Freeing Shakespeare's Voice: The Actor's Guide to Talking the Text

by Kristin Linklater

A passionate exploration of the process of comprehending and speaking the words of William Shakespeare. Detailing exercises and analyzing characters' speech and rhythms, Linklater provides the tools to increase understanding and make Shakespeare's words one's own.

Genres: Shakespeare, Nonfiction, Theatre, Drama, Language

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Mo Fish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in 24 hours, as I prep for my Teaching Shakespeare intensive course at Emerson. 😬

Things I liked:
-Contrast of cultures: Shakespeare's vs Today (culture of storytelling then vs emotional/expressional repression now)
-Tons (!!!) of info in form, which was excellent in scope and depth

Things I wasn't as thrilled by:
-Linklater's vocal work within the text - hoping more hands-on work will make it work better for me. (Haven't used her methodology before, so perhaps it's just unfamiliarity?)
-Ending the book with her Oxford theory (Shakespeare didn't write his plays) Necessary? Sounds like another book; why tack this flimsy chapter on at the very end, if it's ALL about the text?

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've found Linklater to be a helpful, insightful, and accessible method for studying and performing Shakespeare. I wouldn't try reading the book without studying the technique practically in a workshop or class, but as an accompaniment to practical study it's top-notch. Linklater's passion for her subject is clear and inspiring.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting combinatin of first folio and linklater techniques. Some good group exercises in here.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Format: Kindle
Review: I studied with Kristin Linklater right before she retired in 2014. She was one of the most incredible teachers I've ever had. I still hear her lessons in my head. Reading this book was a reminder of all the valuable things she taught me as well as more detail of things she glossed over in class. I forget she was an Oxfordian until my classmate tried to grill her on it. She shot back at him and shut it down because she could tell he was just in for the debate and it was a waste of class time. I miss her constantly and wish she were still here. Teachers have that kind of mark on a person.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linklater is a genius, and this book contains a number of fascinating exercises to bring Shakespeare to life in performance. Basically what she does is have you make the words real -- the sounds of the words -- by where you place them in your body and how you experience them. This is passing strange and wonderful stuff.

[Anthony Giancola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is blasphemy, but I don't connect with her methods.