of the Dragon Series Two. Bonuses: he reads the audiobook. One of my favorites with some real insights. Few actors (Judi Dench for one) can say they have played such a wide range of the canon.

[Rebecc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time flies when you follow a great actors career! I have been lucky to see most of the plays & roles Simon Russell Beale talks about in his new book (& many others that he doesn't) as he mainly focuses on the big Shakespeare roles that have meant so much to him over the years. It's fascinating to read about his dramatic choices & reasonings & his close creative relationships with so many top stage directors who quite obviously love & respect him personally & professionally. Also loved the photographs which brought back a lot of memories & I concur that he should have another shot at MacBeth & King Lear & perhaps now a Henry IV....

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An autobiography with a difference, focusing on the Shakespearean roles he has played over the years and how he interpreted and understood each part and each role. Made special in that I can remember seeing many of these performances. I will now need to re-read the plays!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Simon has written an eloquent, delicious, highly intelligent memoir of his life and his art. He is witty, erudite, vulnerable and self-deprecating. I can't recommend this highly enough to theater lovers or just lovers of memoirs.

[Duncan Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

engaging and insightful memoir from one of our best actors. Thoughtful takes on Shakespeare, mixed with self deprecating enjoyable reflections on life and career. Best paired w his Private Passions on Radio 3.