Other performing arts Books
Anness Publishing How to Master Magic Two great books of conjuring
Book Synopsis
£11.69
Thunder's Mouth Press Shock Value: A Tasteful Book About Bad Taste
Book Synopsis
£14.24
Bonnier Books Ltd How to Produce Comedy Bronze
Book SynopsisIn HOW TO PRODUCE COMEDY BRONZE, legendary TV producer Jon Plowman lifts the hood on the comedy industry so you can peer inside and wonder how any of it ever got made in the first place. In a career spanning 30 years Jon has learned (almost) everything there is to know about comedy and now wants to share his wealth of knowledge, before he becomes completely demented and forgets how to do it. Working with Fry and Laurie, travelling with the cast of Absolutely Fabulous, saying 'yes' to The Office - together these stories combine to tell the uncensored story of how TV comedy works, from the first germ of an idea to the after-party at the Emmys - all through a life in comedy. Read this book and if you're not careful learn how to make the world laugh at your ideas too!Trade ReviewWithout Jon Plowman it is certain that French and Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, Fry and Laurie, Little Britain, The Office, The League of Gentlemen and at least a dozen other comedy entertainments of the past quarter century would have had another producer. A thought that chills the marrow and causes each separate hair to rise from the scalp in terror and bewilderment. For Jon Plowman is comedy in the same way that Anthea Turner is Anthea Turner. -- Stephen FryFunny, shrewd and thoroughly entertaining. Anyone thinking of working in comedy production (and a fair few who already do) should be made to read this book. Jon Plowman is simply the best! -- Steve PembertonI learned so much from this book. For a start, I had no idea Jon produced comedy... For those who suffer from chronic constipation and like to read on the loo, there's at least three good shits-worth here... A very funny, honest, naughty memoir from the godfather producer of British TV comedy. -- Matt LucasAs the godfather to a whole era of television comedy, Jon Plowman's hugely entertaining memoir, packed with anecdotes, gossip and wisdom about getting the show on the road, or sometimes into the cul de sac, is a delicious treat for upcoming programme makers and nosy parkers alike... If you've ever wondered what an Executive Producer does, read this book and still wonder. Because from Jon Plowman's witty and insightful account of the ins and outs and occasional car crashes of actually getting comedy shows onto television, you might conclude they just make up the rules as they go along. And thank goodness. -- Hugh BonnevilleThis is the rarest of rare things - a fascinating life, wonderfully told. It manages to be hilarious, informative, scurrilous and utterly page-turning all at once. Jon Plowman has made full use of the famous maxim "You can't libel the dead" (though worryingly seems to have extended this to the living too) to bring us a book of world-class anecdotes. If you've ever laughed at a British comedy I guarantee you will adore How to Produce Comedy Bronze. -- Adam Kay
£15.29
Headline Publishing Group Perfect Sound Whatever
Book Synopsis*The Sunday Times Bestseller*The brand new memoir from James Acaster: cult comedian, bestselling author of Classic Scrapes, undercover cop, receiver of cabbages.PERFECT SOUND WHATEVER is a love letter to the healing power of music, and how one man''s obsessive quest saw him defeat the bullshit of one year with the beauty of another. Because that one man is James Acaster, it also includes tales of befouling himself in a Los Angeles steakhouse, stealing a cookie from Clint Eastwood, and giving drunk, unsolicited pep talks to urinating strangers. January, 2017James Acaster wakes up heartbroken and alone in New York, his relationship over, a day of disastrous meetings leading him to wonder if comedy is really what he wants to be doing any more. A constant comfort in James''s life has been music, but he''s not listened to anything new for a very long time. Idly browsing ''best of the year'' lists, it dawns on him that 2016 mTrade ReviewImmensely comforting - a witty and wise account of the rejuvenating effect of opening yourself up the the creativity of others. * Record Collector *Loved James Acaster's memoir / epic listicle that posits his theory that 2016 was the best year for music. His dry wit I expected, but was impressed by the real life stories of so many musicians the world over. Paints a striking picture of what it means to be a modern musician. * Edgar Wright *honest, unaffected, poignant - and, yes, entertaining * Chortle *James is a phenomenally talented comedian and his music taste is second only to mine. * Romesh Ranganathan *If, as the pundits say, comedy is like jazz then I'm against it. I didn't drill power chords and feedback techniques just to go fannying about looking for the melody. James Acaster, though, is a bit of an outlier. He's a music wonk with a sense of the ridiculous and his controversial theory that 2016 was the greatest year for music ever is off by a mere five decades. Interesting take, though. * David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap *
£11.69
Ebury Publishing Fosse: The Biography
Book SynopsisDon't dance for the audience. Dance for yourself.The basis for a lavish new drama series from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Fosse is the definitive book on one of Broadway's and Hollywood's most complex and dynamic icons.The only person ever to win Oscar, Emmy and Tony awards in the same year, Bob Fosse revolutionised almost every facet of American entertainment. A ground-breaking dancer, choreographer, and theatre and film director, his innumerable achievements include Cabaret, All That Jazz and Chicago, one of the longest-running Broadway musicals ever. Yet his offstage life was equally dramatic, marked by deep psychological wounds and insatiable appetites.In this richly detailed and beautifully written biography, Sam Wasson draws on a wealth of unpublished material and over 300 interviews with Fosse's family, friends, enemies, lovers and collaborators, many of them speaking publicly about Fosse for the first time. Fosse is a book bursting with energy and style, pleasure and pain - much like the man himself.Trade ReviewFantastic... Wasson is the perfect biographer for Fosse. * Guardian *Wasson is a smart and savvy reporter, and his book abounds with colourful firsthand tales. * New York Times *A smart, impeccably researched biography. * Vanity Fair *One of the sharpest showbiz chronicles in years. * Chicago Tribune *
£11.69
John Murray Press Get Started in StandUp Comedy
Book SynopsisLEARN HOW TO WRITE AND PERFORM STAND UP COMEDY.A new edition of Be A Great Stand-Up, now fully revised and updated with new material on setting up and running a comedy night and mining almost any subject for jokes.Logan Murray has successfully taught the techniques of stand-up comedy to thousands, and in this book he distills his years of experience into the essential skills for a great and enjoyable performance. He will help you find your creative streak and your funny side, build the confidence to deliver, and explain the finer details of stagecraft, from dealing with hecklers to coping with props. There is a full guide to the practicalities, from finding gigs to securing an agent, with plenty of valuable hints, tips and advice. Drawing on Logan''s years of teaching and his own successful stand-up career, with top tips from some of the most well-known people in the business, it is guaranteed to bring a smile to both your face and that of your future audience
£11.69
University of Illinois Press T.O.B.A. Time
Book SynopsisBlack vaudevillians and entertainers joked that T.O.B.A. stood for tough on black artists. But the Theater Owner's Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) played a foundational role in the African American entertainment industry and provided a training ground for icons like Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Sammy Davis Jr., the Nicholas Brothers, Count Basie, and Butterbeans and Susie. Michelle R. Scott's institutional history details T.O.B.A.'s origins and practices while telling the little-known stories of the managers, producers, performers, and audience members involved in the circuit. Looking at the organization over its eleven-year existence (19201931), Scott places T.O.B.A. against the backdrop of what entrepreneurship and business development meant in black America at the time. Scott also highlights how intellectuals debated the social, economic, and political significance of black entertainment from the early 1900s through T.O.B.A.'s decline during the Great Depression. ClearTrade Review"Clarifies the important role African American entrepreneurs played in promoting entertainment by and for Black people during a transitional period in American show business history. . . .T.O.B.A. Time is an excellent addition to [the University of Illinois Press] catalogue." --NewCity Lit"In clear and precise prose Scott chronicles the coalescence of Black vaudeville and how T.O.B.A. helped establish and nurture the initial flowering of what became the incalculably influential Black entertainment industry. Readers who enjoyed Entertaining Raceby Michael Eric Dyson and Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib will find Scott’s unique history compelling. " --Booklist"Michelle R. Scott's T.O.B.A. Time: Black Vaudeville and the Theatre Owners' Booking Association in Jazz-Age America is a scholarship of the highest order. It provides an in-depth analysis of an organization that played an important role in providing a space for entrepreneurs and talented individuals to forge an independent role for themselves in segregated America. Scott effortlessly combines the minutiae of a multifaceted activity such as vaudeville with the broader currents which were operating in America in the early decades if the twentieth century." --British Journal of Industrial Relations“Scott’s meticulously researched and exquisitely detailed account reveals the broad impact of the T. O. B. A. circuit and the complexities of its organization and operations. The discussions of individual performers--famous and obscure--and their experiences as they worked the circuit are riveting. This is a benchmark book in theater studies and the definitive account of this fascinating institution.”--Allyson Nadia Field, author of Uplift Cinema: The Emergence of African American Film & The Possibility of Black Modernity Table of ContentsPreface AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: They Called It T.O.B.A. Chapter 1. “Whistling Coons” No More: Race Uplift & the Path to T.O.B.A. Chapter 2. Hebrew, Negro, and American Owners: Black Vaudeville and Interracial ManagementChapter 3. T.O.B.A Forms: The Interracial Business Plan for a New Negro BusinessChapter 4. The Multiple Meanings of T.O.B.A: The Performers’ PerspectiveChapter 5. A Responsibility to Community: Circuit Theaters and Black Regional AudiencesChapter 6. “Trouble in Mind": The End of T.O.B.A. TimeEpilogue: T.O.B.A.’s LegacyAppendixNotesBibliographyIndex
£68.25
Penguin Books Ltd The Life of Lee
Book SynopsisLee Evans is one of the best-loved comedians in the country; a Hollywood star able to sell out arenas in the blink of eye. But he was not always such a roaring success. This title presents his life story.
