Theatre direction and production Books
Taylor & Francis The Routledge Companion to Performance
Book SynopsisThe Routledge Companion to Performance Practitioners collects the outstanding biographical and production overviews of key theatre practitioners first featured in the popular Routledge Performance Practitioners series of guidebooks.Each of the chapters is written by an expert on a particular figure, from Stanislavsky and Brecht to Laban and Decroux, and places their work in its social and historical context. Summaries and analyses of their key productions indicate how each practitioner''s theoretical approaches to performance and the performer were manifested in practice. All 22 practitioners from the original series are represented, with this volume covering those born before the end of the First World War. This is the definitive first step for students, scholars and practitioners hoping to acquaint themselves with the leading names in performance, or deepen their knowledge of these seminal figures. Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsNotes on ContributorsIntroduction1. STANISLAVSKI (1863–1938)2. MEYERHOLD (1874–1940)3. COPEAU (1879–1949)4. LABAN (1879–1958)5. WIGMAN (1886–1973)6. CHEKHOV (1891–1955)7. BRECHT (1898–1956)8. DECROUX (1898–1991)9. OHNO (1906–2010) and HIJIKATA (1928–1986)10. LITTLEWOOD (1914–2002)Index
£42.99
Routledge The Canon in Contemporary Theatre
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£43.69
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Intimacy Coordinators Guidebook
Book SynopsisThe Intimacy Coordinator''s Guidebook: Specialties for Stage and Screen explores the role of the intimacy choreographer with an in-depth look at specializations that exist within the profession.With contributions by over 30 industry professionals, this book aims to bring awareness to a wide range of needs a project may have and how intimacy professionals use their cultural competency specialists in practice to create the most compelling storytelling. In Part One, the book addresses the scope of practice of an intimacy professional by discussing competency, finding your lens and tangential fields in the industry like fight directors, mental health coordinators and cultural competency specialists. Part Two covers specialties like working with minors, prosthetics, intimacy and disability, staging queer intimacy, working with fat actors, Black American intimacy, dance, working on scenes of trauma, sexual violence and non-consent, and BDSM. Between each chapter is a convers
£31.99
Taylor & Francis Acting Heightened Text
Book SynopsisActing Heightened Text: The Basics offers a foundational understanding of heightened text in drama, fused with a truthful, contemporary approach to acting.Using detailed text analysis and dynamic rehearsal exercises, actors and students bring heightened language to life by cultivating a joyful curiosity. A three-step homework process focuses attention on demystifying the intricacies of verse and prose, conveying meaning, clarifying changes in action (subtle shifts and beat changes), playing actions, and utilizing tactics. An innovative practice, hooking, sparks energy between partners, and focuses actors on responding to impulses to create a wide variety of textually-supported choices. The book includes up-to-date practical approaches to effective auditions, callbacks and rehearsals, specific tools for handling rhyming couplets, complex rhetorical arguments, and materials to support a lifelong pursuit of engaging with dramatic material with rigor and passion.Acting Heightened Text: The Basics provides a wealth of resources for actors, directors, students, and teachers to navigate the demands and embrace the challenges within dramatic texts.To support the learning process and enhance the understanding of the lessons from the book, please visit the Support Material, available at www.routledge.com/9781032695297. These include scenes and monologues for practice, real-life examples of students using these techniques, and detailed examples from the Try It! sections within each chapter, such as line-outs, action verbs, rhetorical maps, and hooking.
£21.99
Taylor & Francis The Art of Collaboration
Book SynopsisThe Art of Collaboration explores the critical relationship between directors and stage managers; an essential guide for theatre professionals seeking to build strong creative partnerships, emphasising mutual respect, clear communication and shared goals.Through real-world examples, practical strategies and expert advice, it offers a framework that stimulates collaboration, enhances the rehearsal process and promotes a seamless production.Whether youâre a seasoned director, an aspiring stage manager or simply want to know more about how to navigate the production process, this book provides insight to the vital, often overlooked, role of teamwork in bringing performances to stage.
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd 3D Printing Basics for Entertainment Design
Book SynopsisAffordable 3D printers are rapidly becoming everyday additions to the desktops and worktables of entertainment design practitioners whether working in theatre, theme parks, television and film, museum design, window displays, animatronics, or you name it! We are beginning to ask important questions about these emerging practices: How can we use 3D fabrication to make the design and production process more efficient? How can it be used to create useful and creative items? Can it save us from digging endlessly through thrift store shelves or from yet another late-night build? And when budgets are tight, will it save us money? This quick start guide will help you navigate the alphabet soup that is 3D printing and begin to answer these questions for yourself. It outlines the basics of the technology, and its many uses in entertainment design. With straightforward and easy-to-follow information, you will learn ways to acquire printaTrade Review"The book shows how 3D printing technologies touch each discipline, and through numerous examples, it inspires the reader to consider their place in modern 3D practices. Any practitioner or educator who crafts, models, constructs, or designs anything should read this book and have a copy in their reference collection."Andrea Bilkey, Theatre Design & Technology Spring 2019Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPart I: The Basics Methods of 3D Printing Choosing a 3D Printer Part II: Workflow3. Acquiring a Model4. Creating your own 3D Model5. Fixing and Finalizing6. Printing7. TroubleshootingPART III: The Entertainment Industry8. Scenic Applications9. Costume Applications10. Character Design and Fabrication11. Exhibit Design12 Additional DisciplinesAppendicesAppendix A: Safety ConcernsAppendix B: Glossary of TermsEndnotesBibliographyIndex
£38.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Music Fundamentals for Musical Theatre
Book SynopsisMusical theatre students and performers are frequently asked to learn musical material in a short space of time; sight-read pieces in auditions; collaborate with accompanists; and communicate musically with peers, directors, music directors and choreographers. Many of these students and performers will have had no formal musical training. This book offers a series of lessons in music fundamentals, including theory, sight-singing and aural tests, giving readers the necessary skills to navigate music and all that is demanded of them, without having had a formal music training. It focuses on the skills required of the musical theatre performer and draws on musical theatre repertoire in order to connect theory with practice.Throughout the book, each musical concept is laid out clearly and simply with helpful hints and reminders. The author takes the reader back to basics to ensure full understanding of each area. As the concepts begin to build on one another, the format and process is keptTrade ReviewThere are not many books about music theory written specifically for musical theatre students. Most of those available focus strictly on the theory aspect, and not the aural skills aspect. This book not only incorporates theory, but also aural skills and composition, for a more robust musical experience that will hopefully foster more musicality in students of musical theatre. * Peter Purin, Oklahoma Baptist University *Table of ContentsChapter 1 – The staff, treble clef, pitches on the staff, solfege and sight-singing Chapter 2 – Rhythm – whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes Chapter 3 – The piano keyboard, accidentals, whole and half steps, major scales Chapter 4 – The Circle of 5ths and major key signatures Review of chapters 1-4 and Performance Tips (Tempo) Chapter 5 – Intervals – seconds and thirds and phrase shapes Chapter 6 – Intervals – fourths, fifths, and octaves; Rhythm – sixteenth notes Chapter 7 – Intervals – sixths and sevenths; Rhythm – rests Chapter 8 – diminished and augmented intervals; Rhythm – syncopation Review of chapters 5-8 and Performance Tips (Musical Markings) Chapter 9 – Rhythm – ties, dotted notes, 2/4 and 3/4 time; Song Analysis Chapter 10 – Major triads; introduction to Bass Clef and the Grand Staff Chapter 11 – I, IV, V progression; chord tones and non-chord tones; Song Analysis Chapter 12 – Transpositions; Rhythm - triplets Review of chapters 9-12 and Performance Tips (Repeats, Endings and Codas) Chapter 13 – Minor, Diminished and Augmented triads; Cut-time; chromatic solfege Chapter 14 – I, vi, ii, V, I progression; harmonizing a melody Chapter 15 – Inversions of triads Chapter 16 – Progressions with inversions; choral analysis Review of chapters 13 -16 and Performance Tips (The Music Department) Chapter 17 – Dominant 7th chords; V of V chords; Suspended chords; Song Analysis Chapter 18 – Minor Key signatures and natural minor scales Chapter 19 – Harmonic minor scales and melodic minor scales: Song Analysis Chapter 20 – Minor Chord progressions; Song Analysis Review of chapters 17-20 and Performance Tips (Song Form) Chapter 21 – Major, Minor, Half-Diminished, and Diminished Seventh chords Chapter 22 – Compound time Chapter 23 – More compound time; Song Analysis Chapter 24 – Song Analysis; Orchestration
