Judi Dench: With a Crack in Her Voice

by John Miller

Whether it is her sunny temperament, her gift of laughter, her wide-ranging abilities, or all three, Judi Dench is without doubt a star. S hortlisted for a 1998 Hollywood Oscar for her performance as Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown, she then won an Oscar for her role as Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love. Judi Dench is widely loved and not only among the theatrical profession. Her long-running appearance opposite Geoffrey Palmer in the TV situation comedy As Time Goes By has run to four series and gained her a TV Times readers' award as the actress we most wish see more often on television. She juggles the National Theatre (a sell-out season in Sondheim's A Little Night Music and David Hare's Amy's View) with TV and films. This is a revised edition from the original paperback.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, History, Theatre, Autobiography

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a "fan" biography in the sense of a gossipy book with lots of personal information about Dench's offstage life. In fact, if you're wanting that, you may wait forever. Dame Judi is a pretty private person. But if you are looking for an excellent, exhaustive, factual description of her life in the theatre and the kind of actress she was, then you will find it here.

John Miller is indeed a friend of Judi Dench, but I don't read him as a sycophantic friend. He mentions bad reviews and moments of embarrassment and puzzling habits like her reluctance to read a script before committing to doing a play. (You do find out why, eventually...)

This IS a respectful biography, respectful of her privacy and her right to keep the details of her personal life to herself. And what, after all, is wrong with that?

If you are not interested in details of productions of classical and modern plays, and in how actors approach their very demanding career in such a way as to retain their sense of humor, their balanced view of their own strengths and shortcomings, and their ability to work together, you will NOT like this book. Just skip it.

But if you are, you will be fascinated and perhaps motivated to re-read familiar plays and discover new ones. Just the description of the Antony and Cleopatra production is enough to send me diving for my Kindle Shakespeare. And I now must read Sean O'Casey's Dublin trilogy.

In the process, you will get a very good sense of what Judi Dench is like in action, both onstage and as a friend.

She has had a rather quiet personal life, in the sense that she's still married to the same guy and has one daughter that she clearly adores but has not spoiled rotten. Maybe the reason there aren't more negative comments about her in this book is because she really is a genuinely nice person - although certainly not boring, with her amazing (some might say obsessive or irritating!) practical jokes and her delight in the camaraderie of a theatre company.

I only wish I had been able to see more of her onstage productions. Her films and TV series offer only a taste of her marvelous acting - but after reading this biography, I can appreciate those performances even more.

Thanks, Mr. Miller. Your writing isn't flashy, but it does the job, with economy and sensitivity, qualities that Dame Judi values most highly. Perhaps one day more behind-the-scenes information will be available. We can wait.

[Susy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on my mother's shelves when we emptied her home; she loved to remind us of her many theatre trips to London and seeing "Dame Judi Dench" on the stage so I felt that by reading it I'd feel closer to my mother. And I did. For theatre lovers and lovers of her in films, this is an in depth account of her theatre training and the many roles she has played. I had no idea of her versatility on stage or of the many storied names she's performed with: Ian Mckellen, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy just to name a few. Her personal life was interesting as well. She clearly doesn't just portray women with principles, she lives them.

I found this book fascinating and since it was written after extensive conversations with Ms. Dench it is thorough and so well researched.

[Libby vanBuskirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing itself is pretty weak, particularly in the first half. The author has done an exceptional amount of interviews to assemble her biography; however, in the first half he has a difficult time expressing these stories in a way that makes the meaning clear to the reader. Quotes are unclear or vague and it's difficult to picture certain stories. For example, "Then Judi threw the thing in the air. And that was that." Do you know what that means? Neither do I, and the context doesn't make it any more clear. The first half of the book is full of moments like this one.

All that said, it's a collection of stories from some of the best actors Britain has seen in the last 50 years. It paints an exceptional portrait of the theater scene from the '60s onward, and really gives you a sense of how much Judi Dench had worked before she ever became popular in film. You can vividly picture her in so many plays and fortunately, the author got an honest account from a number of his interviews about events that many would try to gloss over. I also learned so much about Dench, including that she tends to be clumsy on opening night, she's notorious for corpsing (ie, cracking up in the middle of a scene) and that she almost never reads scripts before starting on a project.

All in all, I'm so glad I read it, even with the drawbacks mentioned above.

[Graceann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please see my detailed review at Amazon Graceann's "Judi Dench" Review"

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This book manages to do what I previously thought was impossible. It made Judi Dench uninteresting. Glimmers of the lady show through here and there, but the writing is so poor and so restrained due to the fact that Miller is Judi's friend (and thus is loath to peeve her) that a 300 page book, which I'd normally enjoy in about two or three days, took me almost a week to complete.

[Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I saw that a "sequel" of sorts had come out and I thought I'd read this first. It was fairly informative, but had the feeling of a list rather than a flow of one's life story. I enjoyed the anecdotes from the people who had worked with her, but overall it was rather tedious and I suspect the author had a lot less access (or chose to filter out quite a bit) that gave it a rather pared down feeling.