£10.44
Running Press,U.S. Audrey and Givenchy
Book SynopsisAudrey and Givenchy is a stunning showcase of the most influential teaming of star and designer in fashion history: Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy.Legendary screen star Aubrey Hepburn and designer Hubert de Givenchy were a brilliant meeting of fashion-forward minds. Over the course of their forty-year friendship and professional partnership, both became fashion icons whose collaborations influenced trends for generations to come -- the words Audrey style still conjure images of ballet flats, little black dresses, bateau necklines, capri pants, and countless stunning fashions.With gorgeous photography throughout, Audrey and Givenchy is a celebration of the duo''s collaborations both onscreen and off, featuring fashion profiles on such classic films as Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany''s, Charade, How to Steal a Million, and Funny Face, as well as their greatest off-screen fashion hits for awards shows and events.
£15.29
Johns Hopkins University Press Math in Drag
Book Synopsis
£18.45
Hachette Books Jazz Dance
Book SynopsisThe Story of American Vernacular DanceTable of Contents* Marshall Winslow Stearns: An Appreciation by James T. Maher * Prologue Prehistory * Africa and the West Indies * New Orleans and the South * The Pattern of Diffusion Beginnings * From Folk to Professional * Early Minstrelsy * Minstrel Dances and Dancers * Late Minstrelsy The Vernacular * Medicine Shows and Gillies * Carnivals, Circuses, and Negro Minstrels * Roadshows, T.O.B.A., and Picks * The Witman Sisters Tin Pan Alley and Song Lyrics * Ballroom Origins * The Song Writer: Perry BradfordI * The Song Writer: Perry BradfordII Broadway and the Reviewers * Williams and Walker and the Beginnings of Vernacular Dance on Broadway * Early Harlem * Shuffle Along * Broadway: The Early Twenties * Broadway: The Late Twenties * Choreography: Buddy Bradley Technique: Pioneers, Innovators, and Stylists * King Rastus Brown and the Time Step * Bill Robinson: Up on the Toes * Frank Condos: Wings and the Expanding Repertory * James Barton: Versatility * Harland Dixon and Character Dancing * John W. Bubbles and Rhythm Tap * Fred Astaire Specialties * Eccentric Dancing * Comedy Dancing * Russian Dancing Acrobatics * Straight Acrobatics * The New Acrobatics * The Flash Acts The Class Acts * The Original Stylists * The First Class-Act Team: Greenlee and Drayton * Pete Nugent and the Class Acts * Coles and Atkins: The Last of the Class Acts The Jitterbug * Harlem Background * The Savoy Ballroom * From Coast to Coast Requiem * Baby Laurence and the Hoffers Club * Groundhog * The Dying Breed * Epilogue
£15.29
Anness Publishing Magical Illusions, Conjuring Tricks, Amazing
Book SynopsisThis comprehensive book contains everything the budding magician needs to put on a dazzling show at home. Expert guidance from a professional magician reveals how to perform more than 200 illusions, ranging from party tricks, close-up magic and stage magic to confounding puzzles and awe-inspiring stunts. It reveals how you can make a coin vanish, have x-ray vision, read an audience member's mind and cut a volunteer in two. Whatever your previous experience and skill level, this exciting and inspiring book will enable you to confound and impress friends and family, providing hours of enjoyment for both performer and audience alike.
£7.59
John Blake Publishing Ltd Micky Flanagan: Funny Geezer - The Unofficial
Book SynopsisMicky Flanagan is one of Britain's best-loved cheeky-chappy comedians, thanks to his stand-up routines about how he's gone from growing up in London's East End in the 1970s to his life now in middle-class suburbia. To date he has two sell-out tours under his belt, nominations from the British Comedy Awards and the Edinburgh Fringe (for Best Comedy Newcomer), not to mention regular stints on 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week and The Last Leg, as well as guest appearances on The Jonathan Ross Show, Alan Carr: Chatty Man, The Graham Norton Show and The One Show. Yet a career as a professional comedian was not something that he had ever dreamed of when, as a troublesome teen, he left school aged 15 to work in a fish market. Abi Smith looks at how Micky, who was laughed at by his teachers when he said he wanted to be a vet, has triumphed from his early days working as a fish porter in the East End and as a dishwasher in New York. In this page-turning biography you'll also discover why his mum labelled him a drama queen, and how he tried his hand at various professions - including trainee teacher and painter and decorator - before having the last laugh by becoming one of the country's most popular funny men. So, pour yourself a cup of Rosie Lee, take the weight off your plates and prepare for a right giraffe as you read this engaging tale of 'an East Boy done good'.
£9.49
Triarchy Press How to be feral
Book SynopsisChallenges our preconceived notionsof how our body should move. Uses a series ofpractices and reflections to disrupt our usual shape and movement and our beliefsabout our place in the natural world.91 movement practices that any reader can use to question and come to understand our conditioning and our biases.
£17.10
Gill Boatclub B Gospel According to Blindboy
Book SynopsisThe Gospel According to Blindboy is a surreal and genre-defying collection of short stories exploring the myths, complacencies and contradictions at the heart of modern Ireland. It is one of the most original collections of short stories to emerge in recent years.