£26.59
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Kite Runner
Book SynopsisI became what I am today at the age of twelve. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a mud wall on a frigid winter day in 1975 . . . looking into a deserted alley. It's wrong what they say about the past, about how you can bury it, because the past claws its way out. I realize I've been looking into that alley for the last 26 years.Afghanistan is a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It''s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither Hassan or Amir can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever.Khaled Hosseini''s first and international best-selling novel has now been adapted into a stunning stage adaptation by Matthew Spangler.This edition was published for the production at Wyndham''s Theatre, London, from 21 December 2016.Trade ReviewHosseini's ability to reach the core of experiences of love and loss places him in the company of such fine chroniclers of the new America as Chang-rae Lee. The Kite Runner is a first novel of unusual generosity, honesty and compassion. * Guardian *A devastating, masterful and painfully honest story ... It is a novel of great hidden intricacy and wisdom, like a timeless Eastern tale. It speaks the most harrowing truth about the power of evil * Daily Telegraph *The shattering first novel by Khaled Hosseini ... a rich and soul-searching narrative ... a sharp, unforgettable taste of the trauma and tumult experienced by Afghanis as their country buckled * Observer *But the play is a phenomenally powerful piece of theatre which for many people will portray Afghanistan in a totally new light * British Theatre Guide on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of 'The Kite Runner' *An accomplished adaptation by Matthew Spangler ... This show, a European premiere, stands shoulder to shoulder with the best work in the regions and judging by the thronging auditorium ... [they have] a hit on [their] hands that deserves to travel the country beyond its scheduled stops of Brighton and Liverpool * Daily Telegraph on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *Matthew Spangler’s dramatisation, worked on with Hosseini’s help and blessing, rightly seizes on the potent personal story at the heart of the novel: the tale of two boys, Amir and his father’s servant Hassan, brought up as near brothers in the same house. The staging traces their story simply and vivaciously * Financial Times on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *An enthralling tale beautifully told, at once topical and emotionally resonant * Daily Telegraph on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *Matthew Spangler's script . . . preserves Hosseini's sensitive portrait of a friendship marred by tribalism and betrayal. * Evening Standard on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *Khaled Hosseini's 2003 novel [has] been transformed into a seriously good piece of storytelling theatre that takes flight just as the onstage kites do . . . This stage adaptation . . . is that rare and magnificent thing: a real sleeper hit . . . it feels in the tradition of War horse and could well be the best page-to-stage show since then . . . it has a similar integrity that speaks of a real commitment by its creative team to telling this story with an unforced economy that is also full of emotional weight. Matthew Spangler's adaptation offers a gripping portrait of two young lives that become inextricably linked. * Stage on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *The touching story of the novel is carried on stage by the turbulent ups and downs, echoing the ducking and diving of a fighting kite that will come up winning. * Independent on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *Adaptor Matthew Spangler has admirably condensed Hosseini's epic novel . . . there is no sense of constriction . . . Spangler skilfully balances the scenes in Asia with those of the Afghan refugees seeking to maintain their dignity and culture in the West. * Sunday Express on Matthew Spangler's adaptation of "The Kite Runner" *
£14.21
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Wigs Hair and MakeUp
Book SynopsisWritten by the former Deputy Head of Make-Up and Wigs at the National Theatre, this book opens up a process that very few people will otherwise be privy to, giving perspectives on the preparation before a production and responsibilities during, as well as looking more widely at training, career opportunities and success. It does so through drawing upon some of the most adventurous and challenging productions mounted at the National Theatre and elsewhere. From designing and fitting wigs to managing lighting-fast quick changes, hair, wigs and make-up people are a major part of the creation of any theatrical production. Yet their role and contribution are much less discussed and written about than elements such as writing, directing and acting, despite being critical to defining and executing the aesthetic of a production. Their involvement requires a great deal of research and creative thinking; collaboration with other members of the creative team; specific knowledge of wig-making and mTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Design and Research Chapter 2: Making a Wig Chapter 3: Wig/Hairdressing Chapter 4: Make Up Chapter 5: Prosthetic and Stage Effects Chapter 6: Staging Chapter 7: Kit and Employability Conclusion
£9.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Contemporary Performance Lighting
Book SynopsisThis is the first major collection of critical responses to performance lighting and includes contributions from award-winning lighting designers, researchers and artists. Showcasing recent examples of work with case studies of lighting practices in Britain, Europe, the US and China combined with theoretical and analytical approaches to practice, this will enrich your understanding of the role and potential of light in performance and related creative practices. This volume explores three core themes and provides a framework for thinking through the role of light in performance:1. Experience considers both the audience''s experience of light and the ways in which light influences the experience of performers2. Creativity examines both the creative, performative capacities of light in performance, as well as the creative practices of lighting designers3. Meaning offers an expanded view of performance aesthetics by examining the capacity of light to influence and generate meaning wTrade ReviewContemporary Performance Lighting is a coming of age story for the field of lighting design. On the shoulders of a century of technical and artistic progress, a collection of international designers and thinkers usher in a new era for our discipline – one in which meaning finally becomes the central pursuit. Seasoned practitioners and new designers alike will find inspiration in these terrific explorations. * Deanna Fitzgerald, Lighting Designer and Vice Dean, University of Arizona, USA *Light – that immaterial material with the power to dematerialize – performs as an agential force in our daily lives. But within the shadowy realms of theatres, galleries, ‘found’ spaces and nocturnal outdoor sites, it is employed as a transformational aesthetic medium by artists of technical alchemy attentive to the subtleties and intensities of its ‘appearing’. This timely anthology critically celebrates light as a performative medium and an event in itself. Meditating on processes, practices and projects its contributors confront the politics of perception and constructions of visuality to challenge