Acting techniques Books

Book SynopsisFrom the Renaissance commedia dell''arte to today''s Second City comedy troupe, improvisation has been a hit. Learn the structure behind the spontaneity of comedy improvisation in this improv theatre text. Over 35 performance-tested improv structures and performance tips in this book help even a beginner tackle this off the cuff humor with confidence. Learn the elements of successful improvisation: setting, characters, conflict and action, dialog, and humor. Then have fun polishing your new skills in comedy clubs, coffee houses, or acting classes. Instructions on loosening up, writing routines, coping with audiences, and protecting original routines through contracts and copyrights are also included.

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Book SynopsisA practical guide for actors who want to find work in the corporate sector, by a veteran with over 1400 corporate events to his credit. Thousands of actors in the UK make their living not from treading the boards but in the conference centres and training rooms of the nation’s corporate sector. In this, the first book to be published about the increasingly accessible and lucrative business of corporate acting, Paul Clayton shows how this sort of work – training, coaching, role-plays, Forum Theatre and live events – can keep you in paid employment, and your skills sharp, whilst you look for other acting opportunities. He takes you through every aspect of the industry, with a series of practical examples and invaluable tips at every stage, including: What sort of work is available – and how you can get it The various role-play techniques you’ll encounter The dos and don’ts for offering constructive feedback to your clients What Forum Theatre is – and how to do it How to handle live events – and escape with your dignity intact Written with humour and great insight, So You Want To Be A Corporate Actor? encourages you to look at your skills from a business point of view, enabling you to take control over your own career. It is a must-read for any actor wishing to broaden their skills and make themselves more employable at all stages of their career. ‘For actors wishing to utilise their theatrical skills within the corporate world, this book should be their bible. It is crystal clear, informative and irreverent – and lays out in simple terms how actors need to think and present themselves to be employable.’ Janet Rawson, Co-founder of Steps Drama Learning DevelopmentTrade Review'A real insight into the skills and preparation you need in order to succeed in the corporate world' * The Stage *'Yet another helpful volume in this handy series... Clayton covers every kind of corporate gig imaginable... where it really scores is in relating the necessary skills for this job to those more familiar to actors, thus helping to make the transition that much easier' * British Theatre Guide *

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Book SynopsisStella Adler was one of the 20th Century's greatest figures. She is arguably the most important teacher of acting in American history. Over her long career both in New York and Hollywood she offered her vast acting knowledge to generations of actors including Marlon Brando Warren Beatty and Robert De Niro. The great voice finally ended in the early Nineties but her decades of experience and teaching have been brilliantly caught and encapsulated by Howard Kissel in the twenty-two lessons in this book.Trade Review"To me, Stella Adler is much more than a teacher of acting. Through her works she imparts the most valuable kind of information - how to discover the nature of our own emotional mechanics and therefore those of others...; Almost all filmmaking anywhere in the world has been affected by American films, which has been, in turn, influenced by Stella's teachings...; I am grateful to the inestimable contributions she has made to my life." From the Preface by Marion Brando"

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Book SynopsisThe best-selling guide to acting Shakespeare in a new smaller and lighter handbook size. Shakespeare tells the actor when to go fast and when to go slow; when to pause, when to come in on cue and when to accent a word. His text is full of such clues. He tells the actor when but never tells him why or how. That is up to the actor. Much like bringing a musical score to life, Peter Hall guides us to speak the speech'. An essential text for classical training at drama school and an invaluable reference book for actors and directors working on Shakespeare productions. Peter Hall makes watching or reading Shakespeare a richer experience, for audiences as well as actors.Trade ReviewActing students and young professionals will flock to learn from him - passionate, entertaining - Indisputably wise and true - Wonderfully illuminating * Telegraph *As fascinating to readers as it is to actors * Independent *This is the most fabulously hybrid book - part actor's handbook, part memoir - what is most inspiring is Hall's conviction that form can be as exciting as feeling. Acting in this way is more than just listening to Shakespeare - it is responding to Shakespeare's linear needs * Observer *