£10.44
Immersive Dome Experiences Ltd All the Better to Read You With
Book Synopsis
£22.49
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Crisis of Narration
Book SynopsisNarratives produce the ties that bind us. They create community, eliminate contingency and anchor us in being. And yet in our contemporary information society, where everything has become arbitrary and random, storytelling becomes storyselling and narratives lose their binding force. Whereas narratives create community, storytelling brings forth only a fleeting community – the community of consumers. No amount of storytelling could recreate the fire around which humans gather to tell each other stories. That fire has long since burnt out. It has been replaced by the digital screen, which separates people rather than bringing them together. Through storytelling, capitalism appropriates narrative: stories sell. They are no longer a medium of shared experience. The inflation of storytelling betrays a need to cope with contingency, but storytelling is unable to transform the information society back into a stable narrative community. Rather, storytelling as storyselling is a pathological phenomenon of our age. Byung-Chul Han, one of the most perceptive cultural theorists of contemporary society, dissects this crisis with exceptional insight and flair.Table of ContentsPreface From Narration to InformationThe Poverty of ExperienceThe Narrated LifeBare LifeThe Disenchantment of the WorldFrom Shocks to LikesTheory as NarrativeNarration as HealingNarrative CommunityStoryselling Notes
£12.99
Yale University Press Humour
Book Synopsis
£10.99
HarperCollins Publishers My Old Man
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Theatre Book Prize; former prime minister John Major takes a remarkable journey into his own unconventional family past to tell the story of the British music hall.John Major shares memories of his performer father Tom and then shines the spotlight on the story of the music hall itself, from its Victorian heyday to its demise.In this fond look back at characters such as Marie Lloyd, Little Tich and Vesta Tilley, these faded stars take their place in the limelight once more.Packed with colourful anecdotes, My Old Man' is a warm-hearted account of a golden and bygone age.Trade Review‘An uncommon book about one of the most extraordinary, vital and creative chapters in British theatrical history admiration … Major also nobly honours his parents and the life they lived. The affection is palpable and anything but pious. In short, he gets it’ Simon Callow, Guardian ‘Affectionate, charming and unexpectedly lively … Major paints a vivid picture … to read this richly enjoyable book is to be given a glimpse into a lost world’ Mail on Sunday ‘Entertaining and well-paced … My Old Man is a powerful and affecting tribute’ Daily Express ‘His deep affection for his parents inspires his finest writing…fascinating … My Old Man is an entertaining and intriguing potted history, full of quirky details about this quintessentially English phenomenon’ Independent ‘Entertaining, fascinating and written with love….the admiration that John feels for his father is palpable on every page’ Sunday Express
£13.49
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Inc Blue Man World
Book SynopsisAs entertaining and hilarious as the show itself, Blue Man World reveals everything you ever wanted to know about the Blue Men, but couldn''t get them to tell you. The first-ever Blue Man Group book, published on the occasion of their 25th anniversary, Blue Man World is a glorious combination of music, comedy, and state-of-the-art technology, Blue Man Group has evolved from its underground roots in New York City to one of the world''s most beloved events. The show has been seen by 35 million people worldwide and its fans includes kids and adults, ages 8 to 80.Blue Man World is a graphically rich, textually dynamic, cheekily clever deep dive into the world of the Blue Men, as well as a hilarious cultural satire. Including archival photographs, specially commissioned artwork, infographics, and interviews with Blue Man experts (both real and potentially not real), it asks and sometimes answers all the burning questions: Who are these Blue Men? Where do they come from? Why are there only three of them? What drives their curiosity? What do they want to accomplish? Blue Man Group is a global entertainment company best known for the award-winning Blue Man Group show. A dynamic combination of music, comedy, and technology, the show appeals to a broad ranges of age groups and cultural backgrounds. It is continually refreshed with new music, stories, custom instruments and state-of-the-art technology.
£18.70
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Directors Craft
Book SynopsisThe Directorâs Craft is a unique and completely indispensable step-by-step guide to directing for the stage. Written by one of the most adventurous and respected directors working today, this book will be an essential item in every student and practitionerâs kitbag. It provides detailed assistance with each aspect of the varied challenges facing all theatre directors, and does so with startling clarity. It will inspire everyone, from the beginner just starting out to the experienced practitioner looking to reinvigorate their practice.Katie Mitchell shares and explains the key practical tools she uses to approach her work with both actors, production teams, and the text itself. She addresses topics such as: the ideas that underpin a playâs text preparing improvizations Twelve Golden Rules for working with actors managing the transition from rehearsal room to theatre analyzing your Trade Review'As an introduction to Stanislavski, and a demystification of the director's role, this is a comprehensive read.' - Total Theatre 'This is particularly useful for A level students... The book has a clear, matter-of-fact style throughout... A useful resource to staff and A level students alike.' - Teaching Drama Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: Preparing for Rehearsals 1. Organising your early responses to the text 2. Organising information about each scene 3. Investigating the big ideas of the play 4. Analysing the action of the play 5. Deepening work on character 6. Building relationships with your production team 7. Selecting actors and testing starting points for rehearsals 8. Preparing the rehearsal environment Part Two: Rehearsals 9. The initial few days of rehearsals 10. Building the world of the play 11. Working on the scenes of the play Part Three: Getting into the Theatre and the Public Performances 12. Technical and dress rehearsals 13. The public performances Part Four: Context and Sources 14. How I learnt the skills the book describes
£31.36
Little, Brown Book Group A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald A captivating love
Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestselling author of The French Photographer''A glamorous, transporting read'' Woman''s Weekly . . .IN 1920s NEW YORK, EVERYONE IS CHASING A DREAM . . .The Roaring 20s - a time for glamour, frivolity and freedom for women. But for Evie Lockhart, a small-town girl who is determined to become one of the first female doctors, it means turning her back on her family and the only life she''s ever known.In a desperate attempt to support herself through Columbia University''s medical school, Evie auditions for the infamous late-night Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway. But if she gets the part, what will it mean for her new relationship with Upper East Side banker Thomas Whitman - a man Evie thinks she could fall for, if only she lived a less scandalous life . . .Captivating and inspiratiTrade ReviewWonderful. I love this author. You will not be disappointed -- SALLY HEPWORTH * bestselling author of The Family Next Door *Full of drama, heartbreak and determination, and the setting of Manhattan in the early '20s is brought to glorious, vivid life. -- KATE FORSYTH * author of Beauty in Thorns *I love this book -- RACHAEL JOHNS, author of The Greatest GiftStunning. Will have you captivated -- LIZ BYRSKI, author of Remember MeIf you're mad about the Roaring Twenties and all things Gatsby, this romance will have you enchanted * Woman's Day *At the novel's heart is the sparkling Evie, an endearing combination of intelligence, determination and naivety * West Australian *Natasha Lester is our generation's Louise May Alcott -- Tess WoodsRemarkable, intelligent and heartfelt -- Jodi GibsonWhat a GEM! -- Sara FosterThe stand-out novel of 2016 * AusRom Today *Exquisite! -- VANESSA CARNEVALE
£9.49
Pearson Education Limited Communication Principles for a Lifetime Global
Book SynopsisSteven A. Beebe is Regents' and University Distinguished Professor emeritus at Texas State University. He served as Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State for 28 years and concurrently as Associate Dean for 25 years. Steve is the author or co-author of 14 widely used communication books, most of which have been through multiple editions (including Russian and Chinese editions), as well as numerous articles, book chapters, and conference presentations. He has been a Visiting Scholar at both Oxford University and Cambridge University in England. He made international headlines when conducting research at Oxford; he discovered a manuscript that was the partial opening chapter of a book that was to be co-authored with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis called Language and Human Nature. Steve's book, C. S. Lewis and the Craft of Communication, chronicles the discovery of and identifies Lewis's contributions to communication. SteveTable of ContentsUNIT I: PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION Identifying Foundations of Human Communication Exploring Self-Awareness and Communication Understanding Verbal Messages Understanding Nonverbal Messages Listening and Responding Adapting to Others: Diversity and Communication UNIT II: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Understanding Interpersonal Communication Enhancing Relationships UNIT III: COMMUNICATING IN GROUPS AND TEAMS Understanding Group and Team Performance Enhancing Group and Team Performance UNIT IV: PUBLIC SPEAKING Developing Your Speech Organizing and Outlining Your Speech Delivering Your Speech Speaking to Inform Speaking to Persuade Appendix A. Interviewing Appendix B. Sample Speeches for Discussion and Evaluation
£64.99
Globe Pequot Press LineStorm Playwrights Present Go Play Outside
Book SynopsisLineStorm Playwrights is a well-known group of twelve accomplished playwrights from the Portland, Oregon, area who have had their works performed around the world and who also collaborate on and produce pieces together. They have compiled the ultimate ten-minute play collection that is perfect for this time. Due to the pandemic, the LineStorm group has been approached by several venues for short plays designed to be performed outdoors, and so this collection of thirty ten-minute plays is expressly set and meant to be performed outdoors. The book offers a healthy and safe way to partake in live theater performances!