conventional hierarchies and assumptions not only in the world of theatre but within the world as theatre. Chapters explore its relevance to the performing, visual and spatial arts — including architecture and urban design — to reveal how lighting design integrates effects and affects to orchestrate, enliven and shape our individual and communal experiences. * Dorita Hannah, Designer and Independent Academic, New Zealand *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction: Thinking Light – Katherine Graham (University of York, UK), Scott Palmer (University of Leeds, UK) and Kelli Zezulka (University of Salford, UK) Section One: Experience 1.1 Theatrical Atmospheres and the Experience of Light, Scott Palmer (University of Leeds, UK) 1.2 Felt Dramaturgies of Light, David Shearing (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, UK) 1.3 Transforming the Visitor Experience Through Light: Tivoli Gardens: A Case Study, Jesper Kongshaug (architect and lighting designer, Denmark) 1.4 Narratives, Choreographies and Felt Experiences of Light, Lucy Carter (lighting designer, UK) 1.5 The Unbearable Brightness of Beams: Light, Darkness and Obscure Images, Yaron Shyldkrot (University of Leeds, UK) Section Two: Creativity 2.1 Language, Creativity and Collaboration, Kelli Zezulka (University of Salford, UK) 2.2 Northern Lights: Natural Light Phenomenon as Stage Lighting Concept, Michael Breiner (lighting designer and Danish National School of Performing Arts, Denmark) 2.3 Light in Contemporary Chinese Opera, Psyche Chui (Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, China) 2.4 RashDash: Fusing Feminism and Light, Katharine Williams (lighting designer, UK) 2.5 Reflecting on Light, Jennifer Tipton (lighting designer, USA) Section Three: Meaning 3.1 Aesthetics, Materiality and Meaning-Making in Scenographic Light, Katherine Graham (University of York, UK) 3.2 Storytelling with Light, Paule Constable (lighting designer, UK) 3.3 Tracing the Light: Light and the Process of Looking, Nick Hunt and Hansjorg Schmidt (Rose Bruford College, UK) 3.4 LX ludens: Mediations Upon the Play of Light, Christopher Baugh (University of Leeds, UK) Index
£23.74
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Effect
Book SynopsisA Student Edition of Lucy Prebble''s acclaimed 2012 play, which looks at two people on a clinical drugs trial and investigates questions around sanity, neurology, physical attraction and the possibilities of medicine. The edition includes commentary and notes by Paulette Marty, which look at the context around depression and anti-depressant medication; as well as delving into major questions posed by the play, such as is love real? and what is chemistry when applied to human beings?. Her commentary also looks at the play in production, the implications of the playwright having written the roles for particular actors, and the opportunities that arise from the playwright encouraging future actors to mould the text around themselves.
£12.34
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Best of Enemies
Book SynopsisWinner of the 2022 Critics'' Circle Award for Best New PlayNominated for the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New PlayA man should never turn down two things. Sex, and appearing on television.1968 a year of protest that divided America. As two men fight to become the next President, all eyes are on the battle between two others: the cunningly conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and the iconoclastic liberal Gore Vidal. Beliefs are challenged and slurs slung as these political idols feud nightly in a new television format, debating the moral landscape of a shattered nation. Little do they know they're about to open up a new frontier in American politics, and transform television news foreverBest of Enemies is the electric new play by James Graham (Quiz, Labour of Love), directed by Jeremy Herrin, inspired by the documentary by Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon.This revised and updated edition was published to coincide with the West End transfer to the Noel Coward Trade ReviewRushes at the audience like a newshound after a story. * Observer *James Graham's captivating drama is raw and timely. * The Times *Astoundingly Good. * Time Out London *These monumental moments in American history, along with other key moments of the time that explored in the play, could be a captivating starting point for students' work and allows a range of themes to be explored. * Drama and Theatre *
£10.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Script Analysis for Theatre
Book SynopsisScript Analysis for Theatre: Tools for Interpretation, Collaboration and Production provides theatre students and emerging theatre artists with the tools, skills and a shared language to analyze play scripts, communicate about them, and collaborate with others on stage productions. Based largely on concepts derived from Stanislavski''s system of acting and method acting, the book focuses on action - what characters do to each other in specific circumstances, times, and places - as the engine of every play. From this foundation, readers will learn to distinguish the big picture of a script, dissect and ''score'' smaller units and moment-to-moment action, and create individualized blueprints from which to collaborate on shaping the action in production from their perspectives as actors, directors, and designers. Script Analysis for Theatre offers a practical approach to script analysis for theatre production and is grounded in case studies of a range of the most stuTrade ReviewScript Analysis for Theatre provides excellent techniques developed over a lifetime of work with actors, directors, designers, in the classroom and on stage. The book is seasoned, smart and practical, equipping students with an essential toolbox for engaging with scripts. * Jim Volz, Professor of Theatre History at California State University at Fullerton, USA *I am deeply impressed by the precise way in which it fuses a broad theoretical understanding of drama with the practical analysis of texts, and have little but praise for it. I am very familiar with the range of existing script analysis texts, and this is one of the few I would consider assigning in full to an undergraduate script analysis class. * Art Borreca, Iowa Playwrights Workshop, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Iowa, USA *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction 1 The World of the Play Given circumstances Previous action Dramaturgy The writing of the play and order of scenes Character Environment 2 Structure and Action Point of attack Number of scenes Number of locations Number of characters Number of plots Type of causality Actions and objectives 3 Process Core action Avant-garde 4 Blueprints Given circumstances blueprint Character blueprint Relationship blueprint Structure blueprint Environment blueprint Appendices A. Action Verbs B. Sample Scores Select Bibliography Index Biographical
£32.29
The Crowood Press Ltd Directing for the Stage
Book SynopsisWhat is the role of a Director? Tyrannical dictator or creative persuader? Why does the audience matter when interpreting a play? How do you get the best out of actors and what do they expect from you? Directing for the Stage addresses the key questions surrounding this venerable and yet often invisible craft, offering practical guidance on the crucial moments of creating a stage production, including budgeting, auditions, rehearsals, opening night and beyond. From knotty discussions on Shakespeare, to when to call a coffee break, all aspects of the Director's art are examined, including the history and development of the stage Director; how to commission and original play or obtain rights for an existing work; how to timetable the production process - from concept to last night and an hour-by-hour guide to rehearsals and all major approaches.
£18.00
The Crowood Press Ltd Improvisation: A Practical Guide
Book SynopsisImprovisation is a highly creative and collaborative art form, encompassing the skills of storytelling, character creation and stage presence all in the moment. However, with an array of styles and techniques to choose from, it can be hard for new practitioners to negotiate the moving parts and find their own individuality. In this practical guide, Artistic Director and improv expert Jason Moran explores the basic pillars of improvisation and explains how to practically apply these in an improvised scene, game or situation. Each chapter showcases a different pillar and offers a practical checklist to make each scene interesting and robust. This helpful book unpacks and analyses real-life improvised examples from the stage, rehearsal room and classroom, illustrating to the reader what works well and what could work better, making it essential reading for actors, presenters and anyone who wants to increase their confidence in public performances.