Certainly for fans it's worth a read, but I'd strongly recommend you borrow it from the library or find a good bargain on eBay.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Dame Judi Dench, have ever since I saw her onstage in London in '93, but I did not love this book. It was more an exhaustive resume and collection of reviews with a few good stories attached. If was often hard to follow who was being quoted and sometimes even what they were exactly talking about - and I'm sure it would be even harder to follow if I didn't have a pretty good knowledge of classic plays and British actors. It gave a tantalizing glimpse of Judi Dench's personality and wicked sense of humor but was ultimately disappointing.

[Wonderkell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book in terms of what it had to teach me as an actor & giving me a greater insight into this wonderful actor's technique, but I have to say that at times it turned into way too much of a love fest. Also, one of the reasons it took me so long to read was that I kept putting it down due to boredom. Te constant quoting from reviews for each show she she did, sometimes as many as five for each play, made the book incredibly long & boring to read at times. More of Dame Judi herself would have been much better.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Judi Dench. I will go see just about anything she's in. I don't love this book. It is, like so many biographies of actors and musicians, for fans. Avid fans. Who know every play and it's plot and characters already. And the Britishisms don't help either. I feel I am not in on the joke. I am gleaning the occasional insight into the kind of person she is, but the kind of person she is is pretty private, and she has not divulged anything really personal to this biographer - who is also an avid fan. And it shows.

[Karen Barris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and have been very remiss with finishing it. I have read so many books in-between so will attempt to write reviews about them. For some reason, I keep interrupting myself with other books which I have been given. Judi writes very well and I can hear her beautiful voice speaking to me as I read it. I have really enjoyed it and will endeavour to take it away with me when we go away later this year so I can re-read it.

[Matt John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardly a "tell-all" gossip memoir, Miller interweaves Dench's life with stories from the numerous interviews he conducted for this book. Without delving too much into her private life, you very much get a sense of the type of woman Dench is, which perfectly aligns with what one has come to expect. A dedicated and talented actor who is never completely serious. (Google: Graham Norton and Judi Dench).

[Jacquie South · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about an amazing actress. Judi Dench's (acting) life as told through her roles. The only bad thing about this book was it made me wish I could have seen her performing on stage in many of the plays discussed!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading about dame Judy, but the book took awhile to get through. I put it down and read other things often. Too much detail about reviews, etc. I was more interested in the accounts of rehearsal processes and the details of her life that lead her to and informed her acting.

[Pers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written account of a well-beloved actress who is, quite rightly, a National Treasure.

[Rachel Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't like this - some detail about Judi but much to much of a blow by blow of her every acting activity. Not an easy read or much insight into the person she is.

[Cat Sheely · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, insightful biography that provides a detailed account of Judi Dench's body of work, her work ethic and touches on her private life without intruding.

[Helen Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the career and Dame Judi Dench - shows that she has the utmost respect from others in her profession.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A marvelous book all about this very talented lady. I really enjoyed reading about all of her accomplishments.

[Beks]

I read this on a flight to the UK - coincidentally to see her in The Marquis De Sade at Wyndham theatre, where we accidentally met.

[Garry Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Surely she is everybody's favorite actress?" - Frank Marcus, Sunday Telegraph reviewer, 1975

By the time this compliment was made, Judi Dench had been acting to acclaim on English stages for nearly two decades. I had only seen her once, in Peter Hall's stunning 1965 film of Midsummer Night's Dream, where she appeared in green body-paint and little else alongside Ian Richardson, Helen Mirren and Diana Rigg. Soon I would be captivated by the claustrophobic video production of her Lady Macbeth alongside Ian McKellen - still my favorite on film - and the raucous RSC musical version of The Comedy of Errors with Roger Rees, Francesca Annas, and her husband Michael Williams.

In the years since I've seen her live in the theater three times: as Princess Imogen in a disappointing 1979 RSC Cymbeline, as Queen Gertrude in a visually stunning RSC Hamlet a decade later when the supporting cast outshone Daniel Day-Lewis the star, and most recently a few months ago just a few seats in front of us attending an opening performance of King Lear featuring her friend Kenneth Branagh. Now that I've read this authorized biography, I'm glad I followed my wife's advice and did not intrude upon the privacy of this gifted, warm, immensely generous but notoriously private person.

Among the over a hundred charities that this tireless actor supports is one near to my heart, the American Shakespeare Center, where she has visited to accept an award in honor of her late husband. Miller mentions such patronage in his paean of praise to his subject, alongside his catalog of anecdotes and compliments from virtually everyone she has ever worked with.

Despite his universally admired and beloved subject, this biography is a surprisingly pedestrian. Indeed each chapter is almost formulaic: in this year she played this role; here is a reminiscence of rehearsal or performance from a cast member; next comes a quick summary of the critics' reviews; here is what the lady herself has to say about that show; and then on to the next in a staggering stream of appearances, on stage and eventually television and film.