£15.29
Workman Publishing How Magicians Think: Misdirection, Deception, and
Book SynopsisThe door to magic is closed, but it’s not locked. And now Joshua Jay, one of the world’s most accomplished magicians, not only opens that door but brings us inside to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history, and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery. And he goes one step further: Joshua Jay brings us right into the mind of a magician—how they develop their other worldly skills, conjure up illusions, and leave the rest of us slack jawed with delight time after time. Along the way, Jay reveals another kind of secret, one all readers will find meaningful even if they never aspire to perform sleight of hand: What does it take to follow your heart and achieve excellence? In 52 short, compulsively readable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it’s through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them, or the way technology influences the world of magic. He considers the aesthetics of performance, discusses contemporary masters, including David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and David Blaine, and details how magicians hone their craft. And answers questions like: Can a magic trick be too good? How do you saw a person in half? Is there real magic in the universe? The answers, like so much in magic and life, depend on you.Trade Review"Joshua Jay is a superb, innovative conjurer with an unrelenting love of the art. This captivating book is proof of that passion." --David Copperfield "A loving, behind-the-scenes map of the world of magic, by someone who knows and lives the art. Swift, funny, honest, and alive with enthusiasm. And he has the good sense to quote me a lot." --Teller (of Penn & Teller) "Joshua Jay has proven to be an important voice in magic. How Magicians Think is a thoughtful, engaging look into the secretive world of magicians. This book will excite anybody with a curiosity of love for magic." --David Blaine "How Magicians Think is fascinating, beautiful, and can't-put-down shocking. It will inspire awe in its depiction of the secretive world of magicians and is a must-read for anyone passionate about pursuing excellence." --Uri Geller "In How Magicians Think, the great Joshua Jay reveals a magician's greatest secret--not a secret shuffle or how they kept a dove alive in their pants for four hours --but how they think. The answer? Differently, creatively, and beautifully. I mean, how can you not love someone who's devoted their life to making you feel wonder?" --Pete Holmes, comedian and author of Comedy Sex God "How Magicians Think is one of the most remarkable books I have ever read! Joshua Jay is a genius storyteller who has distilled a life's worth of insights into a single book, and the result is magical." --Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics "A must-read for anyone who loves magic. Joshua Jay is not only a world class performer, but he is a thought-leader in magic. Whatever your passion, you'll find inspiration and motivation in these pages. I couldn't put it down." --Jon Dorenbos, NFL Superbowl champion and best-selling author
£19.79
Faber & Faber The Book of Panto
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Writers Artists Poetry Writers Handbook
Book SynopsisPoetry is increasingly democratic in its use of different formats, but it can be difficult to know how to navigate the range of options available. In a competitive field, this information is not always easy to access, and many poets make mistakes. This handbook is here to help.How do you make the finances work? Should you release a pamphlet or a full collection? Which promoters should you work with? How can you get your work reviewed? How do you maintain a public profile if performance isn't for you? What mentoring and publication options are open for mid-career poets? The Poetry Writers'' Handbook will answer all these questions and more. It provides: - practical advice on managing income and funding a career - detailed information on printing and distribution, marketing and publicity, and submission to editors, reviewers and prizes- up-to-date contacts for funding organisations, prizes, publishers and magazines for poets and their work.It gives a clear and up-to-date picture oTable of Contents1 Small Worlds: an introduction to the world of poetry 2 Getting published: magazines, prizes and pamphlets 3 Getting published: full poetry collections 4 To self-publish, or not? 5 Performance poetry: background and history 6 Performance poetry: owning the stage 7 The business of poetry 8 Marketing your book 9 A community of poets Bibliography Glossary Directory - who to contact Index
£18.00
Duke University Press Juggling
Book SynopsisIn Juggling, Stewart Lawrence Sinclair explores the four-thousand-year history and practice of juggling as seen through his life as a juggler. Sinclair—who learned to juggle as a child and paid his way through college by busking—shares his experiences of taking up juggling after an episode of suicidal ideation, his time juggling on the streets, and ultimately finding comfort in juggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. In many ways, this is a book about loss and recovery. From his own juggling story to clowns braving military checkpoints in Bosnia and Rwanda to perform in refugee camps to contemporary avant-garde performances, Sinclair shows how the universal language of juggling provides joy as well as a respite from difficulties during hard times.Trade Review"Juggling is a powerful book about the practice of juggling—and about the benefits of perseverance." -- Arianna Rebolini * Foreword Reviews *"Will jugglers find it interesting? They already know the basics. Why go over it again? Because an eloquently written paragraph, featuring your favorite subject is exactly what you do want to read. To hear about your own experience from someone else’s point of view is compelling and entertaining. Especially in the context of the pandemic, a moment unique in world history. . . . A fascinating read for anyone." -- Raphael Harris * e-Juggle *"This book is packed with tips, tricks, and techniques to take your juggling skills to the next level. It's a big deal that Duke University Press is publishing a book about juggling. . . ." -- Martin Kalwill * Flow Juggle *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xi 1. Cirque du Covid 1 2. The Three-Body Problem 9 3. La Strata 19 4. Historical Arcs 31 5. Isla Vista 44 6. 441 60 7. Makeup 65 8. Cascade 74 9. Lodi 90 10. Improvising 100 11. Mardi Gras World 103 12. Light-Hearted Humans 114 13. Cirque du Kabul 124 References 133
£12.34
Cornerstone Im Sorry I Havent a Clue The Best of Forty Years
Book SynopsisBarry Cryer (Author) In 1958 Barry Cryer had a Number 1 hit record in Finland with the song 'Purple People Eater' by Sheb Wooley. Over his 50-year career he has written for, among many, Morecambe and Wise, Bruce Forsyth, Tommy Cooper, Frankie Howerd, Bob Hope and Richard Pryor. He is a comedy legend.Graeme Garden (Author) Graeme Garden is one third of the Goodies. He is a comedy legend.Tim Brooke-Taylor (Author) Tim was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, and studied at various schools in Buxton and Winchester before beginning an Economics and Law degree course at Cambridge University. In 1963, he became President of Footlights, the revue club in which he wrote and performed with Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Jonathan Lynn and others. He toured extensively with the revue, Cambridge Circus, before moving into television.Jack Dee (Author) Writer, stand-up comedian and actor, JacTrade ReviewThe funniest comedy quiz show of them all -- Sue Arnold * Observer *The most genuinely and infallibly cheering programme on radio. -- Nigel Andrew * Daily Mail *The national theatre of fun. -- Gillian Reynolds * Daily Telegraph *
£8.54
Cornerstone A Book for Her
