Individual actors Books
GMC Publications Biographic: Audrey: Great Lives in Graphic Form
Book SynopsisMost people know that Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) was a Hollywood movie star and world famous fashion icon. What, perhaps, they don't know is that she is one of a few select people to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony; that she could speak five different languages; that she owned a pet deer named Pippin; and that she broke her back after being thrown off her horse during the filming of Unforgiven. Biographic: Audrey presents an instant impression of her life, work and legacy, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the actor behind the movies.
£8.99
Simon & Schuster Back to the Prairie: A Home Remade, A Life
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author and star of Little House on the Prairie returns with a hilarious and heartfelt memoir chronicling her journey from Hollywood to a ramshackle house in the Catskills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Known for her childhood role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the classic NBC show Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert has spent nearly her entire life in Hollywood. From Dancing with the Stars to a turn in politics, she is always on the lookout for her next project. She just had no idea that her latest one would be completely life changing. When her husband introduces her to the wilds of rural Michigan, Melissa begins to fall back in love with nature. And when work takes them to New York, they find a rustic cottage in the Catskill Mountains to call home. But “rustic” is a generous description for the state of the house, requiring a lot of blood, sweat, and tears for the newlyweds to make habitable. When the pandemic descends on the world, it further nudges Melissa out of the spotlight and into the woods. She trades Botox treatments for DIY projects, power lunching for gardening and raising chickens, and soon her life is rediscovered anew in her own little house in the Catskills.
£14.09
Bonnier Books Ltd A Backstage Betrayal
Book SynopsisTHE THEATRE MAY SEEM GLAMOROUS, BUT SECRETS WAIT BEHIND THE CURTAIN1926. Running a theatre may appear to be all about the showbiz, but times are hard at The Empire. Following a turbulent period Jack Treadwell, erstwhile proprietor, his mother Lillian, and his playwright wife Grace, know they need to get things back on track - and how better than with the annual pantomime, a new venture, and an all-singing all-dancing talent contest, showcasing the best performers around.But could Lillian's new admirer, Grand Duke Nikolai Kuznetsov, be bringing disaster in his wake? Will The Empire be caught up in the scandal surrounding West End star, Stella Stanmore? And what are their enemies in Highbridge planning?While Jack and Grace fight to ensure the show does go on, a royal visitor raises the stakes and a young widow, Sally Blow, dares to dream that the talent contest might be her big break.As the talent contest draws closer, tragedy strikes. Amid t
£17.00
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Agnès Varda
Book SynopsisOver nearly sixty years, Agnès Varda (b. 1928) has given interviews that are revealing not only of her work, but of her remarkably ambiguous status. She has been called the ""Mother of the New Wave"" but suffered for many years for never having been completely accepted by the cinematic establishment in France. Varda's first film, La Pointe Courte (1954), displayed many of the characteristics of the two later films that launched the New Wave, Truffaut's 400 Blows and Godard's Breathless. In a low-budget film, using (as yet) unknown actors and working entirely outside the prevailing studio system, Varda completely abandoned the ""tradition of quality"" that Truffaut was at that very time condemning in the pages of Cahiers du cinema. Her work, however, was not ""discovered"" until after Truffaut and Godard had broken onto the scene in 1959. Varda's next film, Cleo from 5 to 7, attracted considerably more attention and was selected as France's official entry for the Festival in Cannes. Ultimately, however, this film and her work for the next fifty years continued to be overshadowed by her more famous male friends, many of whom she mentored and advised. Her films have finally earned recognition as deeply probing and fundamental to the growing awareness in France of women's issues and the role of women in the cinema. ""I'm not philosophical,"" she says, ""not metaphysical. Feelings are the ground on which people can be led to think about things. I try to show everything that happens in such a way and ask questions so as to leave the viewers free to make their own judgments."" The panoply of interviews here emphasize her core belief that ""we never stop learning"" and reveal the wealth of ways to answer her questions.
£23.96
Big Finish Productions Ltd You're Him, Aren't You?: An Autobiography
Book SynopsisPaul Darrow's career has encompassed theatre, television and film. Famed for his portrayal of Kerr Avon, a ruthless and calculating computer expert, in Terry Nation's science fiction series Blake's 7, Darrow has also appeared in Coronation Street, Emergency Ward 10 and many other productions - including two guest appearances in Doctor Who. Populated by familiar names and productions, You're Him, Aren't You? is Paul's own story of his life and career. It tells of his association with Blake's 7 - how he was cast, his experiences of making the show, what has happened since and his memories of Terry Nation, the cast and the crew. It also tells of his childhood, his time playing Elvis Presley and his near miss with James Bond.
£16.52
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Traci Lords Underneath It All
Book SynopsisThe moving, gripping and tell all autobiography of Traci Lords, a former child porn queen, electronica maven and cult movie and TV star.Trade Review"Frank, opinionated, intelligent, drenched in emotion...Will have readers cheering Lords on as they speed through its gritty, big-souled pages." -- Publishers Weekly
£7.59
John Blake Publishing Ltd Peter Sallis - Summer Wine & Other Stories
Book SynopsisPeter Sallis is known to millions as Norman Clegg in the classic BBC series Last of the Summer Wine, and to millions more - whether they realise it or not - as the voice of Wallace in the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit. Peter was to raise the curtain on richly diverse in the most unlikely of circumstances; as an amateur actor whilst serving on the RAF groundcrew during World War 2. A scholarship to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts followed, and it was from these humble beginnings that Peter would go on to become one of Britain's best loved actors.
£7.59
Big Finish Productions Ltd This is Colin Baker
Book SynopsisColin Baker's career as an actor spans six decades of television and theatre. Millions know him best as the colourfully-dressed Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who, a character that has endured - and will continue to endure - through generations. This is Colin's own story, in conversation with interviewer Nicholas Briggs.
£9.91
Nick Hern Books Tip of the Tongue: Reflections on Language and
Book SynopsisA thoughtful and deeply personal book by a master theatre-maker. In Tip of the Tongue, Peter Brook takes a charming, playful and wise look at topics such as the subtle, telling differences between French and English, and the many levels on which we can appreciate the works of Shakespeare. Brook also revisits his seminal concept of the 'empty space', considering how theatre – and the world – have changed over the span of his long and distinguished career. Threaded throughout with intimate and revealing stories from Brook's own life, Tip of the Tongue is a short but sparkling gift from one of the greatest artists of recent times.Trade Review'Engaging and thought-provoking… Brook is constantly enthralled but never daunted by contemplation of the art he serves, as this short work shows with grace and eloquence' * Shakespeare Survey *'A gem… like sitting down with Brook after a meal… this simple and accessible book contains insights and lessons from someone who has lived and breathed theatre for over seventy years' * Drama Magazine *'Full of aphoristic wisdom' * Guardian *'Short, sweet and brimming with wise saws and modern instances' * The Stage *'Peter Brook's exploration of words, theatre and everything attached is loving and heartfelt, taking his readers on a journey through his experiences and giving meaning to what he's seen and done' * Broadway World *'Filled with wisdom… devotees will be enchanted by the great director’s latest ruminations on language and the theatre' * British Theatre Guide *
£10.44
Edinburgh University Press Chow YunFat and Territories of Hong Kong Stardom
Book SynopsisUsing Chow's transnational and trans-regional star persona as a case study, Lin Feng investigates stardom as an agent for mediating the sociocultural construction of Hong Kong and Chinese identities.
£22.79
John Blake Publishing Ltd Hugh Jackman: The Biography
Book SynopsisHugh Jackman is a true Hollywood juggernaut. The magnetic Australian has joined countrymen Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe as an international superstar thanks to his role as Wolverine in the X-Men series, and is loved by fans worldwide thanks to his extremely varied career in film and theatre. When a young Jackman turned down a role in Neighbours to study at the prestigious WAAPA in Perth, his gamble would pay off handsomely. After a string of successful Australian musicals, Jackman's Hollywood break came as he was cast as Wolverine in 2000, catapulting him to heavyweight stardom. He has since reprised the role in box office hits The Last Stand, Origins and The Wolverine. Premium offers including 2006 animation Happy Feet, Baz Lurhmann's epic Australia - and even a rumoured shortlist spot for James Bond - soon followed. With a 2013 Academy Award nomination for his tour de force performance as Jean Valjean in the epic Les Miserables, and a star turn as Wolverine in X-Men: Days of Future Past on the horizon, Hugh is set to dominate the silver screen for the foreseeable future.