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Book SynopsisIn (toward) a phenomenology of acting, Phillip Zarrilli considers acting as a question' to be explored in the studio and then reflected upon.This book is a vital response to Jerzy Grotowski's essential question: How does the actor touch that which is untouchable?' Phenomenology invites us to listen to the things themselves, to be attentive to how we sensorially, kinesthetically, and affectively engage with acting as a phenomenon and process. Using detailed first-person accounts of acting across a variety of dramaturgies and performances from Beckett to newly co-created performances to realism, it provides an account of how we do' or practice phenomenology when training, performing, directing, or teaching. Zarrilli brings a wealth of international and intercultural experience as a director, performer, and teacher to this major new contribution both to the practices of acting and to how we can reflect in depth on those practices.Trade Review"Zarrilli’s book is a major contribution to the effort to create a circulation between science, art, and human experience."Evan Thompson, Professor of Philosophy, University of British Columbia & Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada"Written with great poetic style and evocativeness, this impressive tome takes Zarrilli’s already impactful contribution to contemporary acting many steps further. It’s destined to become a twenty-first-century classic."Bella Merlin, Actor, Professor of Acting (University of California at Riverside), Author"…takes the reader on a journey between disciplines, repositioning both processes of acting and the languages we use to reflect on and lead actor training…a far reaching and thrilling journey into the embodied processes of acting which will liberate the actor."Ian Morgan, Performer and Course Leader MA Theatre LAB (RADA)"Zarrilli’s book is a major contribution to the effort to create a circulation between science, art, and human experience."Evan Thompson, Professor of Philosophy, University of British Columbia and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada"Written with great poetic style and evocativeness, this impressive tome takes Zarrilli’s already impactful contribution to contemporary acting many steps further. It’s destined to become a twenty-first-century classic."Bella Merlin, Actor, Professor of Acting (University of California at Riverside), Author"…takes the reader on a journey between disciplines, repositioning both processes of acting and the languages we use to reflect on and lead actor training…a far reaching and thrilling journey into the embodied processes of acting which will liberate the actor."Ian Morgan, Performer and Course Leader MA Theatre LAB (RADA)Table of ContentsList of Figures; Foreword by Evan Thompson; Acknowledgements; Introduction: Acting as a process of phenomenological enquiry in the studio; 1. First person accounts of embodied practice: sensing as "living communication"; 2. The actor's 'lived/living' bodymind; 3. Attention and perception in action; 4. Subjectivity, self, and character/figure in performance; 5. The voicing body and sonorous speech; 6. Imagining; 7. Toward an intersubjective ethics of acting; Afterword; Appendix; References; Index

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Book SynopsisArden Performance Editions are ideal for anyone engaging with a Shakespeare play in performance. With clear facing-page notes giving definitions of words, easily accessible information about key textual variants, lineation, metrical ambiguities and pronunciation, each edition has been developed to open the play's possibilities and meanings to actors and students.Designed to be used and to be useful, each edition has plenty of space for personal annotations and the well-spaced text is easy to read and to navigate.Trade ReviewPerformance Editions provide the basis for fascinating discussions about where different communities locate the quintessence of Shakespeare and early modern drama. * Studies in English Literature 1500 - 1900 *These editions are likely to help not only actors and drama students but also all amateur Shakespeareans including schools and colleges which stage the plays … What genius to have Simon Russell Beale as a series editor along with two Shakespeare Institute academics, Michael Dobson and Abigail Rokison-Woodall. * Ink Pellet *Table of ContentsIntroduction; Much Ado About Nothing; Longer Notes

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Book SynopsisFor the first time, the world-renowned Arden Shakespeare is producing Performance Editions, aimed specifically for use in the rehearsal room. Published in association with the Shakespeare Institute, the text features easily accessible facing page notes including short definitions of words, key textual variants, and guidance on metre and pronunciation; a larger font size for easier reading; space for writing notes and reduced punctuation aimed at the actor rather than the reader. With editorial expertise from the worlds of theatre and academia, the series has been developed in association with actors and drama students. The Series Editors are distinguished scholars Professor Michael Dobson and Dr Abigail Rokison and leading Shakespearean actor, Simon Russell Beale.Trade ReviewA series that reboots the way Shakespeare’s plays are printed … I quickly came to love having notes at the same eye level as the text to which they relate. It’s significantly quicker and easier to glance to the right to get a meaning, than to constantly look up and down between text and a dense pile of notes on the bottom of the page. With these books, even note-dependent reading can continue virtually uninterrupted, making them ideal for following a recorded performance or reading aloud … Although the books in this series were created for actors and directors, their sheer vivacity and user-friendliness makes them ideal for students and teachers too. They add just enough information to bring the language to life without getting bogged down in details. * MidLifeLit *These editions are likely to help not only actors and drama students but also all amateur Shakespeareans including schools and colleges which stage the plays … What genius to have Simon Russell Beale as a series editor along with two Shakespeare Institute academics, Michael Dobson and Abigail Rokison-Woodall. * Ink Pellet *The Arden Performance Editions so far represent a much-needed and important contribution. In such a crowded market, it is remarkable to see editions that feel so fresh, relevant, and necessary. * Studies in Theatre and Performance *Table of ContentsIntroduction; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Longer Notes

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Book SynopsisSpeaking is part of a whole: an expression of inner life. Cicely Berry has based her work on the conviction that while all is present in nature our natural instincts have been crippled from birth by many processes----by the conditioning, in fact, of a warped society.Table of ContentsIllustrations Diagrams in Text Page Resonating spaces 10 Possible rib movement 21 Good and bad positions on the floor 23 Bone-prop in the mouth 49 Position of tongue and its movement 53 Palate lowered 55 Position of back of tongue and soft palate 56 Photographic Plates Facing Pages Incorrect posture 62 Correct posture 62 Free position on the floor 63 Tense position of neck and shoulders 63 Good breathing position 78 Demonstrating rib movement 78 Hands stretched above the head 79 Hands and head hung down 79