What do we learn? She rarely reads a script before accepting a part or beginning rehearsal; "she's got a raunchy sense of humor" (actor Pierce Brosnan); she is an inveterate, unrepentant prankster on set; she is a tireless worker with little ego, who seldom complains; she is a sensitive cast member and scene partner who "raises everyone else's game" (director Sam Mendes); she "expects everyone else to have her enthusiasm and energy and is always surprised when people don't . . . I don't think she can understand why anyone would want to be in the theatre if they're not as happy in it as she is" (actor Peter Woodward).

Dench's reputation as a great actor and greater human being was clearly in good hands with Miller. In this hagiographic volume she appears something like the female version of Tom Hanks, the notoriously nice Hollywood star who refuses to act like it. One longs for a whiff of these stories retold in her own voice, decorated with less of the buttercream icing. I hope to find something more in the later two versions of her life story issued under her own name -- And Furthermore (2010) and Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent (2023) -- though I fear she will remain firmly in control throughout, breezy, entertaining, but rarely truly revelatory.

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Memoir by John Miller of the amazingly talented Judi Dench was written before 'And Furthermore,' which is very much in her voice.

This book is detailed in quite a different way. Some of Judi's diary entries were when she was working on a movie or doing a play. There are times her hectic schedule seems impossible when she is rehearsing one play while performing another in the evenings and doing matinees. Her movie roles she treats as a different kind of skill to master. Judi is always terrified when a new project begins. She often doesn't read the whole script or play until the read-through at the beginning of the project.

Both books let the reader in on her professionalism, work ethic, undaunted spirit, wit, and mischievousness, all these traits keep her acting friends on their toes.

This book goes deeper into the tragic loss of her mother and the time she spends with Michael her husband when he is diagnosed with inoperable cancer. She stays with him and doesn't work at all during his illness.

Judi's daughter Finty is a joy she holds dear. They travel together to the Oscars in Hollywood.

This book by John Miller goes into describing the plays Judi is in and some of the characters within them. Not being particularly familiar with Shakesphere or some of the other plays, it's good to know Judi played an 'old tart' who was wanting to get into her nephew's pants in one play. Or a floozy of a hoar in another. The other actors in 'Furthermore' are names but their parts aren't as clearly described, so I found myself understanding the settings and logistics of creating the plays for the stage more. I felt that Judi was so at home on the stage, she loves the theatre and immersed herself in her work. She is no less devoted to her movie roles but finds sitting around a lot tedious.

I can't see Dame Judi ever retiring as she says 'I can lie down and act' or work 'in a wheelchair.' She has boundless energy and enthusiasm for acting, other actors, and the many charities she supports, her friends always know she is caring and a prankster.

I'd suggest any reader would find both books good reads.

[Catsalive · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Judi, I think she's a great actor, & John Miller appears to agree with me. He went on a bit too much about what a joker she is but I did enjoy looking inside her career, most of which occurred before my time. This covers Judi's acting life up to about 2000 so there's 20-odd years missing. She comes across as a genuinely nice person who leads a quiet life outside her career & is a very hard worker in it.

I've never had the chance to see her on stage but I love Judi & Geoffrey Palmer in As Time Goes By, they're so good I forget they're acting. I also managed to track down A Fine Romance where she & her husband Michael Williams were the main characters, which was fun to watch.

[Jeanne Hedge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saint Judi

This is one of those biographies where nothing is written that casts the subject even remotely in a bad light. Everyone has their bad days, but apparently not Saint Judi. I write this as a fan, but would have liked to have learned a little about Judi the person. Apparently that was not in the cards, as it was made clear she guards her privacy. That being the case, why did she agree to cooperate with this biography? Note that quite a few stories and pictures appearing on this book are also in the later memoir "And Furthermore" - in some cases the stories are direct copies.

[Teresa McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Just a bit too much on the newspaper reviews of each show for my liking, so I ended up skipping over these sections.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better actors' biography. Quite enjoyable.

[DJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting parts. I liked the photos a lot.

[Veronica-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant biography of one of the most accomplished actors of the 2oth century. It was very broad and covered Dame Judi Dench's life most comprehensively. John Miller's insights into her theatre career followed on by her acting career was filled to the brim and such a delight to read. Not so well-known to the public is her passion for hilariously funny practical jokes of which she is infamously credited for amongst her peers. I really enjoyed reading about this magical actress whom I have admired now for many years. Highly recommended.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miller obviously adores Dame Dench, as does almost everyone who has worked with her. The author assumes a rather in depth theatrical knowledge on the part of the reader and much of the book reads as a who's who list of actors, but he does a great job showing her intelligence, vibrant personality, and sense of humor.

[Rosslyn]

a very comprehensive catalogue of Judi's working life - not sure if I know the lady any better.