£8.54
Yale University Press Barbra Streisand Redefining Beauty Femininity
Book SynopsisAn enthralling appreciation of the monumentally gifted popular artist and cultural icon who challenged Hollywood's standards of beauty and glamour Barbra Streisand has been called the most successful...talented performer of her generation by Vanity Fair, and her voice, said pianist Glenn Gould, is one of the natural wonders of the age. Streisand scaled the heights of entertainmentfrom a popular vocalist to a first-rank Broadway star in Funny Girl to an Oscar-winning actress to a producer and director. But she has also become a cultural icon who has transcended show business. To achieve her success, Brooklyn-born Streisand had to overcome tremendous odds, not the least of which was her Jewishness. Dismissed, insulted, even reviled when she embarked on a show business career for acting too Jewish and looking too Jewish, she brilliantly converted her Jewishness into a metaphor for outsiderness that would eventually make her the avenger for anyone who felt marginalized and powerless. Neal Gabler examines Streisand's life and career through this prism of othernessa Jew in a gentile world, a self-proclaimed homely girl in a world of glamour, a kooky girl in a world of conventionand shows how central it was to Streisand's triumph as one of the voices of her age.Trade Review"[A] spirited and entertaining cultural appreciation."—Jennifer Senior, New York Times"In this fascinating and insightful exploration of what it means to be Barbra Streisand, and what it took to become her, Mr. Gabler writes with the heart of a fan and the mind of a Freudian. He delves into Ms. Streisand’s tragic childhood and her anguish at the hand of neighborhood bullies, who taunted her for her big nose and relative poverty, and shows how they engendered in her an implacable—and stupefyingly correct—belief in the singular power of her talent as a performer."—Rachel Shukert, Wall Street Journal"Gabler, the estimable journalist, pop-cultural historian and author . . . returns to his interest in the intersection of Jews, gentiles and Hollywood in BARBRA STREISAND: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power. . . . The author does a neat job of weaving every thread he can pull into the cloth. . . . This brief biography looks at a well-documented star in a new way."—Lisa Schwarzbaum, New York Times Book Review"Gabler . . . argues that Streisand could never have triumphed as she did if she were a natural winner . . . a convincing account of how, once, Streisand really did bend the world to her will."—Victoria Segal, Sunday Times"Gabler’s immensely readable book demonstrates through Streisand’s remarkable story that . . . it is talent that matters most, and for her embracing who she was and accepting with confidence what she looked like was instrumental in displaying that talent to the world."—Richard Edmonds, Birmingham Post"Gabler’s enthusiasm is so infectious and Barbra Streisand’s star quality so magnificent that I found myself singing the songs."—Jessica Weinstein, Jewish Chronicle"[A] smart new book, a biography-cum-critical essay on the Brooklyn-born diva. It may be the best book about Streisand you will ever read, an acute and sympathetic rendering of a career forged from yearning and steel."—Tom Shone, New Statesman"A clear-eyed, frank, and energetic look at Streisand, filled with revealing details, that fuses her life and career into vivid focus."—Bob Spitz, author of The Beatles: The Biography
£11.99
HarperCollins Publishers Pretty Happy The Healthy Way to Love Your Body
Book SynopsisA smart health and fitness bible from inspirational actress Kate Hudson.A smart beautiful book from a smart inspirational actress and fitness icon. Kate Hudson will share her insights into how every woman can live healthy, strong and beautiful from the inside out. For Kate Hudson the key to living healthfully is simplicity and positivity. The book includes lots of real-world ideas for eating better, making exercise enjoyable and for clearing the mind to leave space for positive thinking. Kate Hudson's subscription-based fitness clothing retailer, Fabletics, has been a massive success. Packed with information and inspiration, Kate Hudson's relatable beauty and dedication to wellness will come through on every page.Trade Review“This guide to becoming "pretty happy" is a simply charming path to calm self-confidence.” – Publisher’s Weekly “Kate Hudson’s Pretty Happy is a smart, insightful and realistic primer for making healthy habits part of your everyday life. From exercise to mindfulness to knowing what your body really needs to thrive, she pushes you to throw away your ideas around perfection and find your own Pretty Happy.”—Alejandro Junger, New York Times bestselling author of Clean, Clean Gut, and Clean Eats “Kate Hudson’s path to happiness is an active one. She refuses to wait for happy to happen. Instead, Pretty Happy details all the ways she makes it a priority every day. And if you've ever found yourself wondering how she maintains that famous bod, Kate is spilling the beans on that too!”—Daphne Oz
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Shag Marry Avoid
Book SynopsisEveryone's favourite game of dilemmas, in a handy pocket book, perfect for parties and goodie bags!Ryan Gosling, Idris Elba or Benedict Cumberbatch?Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin or Boris Johnson?Your boss, work spouse or office rival?This rapid-fire game is perfect for any party or gathering and once you start playing, you won't want to stop! From historical figures to film stars, music idols to secret crushes, we provide the options the decisions are up to you So get to know your friends/family/colleagues a little better with the ultimate game of choice no passes allowed!
£5.99
Cornerstone High Society
Book SynopsisThis biography draws on a series of unpublished interviews and offers a startling and intitmate portrait of one of the most glamourous icons of the 20th century.In just seven years (from 1950 through 1956), Grace Kelly made eleven feature films. They established her as one of the screen''s iconic beauties, and as a performer of rare intelligence and wit. Donald Spoto, a personal friend of Kelly''s in whom she confided, is in a unique position to tell the story of her transformation from convent girl from Philadelphia to last star of Hollywood''s Golden Age to European princess. In this revelatory biography, Spoto draws on interviews with those who knew her - from James Stewart and Cary Grant to Fred Zimmerman - as well as a series of taped interviews with Kelly which have never before been published.A film of Grace Kelly''s life, Grace of Monaco, starring Nicole Kidman and Tim Roth will be released in 2014.Trade Review...an intimate portrait of one of the world's most famous women. A fine tribute to a true star * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *Spoto tells her story movingly and well * Sunday Express *Spoto was a close friend of Kelly's, so this is as definitive a biography as we will ever get * S, Sunday Express magazine *Drawing on previously unpublished conversations, Spoto explores how Kelly changed Hollywood * Harpers Bazaar *Kelly's life as told here reveals a gentler Donald Spoto than we're used to: his friendship with the star has ensured a generosity of judgement throughout...Some may yearn for a less sympathetic portrait, but it's hard to imagine that any subsequent biography could do such consummate justice to her life and career * The Times *
£13.49
Oxford University Press Inc Ray Bolger