Book SynopsisBridget Christie is a stand-up comedian, idiot and feminist. On the 30th of April 2012, a man farted in the Women's Studies Section of a bookshop and it changed her life forever. A Book For Her details Christie's twelve years of anonymous toil in the bowels of stand-up comedy and the sudden epiphany that made her, unbelievably, one of the most critically acclaimed British stand-up comedians this decade, drawing together the threads that link a smelly smell in the women's studies section to the global feminist struggle. Find out how nice Peter Stringfellow's fish tastes, how yoghurt advertising perpetuates rape myths, and how Emily Bronte used a special ladies' pen to write Wuthering Heights.If you're interested in comedy and feminism, then this is definitely the book for you. If you hate both then I'd probably give it a miss. Christie is adept at turning on a sixpence between being comical, or serious, or both at once, and at pricking her own earnTrade ReviewA cool, clear glass of sane in a world of unbearable woo-hoo. * Caitlin Moran *A great feminist stand up, who gets us feminists to laugh at ourselves, as well as at the dinosaurs. * Mary Beard *Fabulous feminist polemical memoir from one of the funniest most astringent women working the upper tier of the British comedy circuit. Scrap that, she's just one of the best in entertainment. * Grazia *Part memoir, part laughter-filled rant ... Christie is a lively narrator and provides a sharp balance of hilarity and ideology. A Book For Her is both a searingly accurate portrayal of 21-century womanhood and a proper hoot. * Independent *Charm, passion and gallons of wit. Funny books seldom come so committed, nor committed books much funnier. * Sunday Telegraph *Bloody excellent. * Sarah Millican *Vulnerable, courageous and very funny * Stylist *Rewriting the feminist agenda ... a must read. * Red Magazine *A voice so idiosyncratic that it transfers uncannily well from stage to page ... it’s courageous, but more than that: it is very funny. * Guardian *Comics will find much sage advice in its pages; others simply a commonsense perspective on the world. It's a book for everyone then, not just 'for her'. * i *Must-read for any young women, or man, interested in comedy and feminism. * Hello! *A charming, eloquent, passionate and knowingly ridiculous voice, in print as she is on stage, and that's how you win people over. This is what a feminist sounds like. * Chortle *Funny, furious and staunchly feminist ... [a] brilliantly belligerent book. * S Magazine *Stand-up Bridget Christie’s autobiographical call-to-arms for gender equality is as hilarious as it is committed * Telegraph Online *Very, very funny. * Radio Times *An excellent and unputdownable book…Christie combines narrative and stream-of-consciousness brilliantly * Observer *The funny woman's memoir ... hysterical. * Vogue UK *It is a fine book, somewhere between feminist treatise, autobiography and nerdy stand-up how-to guide. Most importantly for me, it was very funny, despite also being deadly serious. This of course is Christie’s strength that sets her above her peers ... she uses the Trojan horse technique of concealing a powerful army of vital messages inside a giant horse-shaped laugh ... and she does it better than anyone. * Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke *We always need more feminist memoirs, when they’re funny and insightful and clever and honest. Bridget Christie’s A Book for Her is all of those things. * Stylist *[Christie] made me laugh loudly on the tube like a loud, shameless, lipstick-covered walrus…funny and passionate and inspiring, all at the same time. * Huffington Post *I think Bridget Christie has a kind of genius. It's an incredibly funny and weirdly moving memoir about a person finding her voice. I was dazzled by it. * Jon Ronson *[Christie's] humility sucks you in and makes you laugh. She is funny in all the right places. * Irish Times *It reads very much like a stand-up routine, from the running gags and callbacks. Whatever the seriousness of the subject she’s discussing, however passionately she’s laying into her pet hates, Christie never forgets also to make herself an object of mirth, and does so with charm and brio to spare. * Telegraph (Best Books for Christmas) *I’m halfway through the excellent A Book for Her. This book is like she’s sitting next to me in all her feministy, hilarious, smart glory. * Sarah Millican, Good Housekeeping *‘It’s great: she has really embraced the form and constantly goes on long digressions just for the audiobook listeners. * The Sunday Telegraph *It’s rare I purchase a hardback (they hurt when they drop on my face when I fall asleep reading!), but I was so desperate to read Bridget Christie’s A Book For Her, I braved it. I was well rewarded. Part memoir, part rant, Christie brilliantly and hilariously points out the utter absurdity and nonsensical cruelty of sexism, it left me smiling but furious. * WH Smith blog *
£10.44
Oxford University Press Inc Creative Health for Pianists Concepts Exercises
Book SynopsisCreative Health for Pianists: Concepts, Exercises & Compositions is a practical method book for musicians of all abilities. It provides a new way of thinking about the piano, emphasizing the pianist-reader''s innate capacity to respond creatively to a musical and technical stimulus. Author and veteran educator Pedro de Alcantara suggests that every pianist, from a complete beginner to a concert artist, may approach the instrument with the frame of mind of an improviser and composer, in which curiosity, inventiveness, and technical skills are inseparable.Throughout the book, original music snippets that encapsulate one or more aspects of piano playing are presented and explained, then developed through tweaks, variations, and compositions of increasing complexity. Every chapter contains variations suited to a complete beginner, as well as musical challenges that will capture the imagination of advanced players. Most chapters contain improvisational prompts and games with step-by-step rules, leading to the development of new creative skills combining musical depth and technical intelligence. Creative Health for Pianists is supported by a dedicated companion website with 48 pedagogical video clips.Trade ReviewThis method from Pedro de Alcantara forms a fantastic repository of tools to address all kinds of fundamental piano requirements in a playful way. In addition to the interest of his compositions, it is his particular approach that attracts me as a pianist and a teacher, because it stimulates creativity and independence and can be adapted to the study of the entire repertoire. By insisting on the need to take time, to listen, and to feel, this method perfects the skills of the pianist, moving away from a purely mechanical approach to one offering the means to train hands and ears in a healthy and creative way. * Lara Erbès, Professor of Piano, Conservatoire de Strasbourg *Pedro de Alcantara's Creative Health for Pianists presents fundamental musical concepts, using imaginative pedagogical tools with clarity, humor, real-life examples, and boundless creativity. His progression from archetype to variation/improvisation to composition, which underlies each chapter, develops the pianist's creative potential, linking mind, soul, ear, and hand. In the course of the book, the reader absorbs new material through the act of fearless creation and the freedom to curate their own, unique learning experience. A highly recommended text! * Vladimir Valjarević, Piano and Piano Pedagogy Faculty, Mannes School of Music; Steinway Artist *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface Introduction 1. Dialogue 2. Heartbreak 3. Seesaw 4. Celeste 5. The Circle 6. Gesture 7. Advanced Seesaw 8. Sonic Play 9. Horn Call 10. Mudra Conclusion Appendix: Practicing the Circle of Fifths Resources
£19.99
Hachette Books The Dark Side of the Screen
Book SynopsisFoster Hirsch''s Dark Side of the Screen is by far the most thorough and entertaining study of the themes, visual motifs, character types, actors, directors, and films in this genre ever published. From Billy Wilder, Douglas Sirk, Robert Aldrich, and Howard Hawkes to Martin Scorsese, Roman Polanski, and Paul Schrader, the noir themes of dread, paranoia, steamy sex, double-crossing women, and menacing cityscapes have held a fascination. The features that make Burt Lancaster, Joan Crawford, Robert Mitchum, and Humphrey Bogart into noir heroes and heroines are carefully detailed here, as well as those camera angles, lighting effects, and story lines that characterize Fritz Lang, Samuel Fuller, and Orson Welles as noir directors.For the current rediscovery of film noir, this comprehensive history with its list of credits to 112 outstanding films and its many illustrations will be a valuable reference and a source of inspiration for further research.Trade ReviewMartin Jackson, Cineaste "Wonderfully readable: Hirsch is clear, knowledgeable, and concise...[The Dark Side of the Screen] is a visual as well as literary pleasure." Philip French, The Observer (London) "There has been no extended work as good as Foster Hirsch's The Dark Side of the Screen, a well-written, imaginatively illustrated book that sees the brief, true heyday as between Wilder's Double Indemnity (1944) and his Sunset Boulevard (1950), but looks at the prelude and the aftermath, and sets the genre in its larger social and cultural context." Skyscraper, Spring 2009 "An important examination of what film noir is...The 264-page treatise is not a review source; rather, Hirsch's academic work delves deeply with a scholarly but not dry approach."