£18.00
MX Publishing Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes
Book Synopsis"Holmes could be rude, impatient, abrupt, and his intolerance of fools was legendary. I tried to show all this, all of the man''s incredible brilliance. But there are some cracks in Holmes''s marble, as in an almost-perfect Rodin statue. And I tried to show that, too. It''s difficult for me to say what I may have given to the image of Holmes. Faithful to Conan Doyle''s text, certainly. Also, I''ve tried to bring out the emotion that is there in Holmes. On the surface he seems a cold, sometimes dark, rather off-putting figure. But deeper down, I think, he''s a man of feeling." JeremyJeremy Brett is still recognised as the most celebrated incarnation of Sherlock Holmes which he presented for ten years. Jeremy delighted viewers with his dashing, arrogant, moody interpretation of the most popular famous detective he brought a brooding intensity to his finest role - one of disturbing power. He is still called the definitive Sherlock Holmes. Important Note: This book is an extract from the 468 page biography, ''Jeremy Brett - Playing a Part'' - this book contains the Sherlock Holmes section only. If you already have the full book then there is minimal additional content here. We wanted, however, to make a Sherlock Holmes specific version available.
£999.99
Nick Hern Books Making Your Solo Show: The Compact Guide
Book SynopsisThis clear, accessible guide to creating and putting on a solo show is packed with inspiring, practical advice for writers, actors, directors, and anyone who wants to know how solo shows are actually made. Written by two theatremakers with a wealth of experience in the field, it leads you through the whole process – from finding a subject you're passionate about, to developing your ideas and getting the script written, through to rewrites, rehearsals and getting your show on stage. It tackles key questions such as: What makes a 'good' solo show? How do I engage the audience? How should directors and writer-performers work together? And what's the best way of approaching a producer? There's also invaluable advice on looking after yourself, coping with anxieties, dealing with reviews, and taking your show to the Edinburgh Fringe. With practical exercises throughout to help you put everything into action, this book is an indispensable toolkit for making your solo show a reality. Lisa Carroll is a playwright, screenwriter and comedian, whose plays have been staged at Soho Theatre, the Arcola Theatre, and the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Milly Thomas is an actor and writer whose plays have been staged at Theatre503, the Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre, the West End's Trafalgar Studios and New York Theatre Workshop. Together, Lisa and Milly have taught regular solo-show workshops, including for training and creative organisation The Mono Box. The Compact Guides are pocket-sized introductions for actors and theatremakers, each tackling a key topic in a clear and comprehensive way. Written by industry professionals with extensive hands-on experience of their subject, they provide you with maximum information in minimum time.
£9.49
Nick Hern Books Running the Room: Conversations with Women
Book SynopsisOur most brilliant, fearless and creative women directors open the door on their craft, discussing their work in the theatre in intimate and illuminating detail. Through a series of fascinating conversations with many of the leading talents working on British stages, Running the Room explores what it takes to succeed in the field, and how each director approaches the work in their own way. Each interview focuses on a particular facet of the director's practice, examining not just the 'how' – how to talk to actors, how to create the right rehearsal environment, how to handle cuts and previews, how to work with a living playwright – but also the 'why': why certain approaches work better than others, why there's no 'right' way to direct a play, and why work in theatre anyway? As this passionate, inspiring book shows, there are myriad ways to be a theatre director. For aspiring or current directors, it will give you the confidence to be uniquely yourself, develop your own approach, and create the work you want to make. For creatives in other disciplines, it will provide insight into directors' processes, along with examples of successful collaboration. And for anyone who loves theatre, this is an unparalleled first-hand account of how brilliant theatre is made – direct from those making it. With contributions from: Natalie Abrahami • Annabel Arden • Milli Bhatia • Carrie Cracknell • Tinuke Craig • Marianne Elliott • Nadia Fall • Yaël Farber • Vicky Featherstone • Jamie Fletcher • Sarah Frankcom • Emma Frankland • Rebecca Frecknall • Debbie Hannan • Tamara Harvey • Natalie Ibu • Ola Ince • Lynette Linton • Nancy Medina • Katie Mitchell • Rachel O'Riordan • Emma Rice • Indhu Rubasingham • Jenny SealeyTrade Review'An excellent book' -- Lyn Gardner * The Stage *'A goldmine of insight on the multifarious art of directing, the skill of leadership, and the joys and challenges of constructing a career in theatre as a woman… the list of interviewees reads like a who’s who of influential directors… brims with fascinating discussions of creative practice, illuminating discourse on running buildings and companies, and thought-provoking comments on contemporary theatre' -- Fergus Morgan * The Crush Bar *'A candid, in-depth record of conversations about art and life... a source of inspiration... a lot of valuable material for budding directors and readers of all genders' * Broadway World *'A treasure trove of the various forms of practice when running a rehearsal room, but also allows a glimpse into who each interviewee is... a book of both reflection and passion... an absorbing read, accessible in its structure yet of use to professionals working in theatre' * LouReviews *
£11.69
Nick Hern Books Drama Games for Rehearsals
Book Synopsis'I wish I'd had this book when I was starting out as a young director... I cannot recommend it highly enough' Marianne Elliott, from her Foreword This dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book in the bestselling Drama Games series offers dozens of ideas and exercises to energise and inspire a bold, creative rehearsal process for any play, of any period or genre. Aimed at directors of all levels, it covers every aspect of rehearsal, including: Warm-up exercises to prepare the body, voice and mind, and to create a strong ensemble Ideas for approaching the text, tackling the 'Story of the Play' A wealth of games for unlocking the 'World of the Play', including developing characters, finding a physical style, understanding genre and investigating themes Suggestions for exploring sound and music, whether for use in the production or simply to encourage a sense of fun in rehearsals This essential 'go-to' book will provide you with a host of original and illuminating games, perfect for the play you're rehearsing, be it Shakespeare or Greek tragedy, a Restoration comedy, physical theatre, Modern Naturalism – or even a brand new play. Marianne Elliott, one of the most innovative and exciting directors working anywhere in the world, describes it as a 'beautiful, and very clearly written book' which will become her 'constant companion in future'.Trade Review'Bursting with ideas and content… there are lovely ideas here; professional, student friendly, good for flicking through the pages and choosing at random, or a more carefully structured process… will create happier groups and happier rehearsals' * National Drama *'Great fun… a "must have" for directors' * Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech & Drama) *'This book is great for making the rehearsal room as active as it is cerebral; it will become as indispensable as its predecessors… intelligent and well-focused games... not just a manual, it's a good read full of anecdotes and witty asides. From the start we know that we are in the hands of an expert practitioner' * Teaching Drama Magazine *'Should prove invaluable to creative directors, writers and actors wishing to develop an ensemble approach... Swale's ideas provide working methods and creative approaches which will help anyone involved in developing a production, from the budding director to those working with experienced actors in the professional sector' * DramaResource.com *
£11.69
Nick Hern Books Drama Games for Actors: Exploring Self, Character