Book SynopsisBest remembered for his role as the Scarecrow in the 1939 MGM musical The Wizard of Oz, Ray Bolger led a rich and extraordinary career in the decade before and more than four decades after the creation of the film. Ray Bolger: More Than a Scarecrow is the first biography of this classic American entertainer, covering the luminous and forgotten career of the eccentric dancer outside of his burlap mask. The product of a fragmented, working-class Boston Irish family, Bolger learned tap and eccentric dance steps as solace for a difficult life before running away to repertory theater and Vaudeville. From there, he would go on to become a Broadway star, a contract player at Hollywood''s major studios, one of the first performers to tour the South Pacific for the USO, a Tony Award winner, an early sitcom star, and the opening headliner of the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas. Using unprecedented access to Bolger''s papers and many never-before-published photographs, Ray Bolger: More Than a ScarecrowTrade ReviewThe book is most engaging in reconstructing the creation of shows, with offstage difficulties set in counterpoint to onstage creativity. Summing up: Recommended * CHOICE *Not only does Van Leuven provide an exploration of Bolger's life and career, but she also re-creates the eras in which he worked. Written in an inviting style without being overcomplicated, the author introduces readers to vaudeville in the 1920s, then the growing popularity of film, and later, television. * Judd Hollander, The Epoch Times *Holly Van Leuven transfigures Ray Bolger from a tall and gangling man of straw, with a long face and sad-drooping eyelids over bulging eyes, tripping over his steps in wobbling legomania, to an elegant and ever-so-smooth soft-shoe dancer whose entwining slides, crossover steps, and graceful tapping turns ennobled him as one of the greatest stylists of all. Why has it taken three decades from Bolger's death to write about this dancing vaudevillian who was dubbed the Jazz Nijinsky? A terrifically entertaining and insightful read. * Constance Valis Hill, author, Tap Dancing America, A Cultural History *Deftly written and astutely researched, Holly Van Leuven's Ray Bolger: More Than a Scarecrow is as enchanting as her subject. Van Leuven skillfully places the beloved hoofer at the center of a history of the American entertainment industry- from Vaudeville to Broadway to Hollywood- that reads as vividly as Ray Bolger danced. * Megan Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life and Elizabeth Bishop: A Miracle for Breakfast *Holly Van Leuven has written an outstanding book about Ray Bolger, which tells the compelling story of his career at the same time as it powerfully places him in the greater narrative of American show business in the 20th century. The tales of Bolger's legendary career are filled with fascinating, meticulously researched details, and simultaneously feel personal and emotionally engaging. * Jennifer Ashley Tepper, author of The Untold Stories of Broadway, volumes 1, 2, and 3 *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Timeless Wanderer Chapter 1: "What Will You Be? It's Up to You!" Chapter 2: Entering Show Business Chapter 3: Steppin' in Society Chapter 4: Depression Days Chapter 5: Broadway Goes West Chapter 6: Jupiter Forbid Chapter 7: Soldiers in Greasepaint Chapter 8: Where's Charley? Chapter 9: The New Triple Threat Man Chapter 10: All American Epilogue: No Sad Songs Index
£24.29
Oxford University Press Inc On Marilyn Monroe
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBeautifully written * Christopher Bray, Mail on Sunday *So revolutionary - and so urgently needed...a healthy corrective to preordained, punitive accounts of her life. * Tim Robey, The Telegraph *Eye-opening and always engaging... Barrios has fashioned a wonderful biography of Marilyn Monroe. * Leah K. Huey, Library Journal *This eloquent and thoughtful book focuses on Marilyn Monroe's work - yes, her work, not her private life and not her mysterious death...With its mouthwatering prose, this book achieves the desired effect of luring us back to Monroe's films, the good and the bad. * Ysenda Maxtone Graham, The Times *...beautifully written ...critical biography [that] takes its subject very seriously indeed. * The Mail on Sunday *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter One: A Life in Days Chapter Two: Apprenticeships Chapter Three: Breakthroughs Chapter Four: The Fox Blonde Chapter Five: Seriously Chapter Six: Detonating Chapter Seven: Tiffany's Chapter Eight: Due Diligence Chapter Nine: No Name Required Chapter Ten: Course Correction Chapter Eleven: A Sense of Self Chapter Twelve: Wait for Sugar Chapter Thirteen: Off Broadway Chapter Fourteen: The Desert Chapter Fifteen: Full Stop Chapter Sixteen: Legacies Epilogue Filmography Annotated Discography Television And Miscellaneous Selected Annotated Bibliography
£22.99
The University of Chicago Press Bette Davis Black and White
Book SynopsisBette Davis’s career becomes a vehicle for a deep examination of American race relations.Trade Review"A prescient book about white people who mean well but fall short . . . There is no other book in which the author takes herself as the object of reception study and, in so doing, exposes the lived aspect of the US race and class divide. The reader who is initially drawn to this book because of a fascination with stardom will find a deeply insightful, impeccably researched study of American culture."--Jane Gaines, author of Pink-Slipped: What Happened to Women in the Silent Film Industries? "A unique take on the work of Bette Davis, Bette Davis Black and White is important not only for extending an understanding of the actor's racial politics, attitudes and practices, but also for raising the profile of several important, but largely unknown, Black supporting actors. This book will appeal strongly to scholars of race, twentieth-century American history, film audiences, and fan studies."--Martin Shingler, author of Star Studies: A Critical GuideTable of ContentsHistorical Note Chapter 1 Introduction: Black and White Chapter 2 Little Foxes and Little Brown Wrens Chapter 3 The Poetics of Color in Jezebel Chapter 4 Melodramas of Blood in In This Our Life Chapter 5 The Whiteness of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Chapter 6 Bette Davis Black and White Acknowledgments Notes Index
£19.95
Little, Brown & Company Stuntman
Book SynopsisThe incomparable, indestructible Hal Needham broke 56 bones and his back - twice - as a stuntman in movies and TV shows like Mission Impossible and The French Connection. He hung upside down from an airplane in Spirit of St. Louis, jumped between galloping horses in Little Big Man and he taught John Wayne how to really throw a punch.When his stunt career working with the likes of Kirk Douglas and Steve McQueen was over, Needham''s adventures continued. He directed the classics Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run, starring his roommate Burt Reynolds. He owned the Skoal Bandit NASCAR team and the Budweiser Rocket Car, which broke the sound barrier. Needham shares all the outrageous stories that could only come from a man who earned a living risking his life.
£25.65
Taylor & Francis Ltd Screening Characters
Book SynopsisCharacters are central to our experiences of screened fictions and invite a host of questions. The contributors to Screening Characters draw on archival material, interviews, philosophical inquiry, and conceptual analysis in order to give new, thought-provoking answers to these queries. Providing multifaceted accounts of the nature of screen characters, contributions are organized around a series of important subjects, including issues of class, race, ethics, and generic types as they are encountered in moving image media. These topics, in turn, are personified by such memorable figures as Cary Grant, Jon Hamm, Audrey Hepburn, and Seul-gi Kim, in addition to avatars, online personalities, animated characters, and the ensembles of shows such as The Sopranos, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad.Trade Review"This book is a remarkably accessible collection of essays on some of the most theoretically complex aspects of actors and acting on film and in other media. It also covers a wide selection of films, TV-series, and computer games, making it a standard work in the fields of Cognitive Film Studies, Philosophy and Film, and even Celebrity Studies." --Erik Hedling, Professor, Lund University, SwedenTable of ContentsCONTENTS ; ;List of Figures ; ;Acknowledgments ; ;Notes on Contributors ; ;Foreword: Consorting with Characters ; Murray Smith ; ;Introduction: Screening Characters ; Johannes Riis and Aaron Taylor ; ;Part 1: The Importance of Actors ; ;1. Seeing and Hearing Screen Characters: Stars, Twofoldness, and the Imagination ;Ted Nannicelli ; ;2. Character and the Star Vehicle: The Impact of Casting Cary Grant ;Kathrina Glitre ; ;3. Character Collaborations: The Writer-Actor Relationship in Mad Men ;R. Colin Tait ; ; ;Part 2: Social Types, Social Contexts ; ;4. Being Typical and Being Individual ;Henry Bacon ; ;5. The Mark of the Social: Stereotypes, Folk Psychology and Metonymy in Mainstream Film ;Tico Romao ; ;6. Racialized Disgust and Character in Film ;Dan Flory ; ; ;Part 3: Medium-Specific Features and Constraints ; ;7. Impossible Characterizations ;Paisley Livingston ; ;8. Performative Metamorphosis: Animated Characters and Spectator Proximity ;Pete Sillett ; ;9. Social Media as Interface, or How Characters Enter Our Everyday Reality ;Philippe Gauthier ; ;10. Owning Our Actions: Identification with Avatars in Video Games ;Andreas Gregersen ; ; ;Part 4: Emotional and Moral Engagement ; ;11. Ethical Criticism and Fictional Characters as Moral Agents ;Carl Plantinga ; ;12. Absorbed Character Engagement: From Social Cognition Responses to the Experience of Fictional Constructions ;Katalin Bálint and Ed Tan ; ;13. "Familiarity Breeds Contempt:" Why Fascination, Rather than Repeat Exposure, Better Explains the Appeal of Antiheroes on Television ;Malcolm Turvey ; ; ;Part 5: The Character within Genres ; ;14. Girls Who Can Leap Through Time: Shojo and Time Travel in East Asian Media ;Jinhee Choi ; ;15. Action and Affordances: The Action Hero’s Skilled and Surprising Use of the Environment ;Birger Langkjær and Charlotte Sun Jensen ; ;16. Introducing Characters in Television Crime Series: Stylistic and Narrative Strategies ; Lennard Højbjerg ; ;Index ;
