A Theatergoer's Guide to Shakespeare

by Robert Thomas Fallon

Robert Fallon has written a book for those whose encounter with a play by Shakespeare, either in performance or on the printed page, has left them occasionally puzzled as to what in the world is going on. Shakespeare can be he wrote largely in verse and not in everyday speech; his plays are set in unfamiliar locales; and his lines abound in allusions that were familiar to Elizabethan audiences but not, alas, to us. His plays move us despite these difficulties, but they would even more so if we had a bit of deciphering and knew more about Shakespeare's London. A Theatergoer's Guide opens a window to that time while illuminating the timelessness of Shakespeare's plays, their portrayal of the human condition in any age. Written for the general reader “in plain though not inelegant English,” the book is mercifully free of academic jargon or scholarly apparatus. It examines the most frequently staged plays scene by scene, and those less frequently performed act by act, in chapters that may be read in one sitting in anywhere from five to forty minutes. These chapters pursue the sequence of events clearly, but they are much more than tedious plot summaries, and they do not “dumb down” Shakespeare. They provide intelligent readers with incisive and engaging commentary on character, theme, setting, poetry, and stage history, in surveys that will help them follow the action with ease and understanding. Dedicated theatergoers as well as students and teachers unfamiliar with a play will find the book a rich source of pleasure and insight. It is destined to become a standard work in the field.

Genres: Shakespeare, Nonfiction, Plays

496 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2001

Reviews

[Sammy]

A very competent, well-thought-out introduction to Shakespeare for new fans. It's also helpful for intermediate fans who wants a quick, concise summary of each play. The most well-known plays are broken down by scene; others are by act. The summary is more than just plot, it also includes some discussion of themes, relation of plot to the context, etc. Quite good stuff really.

[atom_box Evan G]

Lively and personable. Less SparkNotes, more like InYourEarShakespeare/ChopBard(Ehren Zeigler).

I pick this reference up again and again: a solid 20 page summary for each of Shakespeare's plays. Often I read the gloss to my wife while she drives us to our American Players Theater here in Wisconsin for a play. Breezy and casual in tone.

[Catherine Mustread]

Would be useful as a reference guide, for reading about a play before or after watching the performance, or as a review of the play. Not good for reading straight through. Good index and table of contents.