£18.00
Hachette Books How to Talk Dirty and Influence People
Book SynopsisDuring the course of a career that began in the late 1940s, Lenny Bruce challenged the sanctity of organized religion and other societal and political conventions he widened the boundaries of free speech. Critic Ralph Gleason said, So many taboos have been lifted and so many comics have rushed through the doors Lenny opened. He utterly changed the world of comedy.Although Bruce died when he was only forty, his influence on the worlds of comedy, jazz, and satire are incalculable. How to Talk Dirty and Influence People remains a brilliant existential account of his life and the forces that made him the most important and controversial entertainer in history.Trade ReviewPraise for How to Talk Dirty and Influence People "I read this book for the first time when I was twelve years old. It made me want to be in showbiz, have a lot of sex, and be Jewish. I've rethought that last one."--Penn Jillette, author of God No! "If there was a God, then he sent down Lenny Bruce to create the art form of modern stand-up comedy. He sought the truth fearlessly and hilariously until his tragically muffled First Amendment rights surely enabled his dying for our sins."--Richard Lewis, author of The Other Great Depression Playboy, 8/3/16 "Outside every American comedy club there ought to be a statue of Lenny Bruce--the type of big bronze statue that commemorates and immortalizes heroes...Bringing Bruce's ideas and stories to a new generation might just be the next best thing to erecting those bronze statues." Spectrum Culture, 10/11/16 "Sheds light on the mind behind some of the most controversial comedy routines of the mid-20th century."
£14.39
Ebury Publishing What the is Normal
Book SynopsisIf you grow up in a world where wrinkles are practically illegal, going bald is cause for a mental breakdown, and women over size zero are encouraged to shoot themselves (immediately), what the hell do you do if you’re, gasp … DISABLED?Trade ReviewHer observations and perspective are unique and powerful. This is a funny, compassionate and inspiring story of how 'being different' can become, with the right attitude, an unlikely advantage. Also, it's bloody funny and touching * Russell Brand *A cheerful optimistic belly-laugh broadside at prejudice and a wonderful testament to the power of “being funny”, I love Francesca Martinez * Steve Coogan *A wonderful read! Warm, funny and unforgettable * Jonathan Ross *A very, very important [book] ... I can’t think of a work that has so brilliantly expressed how a person disabled from birth sees herself -- Dominic Lawson * The Sunday Times *As entertaining as it is moving ... this book is a wonderful, funny, warm coming-of-age memoir about finding your own path in life. Long may she wobble. Five stars. * Viv Groskop, The Telegraph *
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd We Need to Talk About . . . Kevin Bridges
Book SynopsisThe comic autobiography of 2014 A comedian''s autobiography? I wonder if he''s ever used humour to deflect from his insecurities? To avoid being bullied? Is there heartache behind the humour? I wonder if he''s a manic-depressive? Tears of a clown? Yes, all of that. Discover the hilarious life-story of one of Britain''s best-loved comedians in Kevin Bridges'' brilliant memoir. ''First of all, I have never written a book before, you probably haven''t either, so there we have it; a connection is established between reader and writer . . .'' Aged just 17, Kevin Bridges walked on stage for the first time in a Glasgow comedy club and brought the house down. He only had a five-minute set but in that short time he discovered that he really could earn a living from making people laugh. Kevin began life as a shy, nerve-ridden school-boy, whose weekTrade ReviewKevin Bridges might just become the best stand-up in the land . . . he will go and deliver a one-liner that you want to jot down and frame * The Times *The Best Scottish Stand up of his Generation. * The Scotsman *A wonderfully dry and deadpan Glaswegian comic . . . one the most exciting talents to have emerged from Scotland since Billy Connolly * Guardian *Wonderfully sharp, assured stand-up from the preternaturally gifted young comic * Independent *Scotland's young comedy prodigy * Guardian *
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd Circus of Mirrors
Book SynopsisDiscover the dazzling new historical novel from the author of That Green Eyed Girl and 73 Dove StreetPerfect for fans of City of Girls, Cabaret and Sunday Times bestseller, The Whalebone Theatre - available to pre-order in paperback! ''Sexy, electrically stylish, and beautiful - a gorgeous story about sisterhood, and a glamorous, evocative passport to a period we all long to get lost in'' Daisy Buchanan, award-winning author of Insatiable''Julie''s best novel yet'' Georgina Moore, bestselling author of The Garnett GirlsLadies and gentlemen, welcome to the Babylon Circus . . .'Berlin, 1926: young Leni finds work as a cigarette girl wide-eyed, dodging stray hands as the painted dancers and revellers party the nights away. It's all for her little sister Annette to put a roof over their heads, food in their bellies. Because the two sisters have no one but each other.Then Leni meets pianist Paul, and embarks on a passionate, all-consuming love affair. But for Paul, Berlin is a dangerous place to be. If he and Leni are to have a future together, they must flee the city.For Leni, it's an impossible choice: her sister or the love of her life?The consequences of her decision will ripple through the next four decades . . .***Immersive, tender, simmering with secrets' Alex Hay ''A tale of two sisters and a city, all three of them so vividly drawn, I felt I knew them. Superbly atmospheric, with convincingly flawed characters that just leap off the page'' Frances Quinn, author of The Bonesetter Woman ''An all-singing, all-dancing, moving and masterful book about two complex sisters living in incredibly complex times. Brilliant.'' Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl ''Bold, brave and absorbing'' Elizabeth Buchan, author of Bonjour, Sophie ''With hints of Atonement, this is an epic novel' Louise Fein, author of Daughter of the Reich Praise for Julie Owen Moylan ''Touching, entertaining and hopeful'' Sunday Times ''Dazzling'' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ''I was gripped from the first page'' SARA COX ''Psychologically astute and emotionally absorbing,'' DAILY MAIL ''A wonderfully evocative, immersive novel that brings 50s London to life, from the smog and the nightlife to attitudes towards women'' SUNDAY EXPRESS ''Emotional, immersive and utterly absorbing'' JENNIFER SAINT
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Make Good Art
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of the acclaimed novel AMERICAN GODS and the prize-winning THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE.In May 2012, Neil Gaiman delivered the commencement address at Philadelphia''s University of the Arts, in which he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged the fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he urged them to make good art.The book MAKE GOOD ART, designed by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, contains the full text of Gaiman''s inspiring speech.Praise for Neil Gaiman:''A very fine and imaginative writer'' The Sunday Times''Exhilarating and terrifying'' Independent''Urbane and sophisticated'' Time Out''A jaw-droppingly good, scary epic positively drenched in metaphors and symbols... As Gaiman is to literature, so Antoni Gaudi was to architecture'' MidweekTrade Review'Gaiman is, simply put, a treasure-house of story, and we are lucky to have him' * Stephen King *'Gaiman has a rich imagination...and an ability to tackle large themes' * Philip Pullman *
£11.69
Hodder & Stoughton Truths Half Truths and Little White Lies
Book Synopsis''No life can really be all black, right? Even during the darkest times, what got me through that bleakness was laughter and time. With enough of both of these things I reckon you could get over just about anything.''Nick Frost burst onto our screens in a blaze of camo fatigues and weaponry as the Territorial Army obsessed loveable idiot Mike Watt in the hit cult comedy Spaced. Since then, fans around the world have watched him with a fervent devotion as he fought zombies, rescued aliens and salsa''d his way to box office smash after smash.It''s quite a story. But it''s not this story. This story isn''t the romp from movie set to Hollywood party. This is a story of a life like no other.With blistering candour Frost recounts his childhood growing up in Essex in a household full of love and optimism but tragically blighted by alcoholism, illness and sudden life shattering misfortune. Dogged by his own personal demons, Nick tells of the hil
£11.69
John Murray Press Born Lippy