£39.99
The University of Michigan Press In the Lurch
Book Synopsis
£23.70
Equuleus Productions, Inc. Peckinpah A Portrait in Montage The Definitive
Book Synopsis
£21.71
Leschenault Press Beyond The Title The Yearbook
Book SynopsisInterviews with over forty of the most iconic entertainers, broadcasters, writers and stars of British Television.Trade Review"I so enjoyed being interviewed by someone who realises it is the news that is the star and not the newsreader - as my mentor Alastiar Burnet always said!"; Alastair Stewart OBE ;"Josh Barry is without doubt a force of nature.";Larry Lamb ;"Josh Barry is a brilliant interviewer. I am so proud to have had a chance to meet him. His book deserves to be widely read."; Stanley JohnsonTable of ContentsForeword Acknowledgements Introduction Showbiz legends Barry Cryer Tim Brooke-Taylor Jimmy Tarbuck Dame Esther Rantzen George Layton Melvyn Hayes Ray Galton O.B.E. and Alan Simpson O.B.E. Television's coming of age Chris Tarrant Jasper Carrott Richard Digance Peter Duncan Steve Nallon Broadcasters Krishnan Guru-Murthy Jon Snow Alastair Stewart Alan Titchmarsh John Hannam Comedy Ben Elton Arthur Smith Larry Lamb Miles Jupp Vicki Michelle Sue Hodge Jeffrey Holland Brian Conley Joe Pasquale Paul Jackson Writers Tony Jordan Laurence Marks & Maurice Gran David Quantick Colin Edmonds Jonathan Maitland Dick Fiddy Chapter - The 90's Leslie Ash Gaby Roslin Phill Jupitus Mathew Priest from Dodgy Fay Ripley Gordon Kennedy Mike Dixon The New Age of Television Jeremy Kyle Stanley Johnson Lee Ridley Steve Hewlett Shirley Ballas Sum up Sir Michael Parkinson: Liza Tarbuck Michael McIntyre Anthony Joshua Claudia Winkleman About the author
£14.36
Golden Country, LLC John A Hobbs The Life and Times of Music Valleys
Book Synopsis
£12.43
The History Press Ltd The Curse of Sherlock Holmes
Book SynopsisThe Curse of Sherlock Holmes is the first definitive account of one of Britain’s most loved actors, Basil RathboneTrade ReviewDavid Clayton is a wonderful writer. His books are as entertaining as they are revealing and he really brings his characters to life. -- Jilly Cooper
£11.78
The History Press Ltd 1971
Book SynopsisFeaturing a host of unpublished interviews, this is the first book to explore the greatest year in Hollywood's history - 1971
£17.00
HarperCollins Focus Chasing the Panther
Book SynopsisA cinematic and vibrant coming-of-age memoir, Chasing the Panther captures the thrilling and, at times, heartbreaking early years of Carolyn Pfeiffer, a pioneering film producer and one of Hollywood''s first female executives—a “mini-mogul” in the words of the Wall Street Journal. For a moment in the 1980s, Carolyn Pfeiffer was the only woman in Hollywood who could greenlight a movie. Working with directors like Sam Shepard and Wes Craven, and with actors like River Phoenix and Bette Davis, she had a hand in producing or distributing many landmark films, among them Ridley Scott''s The Duellists, Alan Rudolph''s Choose Me, and the Academy Award-winning Kiss of the Spider Woman. However, long before establishing herself as a player in the world of film, Carolyn was a horseback-riding tomboy who dreamed of exploring the world beyond her small hometown. Her journey turned out to be a tale fit foTrade Review'The young southern girl who stepped through the looking glass at the right time may be the one to explain the magic hold of movies. Immensely pleasurable, vivid, and precise, Carolyn Pfeiffer's beautifully written and acutely felt memoir brings you into her life and puts you in her skin as she discovers the seductions of Europe and the glamour of show business. And she writes so well about what love affairs are made of and how they go'. * Joan Juliet Buck, author of The Price Of Illusion *'Chasing the Panther is the feminist serial you always longed for, dropping you right into the middle of the explosive European film world of the fifties and sixties, where Carolyn Pfeiffer not only is in the right place at the right time but is the right person: she makes her own way, meets everyone, falls in love a lot, works hard on and off the set with directors and actors, and by the seventies, winds up being the only female producer in Hollywood able to green-light a film. And she has wisdom. This book is such a beautiful read.' * Eileen Myles, poet, author of Chelsea Girls *'A terrific read. The education of a pioneering indie studio executive as a young woman whose film school was European art cinema at its heyday, and also an intimate memoir of a life in the fast lane during the Swinging Sixties, careening from Rome to Paris to London, working and partying with the likes of Visconti, Truffaut, and the Beatles.' * Thomas Schatz, professor at the University of Texas at Austin; film historian and author of the bestselling book The Genuis of the System: Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era *'Carolyn has experienced firsthand what it's like to be part of the glamour and guts of greatness while still feeling her cheeks blush and heart soar. Those same sensations become ours. This book should be required reading for anyone with a dream.' * Alan Rudolph, multiple award-winning director and writer *'Carolyn Pfeiffer fearlessly joined an international cultural revolution where she gracefully embraced opportunities in fashion, the film industry, and single motherhood. Achievement, glorious highs, and tragic lows . . . her life reads like a novel.' * Joan Tewkesbury, filmmaker, author, and senior advisor at the Sundance Institute *'Carolyn Pfeiffer's adventures in her most unusual and adventurous life have included associations with rogues and royalty, creative changers of culture and wayward souls looking for redemption. She has, in the process, built companies, created media moguls, built schools, produced Academy-recognized films, and crashed through more glass ceilings than imaginable, all with grace and wit and charm. If there was cutting-edge of action of the cultural front, Carolyn was there: brave, confronting, and unbowed. And on top of all of that, her men have generally been famous, good looking, literate rascals, and she always gave them the run of their lives.' * Thom Mount, producer and former president of Universal Pictures *'Carolyn was there at virtually every defining juncture of modern entertainment culture--from the French New Wave to the London music scene through the rise of the American independent film movement.' * Keith Carradine, Emmy and Tony-Award nominated actor and Academy Award-winning songwriter *'This book is a gem. Carolyn's dazzlingly bold and marvelous souvenirs knock one out from page one. Her prose is powerful and graceful, her life fascinating: she worked for the likes of Visconti, Claudia Cardinale, and Alain Delon (to drop a few names) and is always gracious and generous about them. I love her and love her book. So will you.' * Geraldine Chaplin, actor and winner of the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Goya Awards *
£17.00
Northwestern University Press Site Unscene
Book SynopsisExplores the key role of dramatic episodes that occur offstage and beyond the knowledge-generating faculty of playgoers' sight. Does Ophelia drown? Is Desdemona unfaithful to Othello? Does Macbeth murder Duncan in his sleep? Site Unscene considers how the drama's non-visible and eccentric elements embellish, alter, and subvert visible action on the stage.