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling Drama Games series, this dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book offers dozens of games to serve as a rich source of ideas and inspiration for all actors – and those teaching or directing them. This must-have companion is divided into three sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the actor’s process: Self provides methods to deepen relaxation, sharpen focus, boost energy, expand imagination and enable a company of actors to work collaboratively Character suggests strategies to aid the process of transformation, encouraging actors to explore characteristics that are distinct from their own And Text offers exercises to unlock the words, allowing free and imaginative work within the structure of a script, without losing specificity The games range from solo explorations which can be performed alone, to ideas for pairs and group work – making them suitable for a wide variety of scenarios and requirements. Overall, the book will serve as an essential foundation for every actor’s creativity, helping improve preparation, rehearsal and performance. ‘A mass of invaluable ideas for all ages and all types of actors, amateur or professional. It’s hard to imagine anyone involved in theatre who wouldn’t find it useful.’ Richard Eyre, from his ForewordTrade Review'A great addition to the series... a useful resource that can be adapted according to group size and ability' * Teaching Drama *'Invaluable… a very helpful resource book that will challenge both the facilitator and the actor and I am sure will result in some excellent and imaginative performances' * Word Matters - Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama *
£11.69
Nick Hern Books Keeping It Active: A Practical Guide to Rhetoric
Book SynopsisEvery time you open your mouth on stage you are trying to persuade somebody of something. Sometimes referred to as 'the art of persuasion', rhetoric means using language to communicate your ideas and intentions to other people – and to make sure you are heard, understood and believed. This clear and concise guide explains how it works in plays, and how actors can use it to bring their performances to life on stage. Drawing on her decades of experience working with actors on major productions, including as Head of Voice at the National Theatre, Jeannette Nelson introduces all the major rhetorical techniques and devices that playwrights use. She offers fascinating breakdowns of dialogue and speeches from across the theatrical canon – from Shakespeare and Ibsen, to Tennessee Williams, Lorraine Hansberry and Arthur Miller, right up to contemporary playwrights such as Helen Edmundson and Tanika Gupta. Each chapter also includes a series of practical exercises which combine spoken word with physical action to help you explore and understand these techniques, and harness their power in performance. Whether you're an actor, a director or a drama teacher, Keeping It Active will empower you with a greater understanding of the ways that language underpins all dramatic works, and will give you the tools you need to unlock the text, understand characters, connect with the audience, and perform with greater confidence, focus and authenticity. 'As this excellent book outlines, rhetoric is everywhere. It's not simply in the parliament, the press conference and the court; it's in the workplace, the home and the family. There's no argument, classical or modern, in a play that isn't informed and helped by Jeannette's work' Josie Rourke, from her Foreword 'A great resource for actors and directors' Ralph Fiennes 'Jeannette Nelson's revelatory relationship to language is, quite simply, life-changing' Simon Godwin 'Jeannette taught me so much... I felt like I could persuade anybody to do anything' Sophie Okonedo
£13.49
Nick Hern Books Exploring Shakespeare: A Director's Notes from
Book Synopsis'Theatre is the greatest of collaborative art forms, and Shakespeare its greatest exponent: he used the form better than anyone else ever has to speak truth about the world.' In Exploring Shakespeare, acclaimed theatre director Bill Alexander takes us inside the rehearsal room to reveal – in unprecedented and captivating detail – exactly what happens there. He examines the key relationship between the actors and the director, how they work together to bring Shakespeare's vision to life, and how choices are made that will shape every aspect of the play in production. Full of acute observations and perceptions drawn from a long and brilliant career, the book covers the essential aspects of any Shakespeare production, from understanding the world of the play, to preparing and cutting the text, deciding on costumes and set design, handling soliloquies, and considering character and backstory. There are detailed studies of eight plays spanning the full length and breadth of the Shakespearean canon, from Titus Andronicus and The Shrew to The Tempest, via Othello, Hamlet, Lear, The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night. Alexander also provides first-hand case studies of three of his own productions, including his famous Richard III starring Antony Sher. Personal, forthright, and full of pragmatic advice, Exploring Shakespeare is a masterclass for directors and actors, and a fascinating insight for anyone interested in Shakespeare. Bill Alexander was an Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and then Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep. His landmark productions include Richard III and The Merry Wives of Windsor (both Olivier Award-winners), The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, Titus Andronicus and King Lear with Corin Redgrave. 'Bill Alexander is a brilliant director, whose work has powerfully shaped my understanding of Shakespeare's plays, Richard III most of all' James Shapiro, author of 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare Trade Review'An accessible read, in absorbing detail, from someone who has seen it all. This is a personal perspective that will surely be of use to all who read it, and may well make you see your favourite Shakespeare play in quite a different light' * Broadway World *'A primer for the Shakespeare director, packed full of wisdom, pithily expressed… [This book] is a fine achievement – a necessary and timely one – and I cannot recommend it highly enough' * Stagetalk Magazine *'Insightful, practical and down to earth... Bill Alexander is a companionable writer to spend time with. He is never abstruse or over-academic. He simply wants us to understand how theatre can tell stories once it has negotiated the many text-driven decisions which have to be made on the way' * Ink Pellet Magazine *
£15.29
Nick Hern Books So You Want To Be A Theatre Producer?
Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide to every aspect of producing a show, from raising the money to creating a hit - now revised and updated. This unique guide – the first ‘how-to’ book of its kind on the subject – offers comprehensive, clear advice to anyone producing or selling a show, whatever the venue or scale. Packed full of insights and tricks of the trade, it will give you the inspiration and confidence you need – whether you are taking your first steps in the profession or simply want to know what it takes to get a show on the stage. Drawing on his own experience as a producer of theatre productions at every level – from university, via the fringe, to the West End – James Seabright takes you through each stage of the process: - Having an idea for a show or getting the rights to an existing one - Planning your budget and raising the money - Booking your venue or a tour - Marketing and selling the show effectively - Getting the production designed, rehearsed and onto the stage From the fundamental (dealing with contracts) to the frivolous (how to organise your first-night party), every aspect is explained with the help of illuminating examples. There is also a wide-ranging appendix and a companion website with downloadable contract templates, marketing packs and budget spreadsheets. ‘Essential reading for anyone contemplating a life in the theatre fast lane.’ Thelma Holt ‘A perfect handbook for beginners and a useful aide-memoire for those of us who’ve been at it for years.’ Nicholas Allott, Managing Director, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd 'At last, hundreds of students on arts management and administration courses have a comprehensive reference book. It proves a unique guide for anyone taking their first steps into the world of productions' Anthony Field, The Stage 'Yes! A good book on producing theatre, written by a successful theatre producer!...valuable insights on everything from the creative issues of coming up with the ideas and casting a show, through to tackling touring costs, insurance, marketing, PR and so forth...valuable information for anyone putting on a production of any scale in any setting.' Total TheatreTrade Review'At last, hundreds of students on arts management and administration courses have a comprehensive reference book. It proves a unique guide for anyone taking their first steps into the world of productions' -- Anthony Field * The Stage *'Yes! A good book on producing theatre, written by a successful theatre producer!...valuable insights on everything from the creative issues of coming up with the ideas and casting a show, through to tackling touring costs, insurance, marketing, PR and so forth...valuable information for anyone putting on a production of any scale in any setting' * Total Theatre *
£15.29
Nick Hern Books So You Want To Be A Theatre Director?