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Book SynopsisMany theatre practitioners think of physical theatre as one thing and text-based theatre as another. In this book, Dymphna Callery, author of Through the Body: A Practical Guide to Physical Theatre, shows how exercises and rehearsal techniques associated with physical and devised theatre can be applied to scripted plays. Working ‘through the body’ enables performers to discover what really makes a play work. Drawing on key practitioners, including Jacques Lecoq, Joan Littlewood, Peter Brook and Simon McBurney, The Active Text offers a complete approach to working with a scripted play, leading the reader through a process of active exploration and experimentation that includes: Uncovering a play’s internal dynamics Using improvisation and theatre games Exploiting the languages of the body Getting inside the words that are spoken (as well as those that aren’t!) Discovering image structures Understanding the impact on the audience Throughout the book, the author draws on a core selection of well-known texts (from Sophocles and Shakespeare to Brecht, Arthur Miller, Steven Berkoff and Sarah Kane), showing how an active approach to text can challenge assumptions about even the most familiar of plays. Packed with theatre games, improvisation exercises and rehearsal techniques, The Active Text is an inspirational guide for performers, directors, students and teachers. It will revitalise work in the rehearsal room, workshop or classroom – anywhere that dramatic text needs to be brought to life.Trade Review'A wealth of ideas... clear and concise... an inspirational and a welcome resource for drama teachers. ... A final word of warning: reading this book can make you itch to start working on directing a play.' * Drama Magazine *'This book will have you dipping into it time and time again for its no-nonsense practical perspective' * DramaResource.com *'Fascinating stuff… thought-provoking… I am very taken with [it]' * The Stage *

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Book SynopsisA new approach to actor training by a senior teacher, this illustrated manual shows how to use the body to produce rich, varied and truthful performances. The approach, rooted in the Michael Chekhov Technique, integrates ancient Qigong knowledge with somatic psychology and western actor training methods to identify the links between physical shape, emotion and feeling in performance. Supporting and illustrating the text, extensive practical exercises developed through actor training classes provide techniques to tune and adapt the body in preparation for creative work.This book will enhance your understanding of the actor's craft, offering the opportunity to grow and advance your pre-existing skills. Warm ups and sequences of exercises will enable you to implement and fully understand this innovative approach. All of the work can be applied to live and screen performances.Trade ReviewAmanda's approach is brilliant. Combining physical techniques with intellectual rigour to bring you to a place of grounded and relaxed creativity. She's been a great help to me. -- Riz Ahmed, actor, Four Lions, Nightcrawler, Star Wars: Rogue OneAn invaluable book - on both acting and living - to which I shall return often. A fascinating interdisciplinary braiding of anatomy, philosophy and mindfulness, with instantly implementable acting exercises. Energy pounds through this imaginative and profoundly practical volume, usable for stage and screen. -- Bella Merlin, actor and Professor of Acting and Directing, University of California, RiversideThe Energetic Performer is an insightful and brilliantly researched study of emotional awareness rooted in an in-depth understanding of the anatomy of the body. Offering both practical and holistic exploration to support and interpret character through imagination and perception, it is an inspiration for anyone involved in public speaking and communication and an absolute must on every actor's bookshelf. I shall treasure it on mine! -- Sara Kestelman, actor and writerAmanda's work and writing is a whole practice for artists seeking a greater connection through the creative expression of performance. My work with her has been invaluable and through her thinking and teaching I feel that my work as an artist can take on an importance to me and the people I connect with in a performative environment that transcends the simple act of regurgitating someone else's writing. She deals with a whole universe of connected energies - through Qi Gong and her interest in the energy within the performer she empowers us as actors to do something pure, simple and revolutionary in its implications. The delicate balance and exchange of energy she talks about in this book will be eye-opening to anyone in the creative arts. Dancers, actors on stage and screen, and musicians can have a fire lit within them by her gentle wisdom. I am eternally grateful that I met her as a student and always seek her out to work on characters and to discuss the physical and inner life of the people I am trying to inhabit. She elevates the work of the artist to a spiritual level and I realise through working with her that there was nothing else I want to do through being an actor. -- Johnny Flynn, actor and musicianTable of ContentsPart One: 1. You. 2. Habits. 3. Receptivity. 4. Balance. 5. Energy. 6. Memory. 7. Connecting. 8. Inner Life. Part Two: 9. An Approach to Training and Preparation. 10. Warm Ups. 11. Being Present. 12. Discovering Action. 13. Thought Track. 14. Interrogating Significant Moments. 15. Observation Studies. 16. HOW. 17. Auditions. 18. Full Script Project. 19. Less is More - An Energetic Interpretation. 20. The Memory Bank. 21. Starting State. 22. Re balancing. 23. Making a Choice.