£98.10
Berghahn Books Peter Lorre Face Maker Constructing Stardom and
Book SynopsisPeter Lorre described himself as merely a "face-maker." His own negative attitude also characterizes traditional perspectives on the actor's career which position Lorre as a tragic figure within film history: the promising European artist reduced to a Hollywood gimmick, unable to escape the murderous image of his role in Fritz Lang's M.Trade Review “…in her important new study of Lorre’s career…[the author pursues] a rewarding approach that combines careful archival research with clever film analysis to illuminate Lorre’s career from a new angle that not only impacts our understanding of this actor, but also presents an important new way to understand the complex exchanges between on-screen and off-screen performances more generally.” · Senses of Cinema “In general, the strength of Thomas’s work is that she is familiar with the previous scholarship but also feels free to critique the conclusions of those earlier authors. She focuses much less on biography and gives more attention to theories of drama, which allows her to explore new and interesting aspects of Lorre’s performances…This is an excellent text that adds tremendously to our understanding of the works of Peter Lorre and, by extension, émigré artists in general.” · Journal of Austrian Studies "The author has a sophisticated command of the material and the book is balanced, judicious and very thorough. In particular, the author explores aspects of Lorre’s career that have been neglected or misunderstood: his “Mr. Moto” roles; his extensive work on radio and television; and the final phase of his film career working at AIP" · Andrew Spicer, University of the West of England "[This book] makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on stardom and acting, with not only a useful reappraisal of Lorre’s work and reputation but also with some valuable insights into the nature of “extra cinematic person,” the interrelationship between radio and cinema during the studio era, and the significance of actor collaborations. This is a fascinating study of how misconceptions arise over time regarding an actor’s persona and reputation" · Martin Shingler, University of SunderlandTable of Contents List of Illustrations Introduction Chapter 1. Lorre and the European Stage (1922–1931) Chapter 2. M, Fritz Lang and Hans Beckert (1931) Chapter 3. The Hollywood Leading Roles (1935–1941) Chapter 4. The Supporting Actor (1941–1946) Chapter 5. Der Verlorene (The Lost One)(1951) Chapter 6. The Final Screen Roles (1954–1964) Chapter 7. Alternative ‘Hollywood’ Media Contexts Conclusion Bibliography Index
£94.05
Pan Macmillan Scenes from My Life
Book SynopsisThe New York Times BestsellerONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, NPR, The RootA moving, unflinching memoir of hard-won success, struggles with addiction, and a lifelong mission to give back.When Michael K. Williams died on 6 September 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmy-nominated roles in HBO’s The Night Of and Lovecraft Country, Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen. Beyond the nominations and acclaim, Williams played characters who connected, whose humanity couldn’t be denied, whose stories were too often left out of the main narrative.At the time of his death, Williams had nearly finished a memoir that tells the story of his past whilTrade ReviewSoul-baring * The Washington Post *Immensely inspiring and candid . . . This bittersweet and poignant work will leave readers in awe * Publishers Weekly *Williams’s cool rasp leaps off every page, his story told in the direct yet impassioned language that defined his greatest characters * Vulture *A bittersweet memento of a generational talent gone too soon * Kirkus Review *A gripping, revelatory memoir * NPR *
£10.44
Luis Rios Consulting Beverly Hills Diary
Book Synopsis
£19.94
Palgrave MacMillan UK English Theatre and Social Abjection A Divided
Book SynopsisFocusing on contemporary English theatre, this book asks a series of questions: How has theatre contributed to understandings of the North-South divide?Table of Contents1. Introduction - A Divided Nation: Theatre and Social Abjection.- 2. Chapter One - ‘Anti-Northern Prejudice’: Representing the Northern Subaltern.- 3. Chapter Two - ‘You’re All the Same, Lads with Bricks’: Riots and Rioters.- 4. Chapter Three - Blighting these Green and Pleasant Lands: Gypsies and Travellers.- 5. Chapter Four - ‘The Beast that Lies Dormant in the Belly of Our Country’: Race, Nation and Belonging.-
£42.74
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Inside the Rehearsal Room
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the STR Theatre Book Prize 2023With an exclusive focus on text-based theatre-making, Inside the Rehearsal Room is both an instructional and conceptual examination of the rehearsal process. Drawing on professional practice and underpinned by theory, this book moves through each stage of rehearsals, considering the inter-connectivity between the actor, director, designers and the backstage team, and how the cumulative effect of the weeks in rehearsal influences the final production.The text also includes: - Auto-ethnographic and fully ethno-graphic case study approaches to different rehearsal rooms- Interviews with directors, actors, designers and actor trainers- A consideration of the ethics of the rehearsal room and material selected for production- Practical exercises on how to creatively read a text from an acting and directing perspectiveInformed by over 20 years of directing experience in the UK and Europe, Robert Marsden''s book offers a practical guiTable of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Rehearsal Process – An Historical Overview and Current Challenges and Opportunities 3. Documenting the Process – How have rehearsals been captured by directors, actors and academics. 4. Pre-rehearsal: Early Decisions. 5. The Rehearsal Room: First Steps. 6. The Rehearsal Room: Delving Deeper 7. The Rehearsal Room: Final Stages and the Emergence of the ‘Form’ 8. Technical and Dress: A Unification. 9. Previews and the Production Run: Choices and Impact of a ‘Live’ Medium. 10. Next Stages: How Should Rehearsal Rooms Operate in the 21st Century?
£21.84
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Working with Actors
Book SynopsisWorking with Actors provides the key to unlocking the honest, dynamic performance every actor has within them. It offers a well-articulated formulation of the Meisner Technique easy for directors and actors to use within a working context.Through setting out an accessible training programme for practitioners working across stage and screen, this book establishes a clear-cut route to building a three-dimensional character in an organic, non-intellectual fashion, based squarely on the character's objectives.Few books in this field venture out of the training studio, while in this book - alongside offering an intense and concentrated Meisner training programme - the focus is more on the pay-off': the collaborative act of developing the role and how that plays out in rehearsal and performance. Beyond that, the books uniquely offers:> a new modality for script reading, analysis and rehearsal through which the character is born in relation to other characters;> a prioritisation of thTrade ReviewThis an exciting read, especially for actors like me who have not previously had the good fortune to discover the Meisner Technique of rehearsing a script. Stephen Bayly gently, authoritatively leads us through the method, mapping unknown territory until the way is clear. If you don’t know of the Meisner Technique, this book explains it all, clearly and without fuss. Directors and actors, professional and amateur, now have a bible to believe in. * Sir Ian McKellen *An incredibly useful guide for directors and actors to using Meisner’s principles in theatre, film, or TV projects, even those who are new to the technique. Eminently useable, it leads the reader through the ‘nitty-gritty’ of applying the Meisner Technique to real projects while providing a useful context and background to its principles. * James McLaughlin, Lecturer in Drama at the University of Greenwich, UK *Table of ContentsCONTENTS PART ONE: TECHNIQUE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. SIMPLE TECHNIQUE PERFECTLY 3. FEAR 4. WORKING ‘WITH’ 5. ACTING IS DOING 6. LISTENING 7. BEYOND LANGUAGE 8. THE PINCH AND THE OUCH 9. IMAGINARY CIRCUMSTANCES 10.WHO’S THAT KNOCKING? 11.MAD SAD GLAD 12.NO SUCH THING AS A MONOLOGUE 13.TAKING IT PERSONALLY 14.IT’S JUST AN ILLUSION 15.IN SEARCH OF THE CHARACTER 16.A DIRECTOR PREPARES 17.MAPPING OUT REHEARSALS 18.TAKING SIDES 19.LAUNCHING THE CANOE 20.THE NITTY-GRITTY 21.APPLYING THE ‘AS-IF’ 22.DIGGING DEEPER 23.STRIVING FOR THE SUMMIT 24.THE REAL WORLD PART TWO: PERSPECTIVES 25.WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? 26.PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS 27.BITS NOT BEATS 28.INDICATING 29.LIQUIFIED TROUBLE 30.CAST THE ACTOR NOT THE CHARACTER 31.UNBLOCKING THE WRITER 32.EVERYONE CAN ACT 33.FAKING IT 34.THE CASE AGAINST ACTIONING 35.SUBTEXT 36.SILENCE IS GOLDEN 37.CLIPS 38.MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE 39.THE CASE FOR REALISM GLOSSARY INDEX