Book SynopsisA hands-on, step-by-step guide to directing plays – by one of Britain's leading theatre directors. Stephen Unwin has worked with hundreds of different actors in a multiplicity of different venues. He is the ideal author of a 'how to' guide to directing. As Unwin himself says: 'Directing plays is difficult. The aim of this book is to lay out what skills are needed, and to give some sense of how you might develop them. The emphasis is on the professional theatre, but the book is useful for directors in other contexts - amateur dramatics, university drama, school plays and so on. Directing is directing, wherever you do it.' Starting at the very beginning, Unwin takes us step by step through: * Choosing the play * Casting * Design * Rehearsal - Establishing Facts, Improvisation, Language, Character, Blocking, Using Specialists and so on * Running the Play * Putting it on the Stage * Opening NightTrade Review'So You Want to be a Theatre Director does exactly what it says on the cover. It is aimed primarily at the young would-be professional theatre director, though much of it will also be of interest to those working in the amateur sphere. The writing is clear and direct; the chapters are divided into conveniently headed sections... His [Unwin's] book is filled with wise insights. Any budding director who reads it will learn much about the pitfalls and challenges he or she is likely to face but will also, I'm sure, catch some of Unwin's enthusiasm for what he describes as being, at times, 'the best job you can imagine'' * Around the Globe *
£13.49
Nick Hern Books Taking Stock: The Theatre of Max Stafford-Clark
Book SynopsisInside accounts of the making of some of the most influential theatre productions of the last four decades. Max Stafford-Clark has been at the cutting edge of theatre in Britain for more than thirty years. Taking Stock draws on diaries, photos and interviews to recreate the evolution of nine of his most famous and influential productions: Fanshen by David Hare Epsom Downs by Howard Brenton Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill Rita, Sue and Bob Too by Andrea Dunbar Serious Money by Caryl Churchill Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker The Steward of Christendom by Sebastian Barry Some Explicit Polaroids by Mark Ravenhill Macbeth by William Shakespeare The result is one of the richest, most intimately informative books on the making of theatre.Trade Review'a rare opportunity to get inside the mind of one of British theatre's most original practitioners... a fascinating view of an incredibly diverse body of work' * British Theatre Guide *'a splendid portrait of the vicissitudes of the collective life' * Times Literary Supplement *'fascinating... By pioneering the workshop method of rehearsal, where actors and director all contribute ideas before sending the playwright off to pen the text, Stafford-Clark made a major innovation in the evolution of British drama... He also tells a good story' -- Aleks Sierz * Independent *'a terrific read... an absolute treasure trove of insights, tips, reminiscences and lessons in the 'process' of how a new play comes into the world' * Rogues and Vagabonds *
£13.49
Nick Hern Books Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good: A
Book SynopsisPage to Stage series – highly accessible guides to the world's best-known plays, written by established theatre professionals to show how the plays come to life on the stage. 'Modern classic' was the fitting accolade bestowed on Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good soon after its premiere in 1988 at the Royal Court Theatre, London. The play tells how a company of convicts staged George Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer in the early days of the Australian penal colony. Having directed the premiere, Max Stafford-Clark brings his own unrivalled insights to this in-depth study of how it actually works on stage. Sections include an introduction about the creation of the play, a discussion of its action moment by moment, the historical context, the characters and how the production was rehearsed and designed for its original production. The result is an invaluable and authoritative guide for anyone studying, teaching or performing the play.Trade Review'A very authoritative teaching and learning resource' * The Stage *'Absolutely fascinating... Even Timberlake Wertenbaker herself might struggle to analyse her writing any better' * British Theatre Guide *Table of ContentsMAX STAFFORD-CLARK established Joint Stock in 1974, ran the Royal Court Theatre 1979-93, and then set up the extremely successful touring theatre company, Out of Joint, which he continues to run. He is the author of Letters to George (also published by NHB), a rehearsal journal about his own staging of The Recruiting Officer.
£10.44
Salamander Street Limited Breaking into Song: Why You Shouldn't Hate
Book Synopsis“This book is a fascinating cri de coeur and made me question everything I think about musicals” Alan Cumming A book for those who can’t stand musicals, those who love them, and every theatregoer, academic, practitioner and student in between. Breaking Into Song explores theatre’s most divisive genre, and asks the fundamental questions: What makes a musical? Why are they so polarising? And why have we allowed a form so full of possibility to become so repetitive and restrictive? Through a series of essays, London-based director, dramaturg and musical theatre specialist Adam Lenson asks what audiences can do to stay open minded and what creatives can do to make new musicals better. Examining both sides of the divide, he explores how those who both love and hate musicals can expand the possibilities of this misunderstood medium. Dive in and discover the political foundations of the form, the difficulties in pinning down exactly what it is, the connections between musicals, video games, opera and comic books, and why a musical is, actually, a lot like a poopy baby. “A passionate and cogently argued call to arms and a very enjoyable read” Lyn Gardner “This book is really brilliant. If you care about/enjoy/work in/struggle with/want to understand/have concerns for the state of musical theatre, it is essential reading. Hugely recommended” Howard Goodall “I would advise anyone who… hates musicals… to read this book” Musical Theatre Review “Bold, inclusive and willing to adapt, Adam Lenson’s blueprint for musical theatre above all looks at sustainability.” The Reviews Hub Contents: Breaking Into Song The Wound On Hating Musicals Cash Machines Musicals and Comic Books Superpowers Musicals are Political Poopy Babies When Words Are No Longer Enough Collaboration Time and Memory Photocopying a Photocopy I’m Not a Genre, Not Yet a Medium Expertise What’s The Point? Definitions Audiences Musicals and Video Games Can Musicals Ever Be Cool? The Triangle Tiny Bowls Musicals and Opera Digging vs Telescopes The Musical Cardboard Cities Musicals Cost Too Much Autobiography Opposites Build it and They Will Come What’s in a Name? Replicas Stacks Making SpaceTrade Review'This book is a fascinating cri de coeur and made me question everything I think about musicals.' Alan Cumming'A passionate and cogently argued call to arms and a very enjoyable read.' Lyn GardnerTable of ContentsBreaking Into Song The Wound On Hating Musicals When Words Are No Longer Enough Cash Machines Musicals Are Political Superpowers Poopy Babies Collaboration Photocopying A Photocopy I’m Not A Genre, Not Yet A Medium What’s The Point? Definitions Can Musicals Ever Be Cool? Audiences Musicals and Video Games Time and Memory The Triangle Tiny Bowls Stacks Musicals and Opera Digging vs Telescopes The Musical Musicals Cost Too Much Build It And They Will Come Autobiography Cardboard Cities Musicals and Comic Books Opposites What’s In A Name? Replicas Making Space
£999.99
Focus Publishing/R Pullins & Co Stage Directing: A Director's Itinerary
Book SynopsisIn Stage Directing: A Director''s Itinerary, the student of theatrical directing will find a step-by-step guide to directing a production, from choosing a play to opening night. Unlike other directing textbooks, it provides practical advice on organizing tasks throughout the directorial process, including budgeting, writing casting notices, and auditioning. It moreover includes an abundance of helpful examples and tried-and-true exercises, as well as information on how to organize a director's documents into a production notebook. The second edition builds on the strengths of the first edition by elaborating on key analytical, organizational, and strategic steps in a successful director's itinerary, with special attention to the direction of musicals.