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Book SynopsisLaban''s The Mastery of Movement on the Stage, first published in 1950, quickly came to be accepted as the standard work on his conception of human movement. When he died, Laban was in the process of preparing a new edition of the book, and so for some time after his death it was out of print. That a second edition appeared was solely due to the efforts of Lisa Ullmann, who, better than any other person, was aware of the changes that Laban had intended to make. The rather broader treatment of the subject made advisable the change of title, for it was recognised that the book would appeal to all who seek to understand movement as a force in life. In this fourth edition Lisa Ullmann has taken the opportunity to make margin annotations to indicate the subject matter referred to in a particular section of the text, so that specified topics may be easily found. Kinetograms have been added to most of the examples in Chapters 2 and 3, as Laban originally intended, for the growing number of people who read and write movement notation. Lisa Ullmann has also compiled an Appendix on the the structure of effort, drawing largely on material from an unpublished book by Laban. The relationship between the inner motivation of movement and the outer functioning of the body is explored. Acting and dancing are shown as activities deeply concerned with man''s urge to establish values and meanings. The student is introduced to basic principles underlying movement expression and experience and the numerous exercises are intended to challenge his or her intellectual, emotional and physical responses. The many descriptions of movement scenes and mine-dances are designed to stimulate penetration into man''s inner life from where movement and action originate.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive instruction manual, full of practical exercises, which starts with overhauling our attitude to our voice. Based firmly on the author's extensive teaching experience all over the world, and packed full of illustrations and exercises, Singing With Your Own Voice is the book for everyone who has always wanted to sing but has been too scared to try. Orlanda Cook was a member of the experimental Roy Hart Theatre in London and in France for over twenty years from 1972, after which she worked extensively as a voice coach and director in Sweden, France, Belgium, Hungary, the Middle East and Britain. She died in mid-career just after completing this book. 'Working with Orlanda was full of enjoyment. She created a safe climate around her which helped even the most shy to come forward and find new dimensions in his or her voice' Suzanne Osten, Director, Unga Klara, StockholmTable of ContentsOvercoming inhibition; breath and the body; sound and resonance; using your imagination; singing the song; singing for others.

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Book SynopsisA unique survey of the twentieth century's most influential acting methods, offering invaluable practical insights for actors and drama teachers. Each of the ten famous techniques included in this handbook is described in detail by one of today's foremost practitioners. Each chapter outlines the development of the respective technique and offers practical guidance for actors wishing to explore it for themselves. • Lee Strasberg Technique by Anna Strasberg • Stella Adler Technique by Tom Oppenheim • Sanford Meisner Technique by Victoria Hart • Michael Chekhov Technique and The Mask by Per Brahe • Uta Hagen's Technique by Carol Rosenfeld • Physical Acting Inspired by Grotowski by Stephen Wangh • The Viewpoints by Mary Overlie • Practical Aesthetics by Robert Bella • Interdisciplinary Training by Fritz Ertl • Neo-classical Training by Louis ScheederTrade Review'A remarkable and significant book... The thing that makes it so special is that editor Arthur Bartow brings together chapters on all the major practitioners written by other highly respected teachers and practitioners' * ReviewsGate.com *Table of ContentsLee Strasberg's Method by Anna StrasbergStella Adler Technique by Tom OppenheimSanford Meisner Technique by Victoria HartMichael Chekhov Technique and The Mask by Per BraheUta Hagen Technique by Carol RosenfeldPhysical Acting Inspired by Grotowski by Stephen WangThe Viewpoints by Mary OverliePractical Aesthetics by Robert BellaInterdisciplinary Training by Fritz ErtlNeoclassical Training by Louis Scheeder

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Book SynopsisA handbook, complete with graded exercises, for teachers and students wanting a practical introduction to Laban's famous system of movement. Rudolf Laban is to movement what Stanislavski is to acting. He devised the first wholly successful system for recording human movement, a system which is increasingly influential in the training of actors and dancers. 'Required reading for every young student of the theatre - and a lot of the older ones would reap enormous benefit from it' Murray Melvin

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Book SynopsisIn this richly detailed study, James Naremore focuses on the work of film acting, showing what players contribute to movies. Ranging from the earliest short subjects of Charles Chaplin to the contemporary features of Robert DeNiro, he develops a useful means of analyzing performance in the age of mechanical reproduction; at the same time, he reveals the ideological implications behind various approaches to acting, and suggests ways that behavior on the screen can be linked to the presentation of self in society. Naremore's discussion of such figures as Lillian Gish, Marlene Dietrich, James Cagney, and Cary Grant will interest the specialist and the general reader alike, helping to establish standards and methods for future writing about performers and their craft.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1 Introduction PART ONE Performance in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction 2 Protocols The Performance Frame What Is Acting? The Actor and the Audience 3 Rhetoric and Expressive Technique 4 Expressive Coherence and Performance within Performance 5 Accessories Expressive Objects Costume Makeup PART TWO Star Performances 6 Lillian Gish in True Heart Susie (1919) 7 Charles Chaplin In The Gold Rush (1925) 8 Marlene Dietrich in Morocco (1930) 9 James Cagney in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) 10 Katharine Hepburn in Holiday (1938) 11 Marlon Brando In On the Waterfront (1954) 12 Cary Grant in North by Northwest (1959) PART THREE Film as a Performance Text 13 Rear Window (1954) 14 The King of Comedy (1983) Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisPracticed by such actors of stature as Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Julie Harris, Dustin Hoffman, and Ellen Burstyn (not to mention the late James Dean) the Method offers a practical application of the renowned Stanislavsky technique.On Method Acting demystifies the 'mysteries' of Method acting -- breaking down the various steps into clear and simple terms, including chapters on:Sense Memory -- the most vital component of Method actingImprovisation -- without it, the most integral part of the Method is lostAnimal Exercises -- just one way to combat the mental blocks that prevent actors from grasping a characterCreating The Outer Character -- so actors can give the freshness of originality to a role while at the same time living the life of the characterOn Method Acting is also an indispensable volume for directors, designers, lighting technicians, and anyone in the dramatic arts interested in creating a believable and realistic effect i