Book SynopsisA RADIO 4 ''BOOK OF THE WEEK''Sometimes it''s hard to be a woman and sometimes it''s time to be a hard woman . . . This is a book for all those times.Once upon a (very very) long time ago Jo Brand was what you might describe as ''a nice little girl''. Of course, that was before the values of cynicism, misogyny and the societal expectation that Jo would be thin, feminine and demure sent her off down Arsey Avenue. The plot thickened, when due to a complicated fusion of hormones, horrible family dynamics and a no-good boyfriend they hated, Jo ended up leaving home at 16. Now she''s considerably further along life''s inevitable bloody ''journey'' - and she''s fucked up enough times to feel confident she has no wisdom to offer anyone. But who cares? She''s going to do it anyway...Born Lippy is a gathering of all the things Jo Brand wishes she''d known, all the things she''s learnt, and all the things she hopes for the future. A century after Trade ReviewA hilarious must-have bible for anyone wanting to get gobby . . . I bloody loved this book. So smart, so funny. I wish I'd had it years ago * SARAH MILLICAN *I loved Born Lippy . . . The humour is vintage Brand * SUNDAY TIMES *Moving, funny and most of all useful. A collection of all the things Brand wishes she'd known, things she's learnt and the things she hopes for the future * SCOTSMAN *A must-read guide to life as a woman, including heckling as a life skill; how to like yourself; what happens when you turn into your mother, and other things Brand wishes she'd known earlier -- HELENA KENNEDY * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Funny, feisty and full of life... I loved this book -- PHILIP SCHOFIELD * THIS MORNING *If you want to get really useful advice about life's problems, go to someone who has messed things up, admitted it, then got back on track. Jo Brand is such a person...full of insights and hard-won wisdom * DAILY MAIL *Taking on all the major issues: Feminism, Social Media, Friendship, Parenting and perhaps most crucially -- why there isn't an anti-wrinkle cream for testicles, Born Lippy is funny, clever and very rude. Just like Jo * MORWENNA BANKS *Sassy...feisty and funny * SUNDAY EXPRESS *BORN LIPPY tackles serious subjects between the laughs * BBC Online *Jo Brand is a good writer, and this book is full of engaging, witty prose, just like her comedy...Informed and insightful * CULTURE CALLING *Jo Brand unrolls lessons from her own life in Born Lippy, salty advice on how great expectations may crumble yet prove useful in the long run * SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE, Radio pick of the day *If you want to get really useful advice about life's problems, go to someone who has messed things up, admitted it, then got back on track. Jo Brand is such a person * DAILY MAIL WEEKEND *Chock-full of pithy lines about how best to navigate these troubling times we live in * Irish Independent Review *
£10.99
Bristol University Press Drag as Marketplace
£26.59
Hodder & Stoughton Improv Your Life
Book Synopsis'If you want to be more present, more reactive and have more fun - this book is for you' SARA PASCOE'Funny, insightful and inspiring' RACHEL PARRIS'Essential reading for anyone wanting to do life, but better' CARIAD LLOYD'A wonderfully witty, charmingly personal guide to the art of improvisation for the stage & life' DEBORAH FRANCES WHITEAn improviser's guide to embracing whatever life throws at you!PIPPA EVANS is an expert in saying Yes - and No. She's a master of thinking on her feet, but has also had to learn how to go with the flow. In this book she's passing on everything she's learnt from her award winning improv career, as both a performer and teacher, so YOU can take centre stage in your own life.In telling her story, delving into the craft of improvisation, and sharing fun exercises and practice you can do at home, Pippa will help you become fully yourself - realising your potential and ability to adapt to the ever changing world around you. It's dangerous, being yourself, but let's just take it one step at a time. Open the book, take a breath and get ready to say YES. (If it's a NO from you then perhaps consider buying for a friend, family member or enemy who you think needs some improv-ment)Trade ReviewPippa is one of the greatest improvisers I've ever seen on stage. To be in a show with her is a joy, to be taught by her is a privilege and now to have her thoughts all written down to digest, is a triumph. Essential reading for anyone wanting to do life, but better -- Cariad Lloyd'There's no short-cut' they used to say, but Pippa has sneakily written one. Whether you're already performing and want a guide to get you out of your head, or if you secretly wish you could be more creative- this book is for you. Pippa knows what is holding you back and if you want to be more present, more reactive and have more fun- this book is for you! -- Sara PascoeFunny, insightful and inspiring. This book will make you question yourself in the best possible way. Brings improv into your everyday life; this book really will change your life. -- Rachel ParrisA wonderfully witty, charmingly personal guide to the art of improvisation for the stage & life. Full of insights that'll kick you out of a rut & have you freewheeling with style like the glorious Pippa Evans herself. -- Deborah Frances WhiteThe most useful self-help book I have ever come across, practical, easy and very very funny - it's for anyone who gets completely stuck when it comes to life. Follow Pippa's advice, she is very wise and this book is a lot of fun to read. -- Luisa OmielanFor anyone who is an admirer of the art of improvisation, this is a wonderfully fun, easy to read, and inspiring insight into how to have fun, let go, and impro - from a pro! With lots of tips and useful exercises, it's also shows you how to turn improv into a very useful life-skill. Say yes, and buy it! -- Susie DonkinThis book is marvellous. A must have if you're into the wonderful world of improvisation. Written by one of the most talented improvisers around - the amazing Pippa Evans. I perform with her so I know! -- Josie LawrencePippa's beautiful book conveys both the sheer joy of the stage experience and how readily those simple practices can be applied to everyday life with uplifting results. Of course, the two arenas are not separate - they are both about embracing togetherness and fallibility. -- Neil MullarkeyI was very impressed with this book, it reminded me a bit of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance -- Clive Anderson, Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4
£15.29
PublicAffairs,U.S. I'm Dying Up Here: Heartbreak and High Times in
Book SynopsisIn the mid-1970s, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Andy Kaufman, Richard Lewis, Robin Williams, Elayne Boosler, Tom Dreesen, and several hundred other shameless showoffs and incorrigible cutups from across the country migrated en masse to Los Angeles, the new home of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. There, in a late-night world of sex, drugs, dreams and laughter, they created an artistic community unlike any before or since. It was Comedy Camelot-but it couldn't last.William Knoedelseder was then a cub reporter covering the burgeoning local comedy scene for the Los Angeles Times. He wrote the first major newspaper profiles of several of the future stars. And he was there when the comedians-who were not paid by the clubs where they performed- tried to change the system and incidentally tore apart their own close-knit community. In I'm Dying Up Here he tells the whole story of that golden age, of the strike that ended it, and of how those days still resonate in the lives of those who were there. As comedy clubs and cable TV began to boom, many would achieve stardom.... but success had its price
£13.29
Allen & Unwin Sunshine
Book SynopsisThere are a lot of Ambers in the stripping world. And Aprils and Summers, and Skys and Rains. There are quite a few gems: Sapphires, Diamonds, Rubies and even an Amethyst. And exotic creatures: Tigers, Cheetahs, Phoenixes and Kitties. Plenty of weather conditions, like Misty, Stormy and Cloudy. There are, of course, a selection of fruits: Cherry, Berry, Peaches and Apple. And confectionery to go with it, like Candy, Lolly and Caramel. And then there are the generic hot-girl/sexy names: Lolita, Tiffany, Chanel, Lulu, Sasha and Brigitte.Meet Sunshine. That's her stage name. Follow her downstairs into the shadowy underworld of the so-called Gentlemen's Clubs, where men hide in dark corners and pay gorgeous women like Sunshine to take their clothes off. Follow her to the private rooms where the lap dances happen, the hustle plays out and the real money flows. Sit with her in the back room with the other dancers, her friends and colleagues, who laugh and cry and rake in the dollars and party as though a zombie apocalypse is on the horizon.Sunshine tells us in her own brutally honest and audacious words what it's like to work as a stripper, both in Australia and overseas.Confessional, confronting, revealing, wildly entertaining and often laugh-out-loud funny, Sunshine: The diary of a lap dancer will take you into a world that most of us can only imagine and that others know all too well. But only the dancers know what really goes on - and this book shows you their world stripped bare.