£35.69
Yale University Press The Art of Dramaturgy
Book SynopsisAn introduction to the mysterious theater role of a dramaturg by a legend in the fieldTrade ReviewReceived Honor Mention for the 2022 Callaway Prize for the Best Book on Drama and TheatreHonorable Mention for the 2021 Outstanding Book Award from the Association for Theatre in Higher EducationCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2022“Anne Cattaneo creates a toolbox for dramaturgs, producers, and emerging arts leaders on how to be an exemplar in dramaturgy. This incredible work will be a fixture for this generation and future ones.”—Kristin Leahey, Boston University“Anne Cattaneo has had a very distinguished career, and this wise book will be in print for years and years.”—Adrienne Kennedy“Anne Cattaneo has written a fascinating and invaluable book on the theater from the dramaturg’s perspective. Whether you are a would-be dramaturg, a theater professional, or just a theater aficionado you will learn first-hand how productions come together from the page to the stage.”—James Lapine, winner of Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize“Cattaneo demystifies dramaturgy with the mastery of a great storyteller. This inspiring work reminds us why we need theater now more than ever. A must read for all thinkers, makers, and lovers of art.”—Rubén Polendo, New York University Tisch School of the Arts/Theater Mitu“Cattaneo’s love—and wide-ranging knowledge—of her subject shines through on every page. This is a book not just for dramaturgs, but for all makers and lovers of theater.”—Evan Yionoulis, Juilliard School
£35.62
Taylor & Francis Ltd OneHour Shakespeare
Book SynopsisThe One-Hour Shakespeare series is a collection of abridged versions of Shakespeare’s plays, designed specifically to accommodate both small and large casts. This volume, The Tragedies, includes the following plays: Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello and Romeo and Juliet.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1. Introduction 2. One-Hour projects in performance: money-saving suggestions to consider with a minimal budget 3. Lesson Plan and Editing Exercise 4. Cross-gender casting suggestions 5. Hamlet 6. Hamlet: suggested cast list and character assignments for a small cast 7. Julius Caesar 8. Julius Caesar: suggested cast list and character assignments for a small cast 9. Macbeth 10. Macbeth: suggested cast list and character assignments for a small cast 11. Othello 12. Othello: suggested cast list and character assignments for a small cast 13. Romeo and Juliet 14. Romeo and Juliet: suggested cast list and character assignments for a small cast
£36.99
Taylor & Francis The Dramaturgy of Performing Science
Book SynopsisThis is a concise survey of new play projects that bring together the worlds of science and performance, and the benefits that dramaturgical praxis can bring to both disciplines.Three approaches common to both performance and science collaboration, experimentation, and interpretation are reflected in a series of case studies that demonstrate the ways in which dramaturgical tools can inform the wider public about scientific knowledge and practice, provide a truly reciprocal model of co-operation in collaboration that happens early on in the research process, and inspire the creation of new dramatic forms that enact, rather than translate, the dynamics of scientific research.Part of the Routledge Focus on Dramaturgy series, this is a vital account of collaborative work for scholars and practitioners of theatre and performance, as well as readers across the sciences.
£48.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Dramaturgy of Sex on Stage in Contemporary
Book SynopsisDramaturgy of Sex on Stage in Contemporary Theatre explores the dramaturgy of sex in contemporary works for the stage in the social, cultural and historical context of the time and place during which they were written and performed.Comprising chapters by writers from across North America and Europe, the book covers an expansive range of plays, musicals and dance performances, from Broadway to the Fringe, from post-AIDS epidemic to post-COVID-19 pandemic. Analysing these intimate momentsboth textually and as stagedthrough an intersectional and critical lens illuminates the way power structures are maintained and codified, and how they can be queered and dismantled onstage and off. This examination of depictions of sex on stage attempts to understand from a dramaturgical and sociological perspective how these depictions have developed over time, and how the rise of intimacy directors has responded to the changes within the contemporary theatrical landscape and in the worTable of ContentsIntroductionKate MulleyPart I: Depicting Sexual Discovery and Identity1. (Still) Shopping and (Still) Fucking: The Stylistics of Queer Desire on StageGeorge Sampatakakis2. Respectable Queer Sex: Criteria for Permissible Representations in Contemporary Mainstream TheatreJoey Baseil Massa3. Depicting Queer Sexual Discovery in Contemporary British Fringe TheatreAlexander Millington4. All Tomorrow’s Parties: Structures of Feeling in Verbatim TheatreShane KinghornPart II: Depicting Stylized Sex5. Disability and Desire: Multimodal Exploration in Deaf West’s Spring AwakeningLindsey R. Barr6. Dancing on a Knife’s Edge: Performing Violent Co-Dependency in Bryony Lavery and Frantic Assembly’s StockholmKaren Morash7. A Dramaturgy of Precariousness: The Real, Realness, and Spectatorship of Sex in Dead Centre’s Good SexHuayu Yang8. Mette Ingvartsen’s “The Red Pieces” Series: Sex, Dance, Erasing Power Structures and Ungendered BodiesAnne LempickiPart III: Depicting Transactional Sex9. Commodification of Women’s Bodies: Staging the ConsequencesSophie Bastien10. Masculinity and Commercial Sex from the Perspective of Giuliana Musso’s SexmachineStefania Lodi RizziniPart IV: Depicting Female Desire11. Context, Cliche, and Other Considerations for Staging Female DesireCristina (Cha) Ramos and Claire Warden12. Monstrous Desires: Writings of Sexuality in Contemporary Feminist Dramatic Writings in FranceLeïla CassarPart V: Depicting Sexual Violence13. Patriarchy Structures and Depictions of Patriarchal Sex in Contemporary TheatreKate Mulley14. Interrogating Racialized Sexual Violence in Slave PlayJessica Ellison15. Sexual Assault and the Criminal Justice System: The Naked Female Body in Breach Theatre’s It’s True, It’s True, It’s TrueHannah Simpson16. Sex Between Macabre Lust and Clinical Dissection in Dea Loher’s DramaturgyYoun Le Guern-Herry17. Applications of Dramaturgy in the Physical Creation of Sexual Violence on StageMeron Langsner and Cristina (Cha) Ramos
£49.99
Taylor & Francis To the Actor On the Technique of Acting
Book SynopsisHow does an actor learn to: * Call up emotion? * Develop a character? * Strengthen awareness? These are essential techniques for every actor, and Michael Chekhov's classic work To the Actor explains, clearly and concisely, how to develop them. Chekhov's simple and practical method - successfully used by professional actors all over the world - trains the actor's imagination and body to fulfil its potential. This handbook for actors (and directors) has been revised and expanded by Mala Powers. It includes: a previously unpublished chapter on 'Psychological Gesture', translated into English by the celebrated director Andrei Malaev - Babel; a new biographical overview by Mala Powers; and a foreword by Simon Callow.Trade Review'Its greatest virtue is not so much that you can't put it down but that you have to put it down - in order to try it out.' - Research in Drama Education'To the Actor is by far the best book that I have read on the subject of acting. Actors, directors, writers and critics will be grateful for it.' - Gregory Peck'This new publication of To the Actor should be welcomed by all of us with one of the most universal of Psychological Gestures - open arms.' - James Lipton, Producer