Actors Talk About Shakespeare

by Mary Z. Maher

Bravo, Shakespeare. Even today, his plays challenge celebrated actors to hone their skills and electrify audiences. Imagine the process actors undergo to recreate these spellbinding roles on stage. In an interview with the author, Kevin Kline declared that playing Shakespeare “uses a different muscle group in your head.”

Actors Talk About Shakespeare features personal interviews with a stellar collection of prominent American, Canadian, and British performers of Shakespeare onstage, including Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Stacy Keach, Zoe Caldwell, Martha Henry, William Hutt, Tony Church, Nicholas Pennell, and Geoff Hutchings. In conversations equivalent to a magician telling his secrets, Mary Z. Maher uncovers the actors' process. The book speaks to theater patrons, to actors both novice and experienced, and to educators who teach Shakespeare. Each chapter profiles a career in context, using the actor's words along with supporting research material. The result is a treasury of talents, tactics, and tales from veteran performers who return often to Shakespeare from careers in film and television.

Genres: Shakespeare

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2009

About the author

Mary Z. Maher (Ashland, OR) is the author of the performance classic Modern Hamlets and Their Soliloquies and the biography Nicholas Pennell: Risking Enchantment, as well as several articles on Shakespeare in performance on stage, film, and television. After a teaching career at the University of Arizona, she retired as professor emerita to the home of the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival and continues teaching, coaching, lecturing, and writing."

Reviews

[YeOldeReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having seen my first Stratford, Ontario performance in 1977 (Bedford, Maggie Smith and Hutt in The Guardsman), I found the chapters on the Stratford company to be the most fascinating. Their comments about Robin Phillips were illuminating.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite jealous of Mary Maher's access to such acting greats. Happily, she used this access to provide us with an excellent insider's look about how actors approach roles and bring their own fresh take to the classics. I enjoyed how she handled the transfer of information from the actor to the reader, working hard to make sure that the actor's words came through and she didn't editorialize too much. I thought she struck a very nice balance. I also appreciated that she included actors who might not be very well known outside of certain circles. For example, I've never been to see Shakespeare in Ontario, Canada, but now have a far greater appreciation of the talent and skill found there thanks to Maher's discussion of the various companies and festivals. I plan to go check in out in the future.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the interviews fascinating. Each actor has his own approach to Shakespeare and to acting. I gained new insights which have increased my enjoyment of the performances.

[Susan Williams]

A wonderful experience and gratifying to know that professionals work through the same process we local artists small and unknown do. The work is the work is the work!!!

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting thoughts. A reminder that no one agrees or does it the same way. At all.