£16.14
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Stanislavski and The Method for the 21st Century
Book SynopsisWritten by a highly influential post-Stanislavskian practitioner, this book offers an accessible and contemporary interpretation of The Method, setting out techniques and exercises to train and develop actors today. Going back to the roots of Method Acting and the work of Lee Strasberg and Stanislavski, and using Barrouk''s own unique practice as a lens through which to view it, The Method here is refreshed as something nuanced, contemporary, safe and practical that will benefit all actors - even those most skeptical of it.Through making a case for the relevance of Method Acting to our modern times and preserving its essence while updating its notions, the book covers the full range of the acting process, including character analysis questions, active analysis, actions, individual and group exploration, identifying actions, and developing/creating a scene in rehearsal. Practical exercises and activities are woven throughout the text, offering a modern framewor
£67.50
Edinburgh University Press Theatricality and the Arts
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£22.49
Orion Publishing Co Behind The Shoulder Pads Tales I Tell My Friends
Book Synopsis''I''m lucky to have an inexhaustible appetite for life. I''ve had many amazing adventures in Hollywood and beyond, but some stories I have only ever shared with my friends. After all, you''ve got to have a bit of mystery, so I hide a knowing smile behind my shoulder pads. Until now! So, read on for the tales I tell my friends . . .''In her new book, Dame Joan Collins returns in dazzling form to share the most memorable moments from her eclectic and vibrant life, in and out of the limelight. Taking us on an incredible journey from her early years as a young star in the golden era of Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of St Tropez to the busy Oscars season in LA over the years.Joan writes movingly about her grief and adventures with her sister Jackie, delving deeper into the ups and downs of love and relationships, and her happiness with husband Percy. Filled with a cast of household names, including the laTrade Review'Expect entertaining excerpts of encounters with a cast including the late Queen Elizabeth II, Diana Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Taylor and Warren Beatty, as well as a raw and honest account of the grief that encountered [Joan] after losing her sister, Jackie' - Red Magazine
£18.70
Thomas Nelson Publishers Every Little Win
Book SynopsisLearn to celebrate the smallest victories and unlock some of life''s greatest joys!What does a forty-two-year-old, small-town pastor do when he wins one of the most popular singing competitions in the world? He celebrates with the same joyful mindset of embracing every little win along the way that his family has practiced for years.When Todd Tilghman, pastor and father of eight, auditioned for The Voice, he counted it as a win simply to sing in front of an audience. But despite not having any music or vocal training he won the show''s entire eighteenth season! Fans loved Todd''s rich voice, but they loved his exuberant joy even more. No one knew, though, that his joy came not from winning each round but from years of choosing light over darkness.In Every Little Win, Todd and Brooke share how their focus on joy and celebrating every little win has helped them to overcome numerous challenges over their twenty-pl
£10.49
Penguin Books Ltd Believe Me
Book SynopsisGet to know a national icon in Eddie Izzard''s hilarious and dazzling autobiography''Comic genius . . . Entertainment incarnate'' Telegraph______Star of stage and screen. Tireless supporter of charity. Marathon runner. Political campaigner.Fashion icon. Human.There is no one quite like Eddie Izzard. This is the story of how she broke through.Her relentless optimism has led her to always do things her own way, even if it didn''t work the first time, and her incredible self-belief has pushed her to keep on trying, even if it didn''t work the second or third time either.Whether she was putting on teddy bear shows on boarding school beds or swordfighting on the streets of London, Eddie never stopped trying to achieve her dreams of becoming a performer.Brimming with her distinctively surreal humour and disarming candour, Believe Me tells the story of a person who never took no for an answer.___Trade ReviewKing of the Universe . . . Comic genius . . . Entertainment incarnate * Telegraph *Izzard is Wikipedia in heels. He's made his career out of hilarious, dizzying, surreal routines held up by their own daft logic . . . A force of nature * Radio Times *A comedy gem * Guardian *Izzard has a knack for reducing centuries' worth of history to just a few exquisite words (the Romans were just 'fascist plumbers', for example) * Time Out *The funniest man in England -- John CleeseThe funniest man in, well, pretty much all of the known universe * Los Angeles Times *A consistent intelligence underpins Izzard's whimsy * Chortle *
£11.69
W F Howes Ltd Sir Michael Caine The Biography
Book Synopsis
£22.97
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Acting Stanislavski
Book SynopsisStanislavski was the first to outline a systematic approach for using our experience, imagination and observation to create truthful acting. 150 years after his birth, his approach is more widely embraced and taught throughout the world but is still often rejected, misunderstood and misapplied.In Acting Stanislavski, John Gillett offers a clear, accessible and comprehensive account of the Stanislavski approach, from the actor's training to final performance, exploring: ease and focus the nature of action, interaction and objectives the imaginary reality, senses and feeling active analysis of text physical and vocal expression of character the actor in the context of training and the industry.Drawing on Stanislavski's major books, in both English translations, and on records of his directing process and final studio classes, Acting Stanislavski demystifies terms and concepts. It is for actors from an actor's point of view, and offers many practical exeTrade ReviewA manual full of enabling, easing exercises – it will enable you to analyse any scene. The cry of the actor at sea, 'I don't know what I'm doing,' should, with this book, become a thing of the past. * Sam West, Actor and Director *This is probably the single most useful and powerfully presented summation of Stanislavski’s approach to acting available ... What sets this book apart from other recent studies is that the Stanislavskian approach has been filtered through a lifetime of practice – the‘concentrate’ that emerges is crystal clear, an explication of the ‘system’ which makes absolute practical sense for the actor ... The primary strength and authority of this book is derived from the single fact that he is an actor addressing other actors with the impassioned objective of encouraging them to take responsibility for their own art and to have ‘respect’ for what they do. -- Julian Jones * New Theatre Quarterly *I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting an introduction to Stanislavksi or Michael Chekhov or acting in general. * Matt Peover, LAMDA trainer and theatre director. *Contains all the important things that need to be said about learning to act . . . in an extremely logical and sensible manner * Simon Dunmore, Editor, Actors Yearbook *It sets the record straight in terms of what Stanislavski was actually about. Its invaluable. * Marina Caldarone, co-author 'ACTIONS, The Actor’s Thesaurus' *This is an excellent book – one of the best of its kind that I have read. John Gillett’s book is way out in front in that it offers both scholarship and really sound practical strategies * Annie Tyson, acting tutor at RADA and Drama Centre *If an actor was to have just one book on the process of acting on their shelf it should be this one * Edda Sharpe, co-author of 'How To Do Accents' *[Acting Stanislavski] feels significantly more substantial, more comprehensive, and clearer than other recent studies of Stanislavski … While this book is a fantastically expansive introduction for the uninitiated, it will also provide real nourishment and clarity for the many actors who have studied bits of Stanislavski here and there and are looking for something more comprehensive. Or one could simply dip into the book for some fresh studio exercises to use in the classroom … This balance between the practical and scholarly, as well as the book’s sensible, logical structure, would make it a great course book for the more technically-minded and historically-curious of acting students, while its glossary and index make it one the best reference books about acting on the market … A deep, authentic, and mature love of the theatre shines throughout the writing. This is the clearest, most comprehensive, and most ambitious book on Stanislavski in existence, from a writer who clearly has a lifetime’s experience of dedicated exploration as an actor, teacher, and director. * Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword, by Sam West Introduction – acting in context PART ONE STARTING FROM NOTHING Chapter 1 Awareness Chapter 2 Ease and focus PART TWO IMAGINATION AND ACTION – CREATING THE FOUNDATIONS Chapter 3 Acting in circumstances Chapter 4 Acting with others Chapter 5 What do I want? PART THREE DEVELOPING THE IMAGINARY REALITY – IMAGES, SENSING, FEELING Chapter 6 Imagining the action Chapter 7 Sensing Chapter 8 Feeling Chapter 9 Atmosphere PART FOUR EXPLORING TEXT AND CHARACTER Chapter 10 Meeting the play Chapter 11 Meeting the character PART FIVE CREATING THE LIFE OF THE ROLE Chapter 12 Discovering the action – active analysis Chapter 13 Embodiment – physical expression of the character Chapter 14 Refining the role Chapter 15 The character PART SIX BEYOND THE ROLE Chapter 16 Acting ethics Chapter 17 Working together Chapter 18 An open conclusion A map of the organic acting process Glossary Selected bibliography Index