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Book SynopsisA dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book in the Nick Hern Books Drama Games series, this title is for teachers and workshop leaders working with difficult or reluctant students, youth groups, young offenders, and all those who seem intent on saying 'no' to whatever is offered them. 'This book offers invaluable ways for artists, teachers, workshop leaders and activists to better use the arts to empower young people' Ken Livingstone, from his Foreword. For these groups, drama games and activities need to be robust and engaging, and the dozens that appear in this book have been devised with this in mind - and then tested by their target players. Each page features clear instructions on How to Play, notes on the Benefits of the Game, and advice on age range, number of players and timing. Following the ninety games and exercises aimed at developing core skills, the book offers scenarios for a series of improvisational challenges that test participants' abilities in mediation, communication, negotiation, assertiveness and managing emotions. Also included is a collection of games aimed at preparing teachers and workshop leaders for facilitating challenging sessions. The ultimate aim is to encourage reluctant participants to engage, collaborate and develop not just skills for drama but skills for life.Trade Review'Packed to the brim with bright and breezy ideas - a bargain!' * Total Theatre Magazine *'Each section of the book is well laid out and the games are clearly explained... contains some very interesting exercises' * Youth Drama Ireland *

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Book SynopsisA Young Actor Prepares provides a constructive form for young people to create with their own life experiences, imagination, and emotions through acting. It provides a step-by-step approach to help kids tackle emotionally challenging roles and portray complex characters at a very young age. For over thirty years, author Jeff Alan-Lee has worked with thousands of young people, teaching the work presented in this book. It has been the springboard for award-winning artists in acting, directing, playwriting, screenwriting, and music.Artistic director of the Young Actor''s Studio in Los Angeles, Alan-Lee shares his experience training many top young actors. A Young Actor Prepares is written for teachers and students alike. Presented in play form, the book gives teachers the insight to help work with a multitude of personalities and provides a fun and easy way to help children and teens learn to apply Stanislavski-based exercises. Inspired by Stanislavski''s An Actor

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Book SynopsisWhether you’re applying for drama school, taking an exam, or auditioning for a professional role, it’s likely you’ll be required to perform one or more monologues, including a piece from a contemporary play. It’s vital to come up with something fresh that’s suited both to you – in order to allow you to express who you are as a performer – and to the specific purposes of the audition. In this book, you’ll find forty fantastic speeches featuring female roles, all written and premiered since the year 2014, by some of the most exciting dramatic voices writing today. Playwrights include Mike Bartlett, Andrew Bovell, Chris Bush, Jez Butterworth, Vivienne Franzmann, Ella Hickson, Lucy Kirkwood, Chinonyerem Odimba, Frances Poet and Stef Smith. The plays featured were premiered at leading venues including the National, the Royal Court, Soho and Hampstead in London, prestigious theatres in Cardiff, Chichester, Edinburgh and Sheffield, and by renowned companies including Clean Break, Frantic Assembly and HighTide. Drawing on her experience as an actor, director and teacher at several leading drama schools, Trilby James introduces each speech with a user-friendly, bullet-point list of ten essential things you need to know about the character, and then five inspiring ideas to help you perform the monologue. This book also features a step-by-step guide to the process of selecting and preparing your speech, and approaching the audition itself. ‘Easy-to-use… The guidance is perhaps the most thorough I have seen in a monologue book’ Teaching Drama on Trilby James’s first volume of Contemporary Monologues Please note that some of the speeches in this volume contain strong language and themes which some readers may find inappropriate.