£11.69
Anness Publishing Illustrated Compendium of Magic Tricks
Book SynopsisMagic is a fabulous form of entertainment, both on a professional basis and in the home. This comprehensive book contains more than 375 tricks, ranging from card, money and mind magic, optical illusions and close-up magic to puzzles, party tricks and stand-up and stage illusions. More than 2500 step-by-step photographs reveal all the skills you need, and close-up secret views show how the illusions are performed, with tips on preparation and patter enabling you to achieve a polished performance. Whether you are a keen novice or want to expand your repertoire, this inspiring book will enable you to confound and amaze friends and family.
£10.79
Canongate Books The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi: Laughter,
Book SynopsisThe son of a deranged Italian immigrant, Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837) was the most celebrated of English clowns. The first to use white-face make-up and wear outrageous coloured clothes, he completely transformed the role of the Clown in the pantomime with a look as iconic as Chaplin's tramp or Tommy Cooper's magician. One of the first celebrity comedians, his friends included Lord Byron and the actor Edmund Kean, and his memoirs were edited by the young Charles Dickens. But underneath the stage paint, Grimaldi struggled with depression and his life was blighted with tragedy. His first wife died in childbirth and his son would go on to drink himself to death. The outward joy and tomfoolery of his performances masked a dark and depressing personal life, and instituted the modern figure of the glum, brooding comedian. Joseph Grimaldi left an indelible mark on the English theatre and the performing arts, but his legacy is one of human struggle, battling demons and giving it his all in the face of adversity.Trade ReviewA wonderful book: beautiful, heartbreaking and absolutely fascinating -- Amanda Foreman * * author of The Duchess * *A round of applause is due to this exuberant, impassioned portrait, for bringing the great Grimaldi, 'Joey the Clown', into the limelight again -- Jenny Uglow * * Observer * *Grimaldi's is a story of comedy mixed with pathos, endurance with absurdity. It is exceptionally well told here -- Sam Leith * * Daily Mail * *This interesting and entertaining book gives a real insight into how much professional comedy has changed over the last 250 years, and how much it hasn't changed -- Frank SkinnerAlways vivacious and engaged, Stott's writing is earthed in research that gives resonance to the amplitude of detail he provides, tactfully tucking away documentation of sources in endnotes that are a pleasure in themselves -- Jennie Renton * * Sunday Herald * *A round of applause is due this exuberant portrait for bringing Grimaldi into the limelight again * * Observer New Review * *Splendid * * Sunday Telegraph * *Superb * * The Telegraph Review * *A dazzling yarn * * The Independent * *McConnell Stott's engaging book...presents a fantastic panorama of stage history, tracing how pantomime rose to be the most popular British art form at a time when the rest of Europe was convulsed by the Napoleonic wars * * The Sunday Times * *Full of wonderful descriptions of how this manic yet poignant clown beat off competition ... to be the "supreme comic being, part child, part nightmare" * * Guardian Review * *[A] great big Christmas pudding of a book, almost over-stuffed with rich and colourful life -- Simon Callow * * Guardian 'Book of the week' * *Fascinating, informative and compelling, this is essential reading for lovers of theatre and comedy * * Waterstones Book Quarterly * *As a portrait of London life in all its mutinous and anarchic variety this book would be hard to beat * * Spectator * *The biographer once did a comic turn himself and it animates his account. Stott doesn't just bring the man to painful life but his world as well * * Scottish Review of Books * *Sad though his decline was, his story, as McConnell Stott tells it, conveys an overwhelming impression of verve and ingenuity. . . [McConnell Stott] recounts these wonders with infectious brio -- John Carey * * The Sunday Times * *Rich in detail... [Stott] succeeds in evoking the London theatrical world of the time in all its riotous energy -- Patrick O'Connor * * Times Literary Supplement * *In this attractively written, well-illustrated and well-researched biography Andrew Stott brings this extraordinary genius vividly before us, in the process richly evoking the tumultuous life of the London theatre -- Michael Slater * * Literary Review * *Stott has had fun with this life * * Irish Times * *
£11.69
The Crowood Press Ltd Costume and Design for Devised and Physical
Book SynopsisCostumes designed and made for devised or physical drama, for contemporary circus or for dance, differ radically from the more traditional costume work produced for naturalistic performance. For those working in the field - whether professional or student - these differences present challenges that this book seeks to highlight and explain while offering effective solutions to overcome them.
£14.24
Transworld Publishers Ltd Confessions of a Conjuror
Book SynopsisThe inside of Derren Brown's head is a strange and mysterious place. Now you can climb inside and wander around. Find out just how Derren's mind works, see what motivates him and discover what made him the weird and wonderful person he is today. Obsessed with magic and illusions since childhood, Derren's life to date has been an extraordinary journey and here, in Confessions of a Conjuror, he allows us all to join him on a magical mystery tour - to the centre of his brain... Taking as his starting point the various stages of a conjuring trick he's performing in a crowded restaurant, Derren's endlessly engaging narrative wanders through subjects from all points of the compass, from the history of magic and the fundamentals of psychology to the joys of internet shopping and the proper use of Parmesan cheese. Brilliant, hilarious and entirely unlike anything else you have ever read before, Confessions of a Conjuror is also a complete and utter joy.Trade ReviewWeird, whimsical and, at times, uproarious... Brown takes us on a meandering pleasure cruise downriver. It is worth the journey * The Sunday Times *It combines a playfully baroque prose style with pinpoint observation and almost excruciating levels of self-examination, if not loathing. It's a fascinating experience -- AL Kennedy * Guardian, Books of the Year *A fantastic voyage into Derren Brown's intensely sharp brain... A deeply funny and eccentric triumph * Heat *Closer to the work of someone like Malcolm Gladwell than to the... reminiscences of Brown's memoirs-writing contemporaries * Word *A lovely kind of magic trick in book form * Boing Boing *
£10.79
Hawthorn Press The Storytellers Way: A Sourcebook for Inspired
Book SynopsisLearn how to tell stories for entertainment, teaching, coaching, healing or making meaning. It contains a wealth of stories, exercises, questions, tips and insights to guide your storytelling path, offering time-tested and trusted ways to improve your skills, overcome blocks and become a confident and inspirational storyteller.
£17.00