£23.74
Xlibris Memories
Book Synopsis
£21.85
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC An Orderly Man
Book Synopsis________________''Absorbing... his gift for dialogue is exceptional'' - The Observer________________First published in 1983, An Orderly Man is volume three of Dirk Bogarde's best-selling memoirs.After completing work on Visconti's Death in Venice, the celebrated actor seeks a refuge from 20 years of continual motion'. This dream of a peaceful retreat materialises itself in the form of a neglected farmhouse in the South of France. However, before he is rewarded with the calm he craves, he is forced to endure the relative evils of dying olive trees and the rampaging mistral.In this pursuit of the tranquil, Bogarde manages to portray the simplest of issues in the most delicate and humane way. This volume also covers the years in which Dirk Bogarde gave some of his finest acting performances and began his career as a gifted writer, imposing order on a rich and varied life.Trade ReviewAbsorbing... his gift for dialogue is exceptional * The Observer *
£14.39
Headline Publishing Group The End of an Earring
Book SynopsisIn January 2012, one of EastEnders'' longest-serving and best-loved characters breathed her last when Pat Butcher succumbed to cancer. Her departure from the show gave actress Pam St Clement time to reflect, not only on almost 26 years playing a role that she loved, but also on her whole life.Pam''s mother died when she was a baby, leaving her with a father whose life didn''t really have space for a child. What followed was an itinerant childhood, with various stepmothers and foster families, before an advertisement in The Lady took 11-year-old Pamela to the farm in Devon that was to become her true home, with the ''aunts'' who became her surrogate parents. Time on the farm at Dartmoor, where she discovered her love of animals, alternated with life at The Warren boarding school in West Sussex, where she discovered her passion for acting.On leaving school, Pam was unsure of what direction to take but gradually realised that acting was what she wanted to do withTrade Reviewtells the story of Pam St Clement, who for 26 years played one of Britain's most iconic soap characters Pat Butcher. * This Morning *Charts her life from her childhood to finding national fame in the show. * Daily Mail *
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Labans Efforts in Action
Book SynopsisAs an actor, awareness of your movement is the key to transformation. By making deliberate physical choices, you can fully and articulately embody different ways of being: you can become someone or something else. Laban''s Efforts give you a way of identifying and making these choices. Working with them helps the actor to create wholly present and physically ambitious performances. This book outlines Ewan''s practical process, which allows the actor to understand their own movement and that of others by exploring one key part of Laban''s work: the ''Efforts of Action Drive''. This complete, stage-by-stage, working process has been developed through more than thirty years of work with actors in the studio. Clear instructions for practical exercises are woven throughout the book, as well as exciting ways to apply the work in rehearsal, performance and on set. This allows the actor to learn and apply Laban''s Efforts for themselves. Full video and audio resources allow the reader tTrade ReviewThis is a fresh and invigorating new addition to the Laban for Actors family of publications. It’s just like being in the studio with Vanessa - with practical how-to exercises and guided explorations in Effort, this book will be invaluable for all actors and teachers of movement for actors * Juliet Chambers, Guildford School of Acting/University of Surrey, UK *Vanessa Ewan's work with Laban and the Efforts, as you will find in this inspired book, provides performers with an incredibly fertile foundation from which to create. She has found an astoundingly practical way of applying Laban's work to the quest of being a fully embodied actor. You will find tools in this book that will open door after door to your own creativity and awaken you to the endless possibility of what you can create on stage and on screen. * Andrew Garfield, actor *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION Laban and His Work Laban’s Work on Effort Approaching the Efforts About this Book How to Use this Book Part A: THE BIGGER PICTURE CHAPTER ONE: MOVEMENT AND THE ACTOR What is Movement? What is Effort? What is Action? Laban’s Efforts and the Actor CHAPTER TWO: UNLOCKING MOVEMENT POTENTIAL The Body in Space Basic Locomotion The Body as Orchestra Part B: BUILDING BLOCKS CHAPTER THREE: WEIGHT, TIME, SPACE The Motion Factors Examining Weight, Time, and Space CHAPTER FOUR: EMBODYING THE MOTION FACTORS Weight Time Space Discovering the Eight Basic Efforts Part C: DISCOVERING THE EFFORTS CHAPTER FIVE: ABOUT THE PROCESS Process Overview Basic Philosophies CHAPTER SIX (a): THE PROCESS WITH FLOATING Preparation Meeting the Effort Mapping the Effort The Effort as Code A Journey (Guided Improvisation) Efforts in the World CHAPTER SIX (b): THE OTHER SEVEN EFFORTS Dabbing Wringing Thrusting Pressing Flicking Slashing Gliding Part D: THE EFFORTS AT PLAY CHAPTER SEVEN: THE EIGHT EFFORT ARCHETYPES What is an Effort Archetype? Embodying the Eight Effort Archetypes Applying the Eight Effort Archetypes Observing the Eight Effort Archetypes CHAPTER EIGHT: THE EFFORT WEAVE What is an Effort Weave? Effort Weave Preparation Basic Effort Weave Internalised Effort Weaves Effort Weaves with An Agenda CHAPTER NINE: EFFORT DUOS What is an Effort Duo? Discovering Effort Duos Embodying Effort Duos Effort Equation Creating Effort Equations Part E: APPLYING THE EFFORTS CHAPTER TEN: ADVANCED EXPLORATIONS Uniting Efforts and Text ‘Giving Birth’: Embodied Storytelling Creating a Precise Physical Score ‘Cloning’: Discovering Characters ‘Gallery-Glide’: Unlocking Text Manifesting Thoughts and Feelings: Subtext in Action ‘Bottling’: Mapping Bottled Emotions CHAPTER ELEVEN: EFFORTS IN REHEARSAL Preparation Creating Character The World of the Play Advanced Observation Final Reflections APPENDICES APPENDIX A: NOTES ON PROCESS The Role of Flow Self-Reflection Control Working with Gestures Working with Vocalisation Using Music The Game of Life Relating to Constraints APPENDIX B: A NOTE ON WORD CHOICES APPENDIX C: FOCUSING THE WORK FOR THE ACTOR APPENDIX D: MUSIC SUGGESTIONS GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY LIST OF VIDEO RESOURCES ABOUT THE AUTHORS INDEX
£105.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Othello Arden Performance Editions
Book SynopsisI wish I had copies like this at Drama School. Essential notes on the language for those who will get up and speak it, not purely for those who will sit and study it. An incredibly useful tool with room on every page to make notes. Next time I'm in rehearsal on a Shakespeare play, I have no doubt that a copy from this series will be in my hand.' ADRIAN LESTER, Actor, Director and Writer Arden 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. Each edition offers: -Facing-page notes -Short, clear definitions of words-Easily accessible information about key textual variants-Notes on pronunciation of difficult names and unfamiliar words-An easy to read layout -Space to wrTrade 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; Othello; Longer Notes
£10.90
Orion Publishing Co Miss Aluminium