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Book SynopsisOver the past decades there has been a resurgence of interest in Chekhov's acting technique. The original publishers of his fundamental text, To the Actor, removed most of the author's references to Rudolf Steiner, but recent studies acknowledge Chekhov's personal interest in anthroposophy as the source of his artistic inspiration. Dawn Langman explores the fundamentals of Chekhov's psycho-physical technique and the metaphysical principles on which it is based. She examines this technique in relation to the specific challenges and gifts provided by the actor's constitution of body, soul and spirit, and in the context of the canon of great poetic and dramatic texts - illuminated by Steiner's insights into humanity's evolving consciousness. The Art of Acting lays the foundation for the second and third books in her series, in which Langman explores Rudolf Steiner's art of speech and its integration with Michael Chekhov's methodology. Together, these books offer a contemporary, spiritually-enlivened path of development for the actor, in which the combined insights of Steiner and Chekhov lead to new possibilities for the performing arts.Trade Review'This book will be invaluable to teachers, acting students and practitioners alike. Langman's inspired methods, fed by some 45 years of teaching and practice, ensure the highest outcomes for the integration of voice, speech and language as a central ingredient of the actor's craft. She is the most unique and brilliant master teacher in this area I have ever encountered.' - Rosalba Clemente, Head of Acting, Drama Centre, Flinders University 'A rite de passage - working with Langman's book is an initiation into the practice of "Future Theatre".' - Dr Jane Gilmer, Assistant Professor of Drama, VPA, National Institute of Education, Singapore 'A remarkable achievement that communicates a lifetime of teaching artistry with grace and depth, and, most significantly, reveals the profound spiritual impulses at the heart of Michael Chekhov's original impulse. A gift for the generations.' - Dr Diane Caracciolo, Associate Professor of Educational Theatre, Adelphi University

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Book SynopsisThe Art of Speech presents a dynamic path of practice leading to an experience of the Word as a living, healing and creative power. Helping to deliver Western intellectual speech from what Artaud described as 'shrivelled throats' and 'monstrous talking abstractions', Langman brings to life the spiritual realities out of which a true Art of Speech arises. Inspired by Rudolf Steiner and pioneered initially in the German language by Marie Steiner, this artform is illuminated here through the genius of the English language. Langman builds a bridge between mainstream research into the intrinsic nature of Speech, and the levels of spiritual cognition that led to Rudolf Steiner's insights. Speech and language can no longer be reduced to an arbitrary collection of abstract symbols, she asserts. This book will inspire those working with these disciplines as practitioners (both artistic and therapeutic) as well as those who wish to understand their significance in human evolution, both past and future. Following her first book The Art of Acting, this volume completes a foundation of understanding for an exploration - in the conclusion of Langman's trilogy - of an integrated art of speech and acting. Grounded in the spiritual reality of the human being, Langman presents a systematic methodology with which to explore Rudolf Steiner's Speech and Drama Course.Trade Review'The Art of Speech offers to the English language a systematic, in-depth and thoroughly readable exploration of Rudolf Steiner's original exercises. Langman's contribution, developed over decades of research, performance and teaching, is filled with relevance for today's speech artists. The powerful spiritual inspirations that stand behind the spoken word are infused throughout, giving this book its wings.' - Dr Diane Caracciolo, Associate Professor of Educational Theatre, Adelphi University 'Langman's seminal work leads the artist through a portal to an experience of the heart and the genius of speech as "the activity of divine creative beings".' - Dr Jane Gilmer, Assistant Professor of Drama, VPA, National Institute of Education, Singapore 'A prodigious work, intriguing, enlightening and passionate - and the co-ordination with Chekhov invaluable - Those fortunate enough to see Dawn's solo performances of King Lear and Kaspar Hauser know that this book is the fruit of living and loving experience.' - Sophia Walsh, pioneer teacher and artist of Speech Formation in the English language, Dornach, Switzerland

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Book SynopsisThe highly regarded actor training manual by top movement teacher Anne Dennis. This inspirational and instructive book shows how actors can use their body to be as expressive and 'articulate' as they are with words. It attempts to rethink and analyse the actor's physical needs, offering a graded series of exercises aimed at realising those needs and making the body fully articulate as a medium of expression. The book will also be of use to teachers, directors, movement directors and choreographers.

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Book SynopsisA handbook for aspiring actors by two of the best-known names in British theatre and television. So You Want To Be An Actor? by Timothy West and Prunella Scales offers practical advice and do's and don'ts to anyone thinking of taking up acting. The authors are passionate about actor training, know the profession inside out and have more than a hundred years' experience between them... Writing alternately throughout the book - and sometimes offering radically different opinions - they cover over sixty topics including: * Drama school * Auditions and interviews * Agents * Financial Security * Learning the lines * Working in television/radio * Touring * Media attention Charmingly informal but full of sound advice, So You Want To Be An Actor? is essential reading for anyone with their eye on a career in acting.Trade Review'One of the most valuable books for young and aspiring actors that I have read in recent years... a book to keep with you from debut to death' * Rogues and Vagabonds Theatre Website *

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Book SynopsisA practical guide to the skills, characters and history of Commedia Dell'Arte through graded games and illustrated exercises - a useful tool in any actor's training and a discipline for all forms of physical theatre. Chapters include: * Warm-Up Games * Mime and Movement Games * Word Games * Using Face Masks * The Legacy of Commedia dell'Arte, a chapter looking at the individual Masks or characters in the traditional Commedia dell'Arte.