Book SynopsisONE OF THE SUNDAY TIMES'' 100 BEST SUMMER READS OF 2020''It''s hard to beat Susanna Moore''s Miss Aluminium'' Vogue''A sharp-edged summery treat'' Hadley Freeman''Unlike any Hollywood memoir you''ll have read'' MetroAt seventeen, Susanna Moore left her home in Hawai''i, with no money, no belongings and no prospects. But in Philadelphia, an unexpected gift of four trunks of beautiful clothes allowed her to assume the first of many disguises. Her journey takes her from New York to Los Angeles where she becomes a model and meets Joan Didion and Audrey Hepburn. She works as a script reader for Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, and is given a screen test by Mike Nichols. But beneath Miss Aluminium''s glittering fairytale surface lies the story of a girl''s insatiable hunger to learn. Moore gives us a sardonic, often humorous portrait of Hollywood in the seventies and of a young womanTrade ReviewAn outstanding memoir... A novelist best known for her extraordinary 1995 erotic thriller In the Cut, Moore has now written an extraordinary memoir... The descriptive writing is a joy. * The Sunday Times *Poignant and hugely entertaining... As she tries on different identities, the book becomes less about childhood trauma than an examination of the masks women wear to meet social expectations, occasionally prompting them to forget who they are entirely... The book bursts with brilliantly gossipy titbits, recounted with wry understatement... From the outside, Moore's life seemed gilded with its merry-go-round of parties, lovers, designer clothes and dizzyingly famous friends. In Miss Aluminium, her tales of the Hollywood high life certainly provide giggles and glitz, though the darkness is never far from the surface. The real story is the ripple effect of grief, a woman's self-invention and the awful deeds of powerful men. -- Fiona Sturges * Guardian *Moore's account of her time as a model and bit-part actress in Hollywood is peppered with famous names, from Audrey Hepburn and Harrison Ford to Warren Beatty and Roman Polanski. But this riveting book isn't just about being on the fringes of celebrity: it's a compellingly dark tale of a young woman navigating her way through a sea full of sharks ... This is a totally gripping and tremendously entertaining memoir. * Daily Mail *A striking new memoir ... Through the #MeToo lens, Moore's measured, superficially judgment-free recounting of her time in the middle of All That can be read as a personal statement of empowerment: She came, she saw, she took notes, and she left to become a novelist and a miss-no-detail student of female autonomy. * New York Times *Miss Aluminium, is a triumphant, inspiring account of how to find your true self in the most unlikely of settings * RED magazine *As well as documenting Moore's heartbreaks, Miss Aluminium is also full of humorous tales about the famous... a poignant remembrance of a life lived in the shadow of family tragedy, as well as being a wry peak into celebrity narcissism. * Independent (App Edition) *Susanna Moore on working in Hollywood in the 1970s is literally my fantasy weekend read, and it does not disappoint. -- Hadley FreemanA sharp-edged summery treat -- Hadley FreemanDisarmingly candid... This is her first memoir and it's even better than her fiction... Moore deploys a disarming repertoire of sideswipes, gallows humour and raised eyebrows, whether writing about trivia or tragedy... There's a fascination here with toxic masculinity that makes you think of the dangerous, sexually potent detective in In the Cut. * The Times *Susanna Moore's memoir Miss Aluminium is the most blissful brilliant beautiful book. How it manages to be so glittery with old Hollywood gossip, and yet to be so utterly serious about a woman's struggle for self-determination, I don't know, but there it is. -- Rachel CookeNow seventy-four, and a well-regarded author, Moore is ready to expose her "shadow self" and the pain of her early life . . . One gets a sense that what is revealed has been chosen appraisingly, not out of coyness but, rather, out of something resembling an architect's appreciation of a structure's good bones. Moore's writing has the slightly mysterious sense of detachment that she adopted when building her persona, many years ago, though paradoxically this is what makes her revelations, when they come, more piercing. * The New Yorker *Moore's search for stability during a free-spirited decade is a whirlwind of celebrity encounters and a lyrical exploration of the lingering effects of a mother's death * Publishers Weekly *As readers of Moore's fiction know, she is a brilliant storyteller and sentence-maker . . . Miss Aluminum reminded me of everything I ever loved about her as a writer and now, as happens with certain memoirs, I feel like she is my friend? A very elegant, accomplished grande dame sort of friend, to be sure, one who might loan you a pair of blue velvet Pucci bell-bottoms or a copy of 'The Great War and Modern Memory' on your way out the door after tea. * The Washington Post *A tantalizing tale, told in a seductive and provocative voice. * Booklist *A captivating portrait of a woman in search of herself * Kirkus *It's a tale of shimmering, glamorous surfaces that conceal something darker and more painful... Miss Aluminium positions Moore as a chronicler of Sixties power and pleasure to rival her friend Didion, and, you sense, this model-actress-author has plenty more Hollywood stories to tell. We can only hope she chooses to share them. * Evening Standard *It's hard to beat Susanna Moore's Miss Aluminium * Vogue *There may not be an air bridge to the US just yet but you can still touch down on Tinseltown high life thanks to Susanna Moore's memoir, Miss Aluminium... her understated book is unlike any Hollywood memoir you'll have read * Metro *Wonderful ... Moore's sketches of famous friends cut to the quick - Nichols is tiringly brilliant; Beatty is restless and ravenous; Roman Polanski (this 20-something starlet was "too old to interest him") makes a contest of everything * Daily Telegraph *Moore's book captures what it was like to come of age in a glamorous world, but there was darkness beneath the surface. If the 70s was Hollywood's Golden Age, Miss Aluminium illustrates that there was much suffering and exploitation behind the scenes - and yet the young wannabe writer and actor from Hawaii clearly had plenty of fun along the way * Irish Independent *In this superb Hollywood memoir, novelist Susanna Moore tells the story of her early years... just as memorable is Moore's unflinching portrayal of the darkness beneath the glamour of Seventies Hollywood * Tatler *Miss Aluminium is a different order of achievement entirely, both in its scalding honesty and its sly, watchful humour. I haven't read a book like it in years. -- Anthony Quinn * Mail on Sunday *There's a kind of writing about LA that I am a sucker for. Gossipy, lyrical, with a surface of affectless simplicity but an undertow of melancholy that can be personal or institutional or, best of all, both entwined ... Joan Didion did it; Eve Babitz specialised in it... Miss Aluminium is that kind of book. I, of course, adore it. Miss Aluminium ends before Moore really becomes a writer, but with her poised for that part of her life to begin; its ravishing execution is testament to how fine a writer she became. * Spectator *There is a coolness in the way she describes traumatic events. Such understatement also lends itself to wicked humour... In another's hands, a Hollywood memoir would be pure titillation. What makes this stand out is its depiction of a specific place in time and the elegant restraint of its prose... an excellent book * Financial Times *A rollercoaster ride that will both move and entertain -- Alex Clark * Financial Times *Hollywood's darker side is exposed in this model-turned-writer's tales of her time among the stars * Sunday Times *The bare-bone facts of Susanna Moore's memoir read like a dark fairy tale... Heartbroken, directionless and adrift in a man's world... she embarks on a quest to find a voice and sense of selfhood, poignantly described by the older, wiser Susanna * Sunday Express *Moore's book captures what it was like to come of age in a glamorous world, but there was darkness beneath the glittering surface. If the 70s was Hollywood's Golden Age, Miss Aluminium illustrates that there was much suffering and exploitation behind the scenes * Irish Independent *
£9.99
McFarland & Co Inc Brazilian Collaborative Theater
Book Synopsis Brazil has one of the most vibrant theater cultures in the world, home to a wide variety of theatrical expression. This collection of 15 interviews includes some of the country''s most prolific creative minds--Ze Celso (Teatro Oficina), Antunes Filho, Gerald Thomas, Nos do Morro, Rudolfo Vasquez (Os Satyros), Antonio Araujo (Teatro Vertigem), Enrique Diaz (Cia do Atores) and Lia Rodrigues, to name a few--discussing their approaches to the collaborative theater process. They describe a collective creative environment in which practitioners are concerned with fundamental questions about social, cultural and artistic contexts in which productions are staged, and the interdisciplinary climate that predominated from the beginning of the 1980s.
£48.59