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Book SynopsisIn this seminal work on a new art of speech, Rudolf and Marie Steiner demonstrate how the Word can truly be brought to life. From the authors' perspective, the audible sound of speech is only the end result of a much greater process that begins inwardly. In contrast to the belief that speaking is entirely a matter of correct placement in the mouth, Rudolf Steiner advises speakers to concentrate on what takes place before the mechanical production of sound is made in the physical organism. Relevant to actors, teachers, therapists and anybody seeking to reinvigorate the art of the Word, this book will be an invaluable friend and guide to improving clarity and restoring beauty to communication.

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Book SynopsisStage fright has the power to drive actors away from the stage for months, years, and even a lifetime. It is a monster that can affect any actor at any time – but it is also a challenge that can be met. In Facing the Fear – the first book of its kind written specifically for actors – performer, author and teacher Bella Merlin draws on her own and other actors' personal experiences to examine: The internal and external roots of stage fright, and how it manifests itself both psychologically and physiologically The complex relationship between the actor and the audience, and how it contributes to stage fright The cognitive processes of learning, storing and retrieving lines, and practical strategies to help The essential principles for building a healthy, fear-free rehearsal environment The techniques that actors can employ to develop their own practices, from tips on physical wellbeing to performance strategies Insightful, empowering and always reassuring, Facing the Fear is a book for any actor: for those who are experiencing or have previously suffered from stage fright, as well as for those who want to be fully prepared in case that day ever comes. It provides all the tools actors need to understand, confront and ultimately overcome stage fright and its effects, thereby regaining control over their lives and careers. (And it might just save a fortune in psychotherapist’s fees!) It's also valuable reading for any teacher, director or stage manager working closely with actors, and a fascinating insight for anyone interested in what actors go through. 'An utterly engrossing book about confronting one of the most fundamental aspects of being an actor – fear.' Antony SherTrade Review'A strong blend of hard evidence, fact and anecdote... detailed but very accessible... a practical book with plenty of advice' * The Stage *'Loaded with technical, scholarly, and specialized information, yet all of it is articulated in the vernacular of the actor, making it not only accessible, but enjoyable… a refreshingly personal, often intimate, and thoroughly informative glimpse into the actor’s nightmare. It offers a comprehensive review of the possible origins of and causes for stage fright, a genuine system for addressing those issues, and a thought-provoking discourse on the actor’s world and relationships therein that influence this often debilitating phenomenon. If you are an actor who has faced this obstacle, or you know someone who has, you would do well to pick up this book' * Voice and Speech Review *'Insightful, illuminative and life-changing… this book should be on the top of every performer's reading list' * The Reviews Hub *'Fascinating and incredibly informative… well researched, excellently structured and helpfully user-friendly… a special book that deserves a special place on anyone's bookshelf concerned, directly or indirectly, with acting' * ReviewsGate *'This is an important book because I don’t recall anyone writing in such depth and with such honesty about stage fright before… I hope tutors recommend this book to all performance students and that actors, however experienced, will read it and feel strengthened' -- Susan Elkin, * MyTheatreMates.com *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling Drama Games series, this dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book – packed with over 200 individual games – is perfect for teachers, playgroup leaders and drama facilitators who want to inspire and entertain children, aged 3 and up, with vibrant and engaging drama experiences. The book includes 40 complete and easy-to-follow lesson plans that can be implemented with little prior preparation – all appropriate for exploring the curriculum or running extra-curricular workshops. The action-packed sessions will transport you and your group to enchanted forests, pirate ships, bustling farmyards or the bottom of the sea, via magic-carpet rides or a journey through outer space. They incorporate vocal exercises, mime and movement, nursery rhymes and fairytales, character development, costumes, songs and music, puppetry, art and text work. Also included is advice on preparing sessions, and a template lesson plan. The most comprehensive and practical drama resource ever published for anyone working with young children (including parents!), the book offers material that will engage any child, from the most reticent to the supremely confident. It is an ideal way to explore and encourage skills of creativity, self-expression, tolerance, mutual respect, problem-solving and communication, in a safe, non-threatening environment. 'Tapping into a child’s ability to play is the way to educate our children and inspire them to learn. Katherine Zachest understands this and her book is a fantastic tool with which to do it.' Sally Cookson, from her ForewordTrade Review'Another winner in the Drama Games series... will be of great value to anyone working with Early Years and KS 1 children, regardless of experience' * DramaResource.com *'Katherine Zachest approaches the teaching of drama with much enthusiasm and understanding... an invaluable practical book for any drama teacher, but especially Primary teachers who want to make drama a vital part of the curriculum' * Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech & Drama) *

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Book SynopsisTHE GOOD AUDITION GUIDES: Helping you select and perform the audition piece that is best suited to your performing skills Each Good Audition Guide contains a range of fresh monologues, all prefaced with a summary of the vital information you need to place the piece in context and to perform it to maximum effect in your own unique way. Each volume also carries a user-friendly introduction on the whole process of auditioning. Shakespeare Monologues for Young Men contains forty monologues drawn from across the whole of Shakespeare's canon. Each speech comes with a neat summary of the vital information (the who, where and when of the speech), plus descriptions of what is happening, what to think about when preparing it, and a glossary. There is also a user-friendly introduction to selecting your speech, tackling Shakespeare's language and approaching the audition itself. 'Sound practical advice for anyone attending an audition' Teaching Drama Magazine on the Good Audition Guides

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Book SynopsisIn this candid and empowering A to Z of being an actor, Julie Hesmondhalgh draws on her decades of experience on stage and screen – including in massively popular television shows such as Broadchurch, Happy Valley and Coronation Street – to lift the lid on the realities of life in today's industry, and show you how to navigate it. She shares practical advice on preparing for roles (don't be afraid of looking like a dick), managing the ups and downs of your career (and how to be out of work without losing your mind), dealing with failure (and success), not constantly comparing yourself to others (bloody hard, but try), looking after your mental health, and the power of knowing when to say 'no'. Passionate about the arts, she makes a compelling case for their importance to society, but also calls out the industry on where it continues to fall short – including a clear-eyed assessment of what needs to change to make it safer and healthier, more accessible and inclusive. Written with refreshing honesty and self-deprecating humour, An Actor's Alphabet is a book for anyone who dreams of becoming an actor, wants to be a better one, or just wants to learn what being one is really like. 'Endearingly honest, funny and eye-opening. I loved it!' Francesca Martinez 'Like its author, this book is brimming with wisdom, intelligence, empathy and humanity... An absolute must!' Maxine Peake 'This is the best book on acting and being an actor I've read… Julie Hesmondhalgh is the mentor/best friend/guide we all need in these troubled times' Paul Chahidi 'Wonderful… not just a book about acting, but also about life. Us. The world. Humanity. Battling through this shit and finding time for a hug. I adore it.' Russell T Davies 'A must-read, whether you've been on the artist's journey for years or are just starting out' Shobna Gulati 'This book is bold, brash, sincere and angry. It regrets nothing and questions everything… Treasure it like we should treasure Julie' Jack Thorne 'A generous gift to actors, full of honesty, hope and wit. There is loads of tangible advice, not just for acting but for life' Anna Jordan 'Julie's book is honest, challenging and helpful. A great read' Andy NymanTrade Review'Brilliantly conversational and no-nonsense... very personal, focused on the things that mean something to her. She writes with passion; wise words that cover subjects from class to parenting, sex to tax... shows a huge generosity' * Reviews Hub *'Very interesting… has a warmth and humanity that isn't often found in training manuals or self-help books... will be extremely useful for anyone taking their first steps into this unstable industry and will raise plenty of smiles of recognition from more experienced members of the profession, but it will also give the general reader insight into the struggles of forging a long-term career in the performing arts' * British Theatre Guide *'Honest and revealing... Hesmondhalgh has risen imaginatively to the challenge of the A-Z format, and the result is interesting, informative and unusual... the sound advice she gives and the different topics she covers are very relevant to students considering a career in acting or other branches of the profession... She writes with honesty, humour and sincerity... a comprehensive and up-to-date toolkit for all those involved in and teaching within the profession' * Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama) *

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Book SynopsisNeed to learn an accent for an audition? Got the part but can't quite grasp the sounds? Want to expand your repertoire? The Accent Handbook is a novel approach to accent-learning, providing a practical, digestible and customisable way of learning any accent of your choosing. Drawing on the authors' extensive experience coaching students and leading stage and screen actors, the book offers more than 200 empowering exercises to actively explore and hone accent features. You can dip in and out or go from cover to cover, depending on your aims, what you're learning or how much time you have.The book is accompanied by a wide-ranging and diverse library of contemporary accent recordings from across the globe. Uniquely, it also offers a guide to finding accent samples and getting more out of your listening. A section devoted to accent and acting delves into the powerful interplay between dialect, character and performance. Approachable and encouraging, this book is an

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Book SynopsisThis unique book offers a complete course in how to do any accent and also gives you the tools to navigate your way through a specific accent. Using solid technical know-how, clear practical steps, real-life examples, and the occasional dose of humour, the Haydn/Sharpe System brings to the surface the underlying structure of accents. The authors share the processes that they, as specialist dialect coaches, have developed, to give you the insight, tools and confidence to work with accents.This second edition includes examples and exercises for six new accents.Includes a free online code to access detailed exercises and sample sentences giving you the sounds you need to get your accent skills going! Also includes ready-to-use resource recordings of the following accents:Norfolk (NEW), Yorkshire (NEW), Standard Canadian (NEW), Standard Australian (NEW), Standard American, Northern Irish (Belfast), Southern Irish (Cork), Scottish (Glasgow), Newcastle, ManchesterTable of Contents1. Acknowledgements and Thanks 2. Introduction 3. Get Started 4. The Foundations 5. The Two Planets 6. The Bite 7. The Shapes 8. The Groove 9. Get Professional 10. Useful Stuff 11. Appendix

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