and host of 'Inside the Actor's Studio'. Seen on the Bravo network.'Just practicing, even superficially, the first nine exercises in To the Actor, you can find a satisfaction - a living beauty in you ... Chekhov reminds us what a great feast life can be.' - Anthony Quinn'You have to teach yourself to act but Michael Chekhov will give you the necessary tools - and for me, Psychological Gesture and Centers are extremely valuable They work like a charm. I've used them all along and still do.' - Clint Eastwood'While my mother and sister were hiding in the dark and kind of watching me, ya know, hoping I was going to be in the movie business, I turned around and imagined I saw my director making fun of my newly acquired Psychological Gesture from Michael Chekhov.' - Jack Nicholson at the 1998 Golden Globe awards (speaking about his first job)'There's this need to continue growth; to expand. For me, Chekhov's system is the most complete.' - Robert Davi, interviewed on the set of his TV series, 'The Profiler''With Michael Chekhov acting became more than a profession to me. It became a sort of religion.' - Marilyn Monroe, from her book, My Story.'Its greatest virtue is not so much that you can't put it down but that you have to put it down - in order to try it out.' - Research in Drama Education'To the Actor is by far the best book that I have read on the subject of acting. Actors, directors, writers and critics will be grateful for it.' - Gregory Peck'There's this need to continue growth; to expand. For me, Chekhov's system is the most complete.' - Robert Davi, interviewed on the set of his TV series, 'The Profiler'Table of ContentsChapter 1 The Actor's Body and Psychology; Chapter 2 Imagination and Incorporation of Images; Chapter 3 Improvisation and Ensemble; Chapter 4 The Atmosphere and Individual Feelings; Chapter 5 The Psychological Gesture; Chapter 6 Character and Characterization; Chapter 7 Creative Individuality; Chapter 8 Composition of the Performance; Chapter 9 Different Types Of Performances; Chapter 10 How to Approach the Part; Chapter 11 Concluding Notes; Chapter 12 Examples for Improvisation;
£35.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) Whats the Story
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsSpaciousness Narrative Heat Limits Error Politics Arrest Empathy Opposition Collaboration Sustenance
£29.99
Samuel French Ltd The Height of the Storm
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Manchester University Press Directing scenes and senses
Book SynopsisAs European theatre directors become a familiar presence on international stages and a new generation of theatre makers absorbs their impulses, this study develops fresh perspectives on Regie, the Continental European tradition of staging playtexts. -- .Trade Review'We all have difficulty understanding the differences between directing, staging, devising, performing, or between performance and mise en scène. Peter Boenisch’s new book on Regie discusses how contemporary theatre-makers engage with plays, materials or events that they want to 'put on stage'. As theatre-goers are themselves more and more expected to 'stage' their own impressions and insights, this is a most timely and necessary book for anyone interested in contemporary European theatre.'Patrice Pavis, Professor of Theatre Studies at the University of Kent -- .Table of ContentsPreface. The dissensus of Regie: Re-thinking “directors’ theatre”I. Mise en scène to mise en sens: Towards an aesthetic politics of Regie1. Regie beyond representation: Directing the ‘sensible’2. The restless spirit of Regie: Hegel, theatrality, and the magic of speculative thinking3. Theatre as dialectic institution: Friedrich Schiller and the liberty of play4. The essence of the text and its actualisation: Leopold Jessner, the playwright’s radical servantII. The theatral appearing of ideas: Regie in contemporary European theatre5. The tremor of speculative negation: On Regie, truth, and ex-position6. Seeing what is coming: On Regie, playing, and appearing7. The intermedial parallax: On Regie, media, and spectating8. Theatre in the age of semiocapitalism: On Regie, realism, and political critiqueAfterthought: The future of Regie?BibliographyIndex
£63.75
Manchester University Press Screen Plays
Book SynopsisScreen plays is a ground-breaking volume thatchronicles the rich and surprising history of stage plays produced for the small screen between 1930 and today. The collection makes a compelling case for the centrality of the theatre to the past and present of British television drama.Table of ContentsIntroduction – Amanda Wrigley and John Wyver 1 Stages and the small screen: theatre plays as television drama since 1930 – John Wyver2 A duchess, a shoemaker and a knight: early modern drama, early British television – Lisa Ward 3 ‘This genuine theatre condition’: Basil Dean and the 1938 BBC outside broadcast of J. B. Priestley’s When We Are Married – Victoria Lowe4 ‘Our other Shakespeare’: Middleton’s tragedies on television, 1965–2009 – Susanne Greenhalgh5 A revival, a reworking and an original: the Harold Pinter season on Theatre 625 (BBC2, 1967) – Amanda Wrigley and Billy Smart6 Regional drama from stage to screen: television adaptations by Peter Cheeseman’s Victoria Theatre company – Lez Cooke7 Granada Television’s experiment with The Stables Theatre Company, 1969–70 – John Wyver8 From radical Black theatre production to television adaptation: Black Feet in the Show (BBC, 1974) – Sally Shaw9 Cedric Messina: producing theatrical classics with a decorative aesthetic – Billy Smart10 Abigail’s Party: ‘It’s not a question of ignorance, Laurence, it’s a question of taste’ – Ruth Adams 11 Screen and stage space in Beckett’s theatre plays on television – Jonathan Bignell12 Television’s natural disposition? An analysis of Naturalism and performance in relation to BBC productions of Ibsen’s plays – Stephen Lacey13 Remediating the real: verbatim plays on television in the new millennium – Cyrielle Garson14 The impact of television on scholarly editions of Shakespeare’s plays – Neil TaylorIndex
£67.50
Distributed Art Pub Richard Foreman No Title
Book Synopsis
£18.90
Cambridge University Press Shakespeare Survey 75
Book SynopsisShakespeare Survey is a yearbook of Shakespeare studies and production. Since 1948, Survey has published the best international scholarship in English and many of its essays have become classics of Shakespeare criticism. Each volume is devoted to a theme, or play, or group of plays; each also contains a section of reviews of that year''s textual and critical studies and of the year''s major British performances. The theme for Volume 75 is ''Othello''. The complete set of Survey volumes is also available online at https://www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/collections/shakespeare-survey This fully searchable resource enables users to browse by author, essay and volume, search by play, theme and topic and save and bookmark their results.Table of Contents1. Understanding Iago (2009): Clientelism, Corruption, Politics Mark Thornton Burnett; 2. Circumventing marginality: The curious case of India's Othello screen adaptations Abhirup Mascharak; 3. Othello's Kin: Legacy, Belonging, and The fortunes of the Moor Patricia Cahill; 4. 'More fair than black': Othellos on British radio' Andrea Smith; 5. 'This fair paper': Othello and the Artists' book' Agnieszka Żukowska; 6. Othello: A dialogue with the built environment Yik Ling Yong; 7. '[A] maid called barbary:' Othello, Moorish maidservants, and the black presence in early modern England Iman Sheeha; 8. 'The Moor's abused by some most villainous knave, some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow': Legal spaces, Racial trauma, and Othello' Lisa R. Barksdale-Shaw; 9. Ben Jonson's Sejanus and Shakespeare's Othello: Two Plays Performed by the King's Men in c.1603 John-Mark Philo; 10. 'Lago and the clown: Disassembling the vice in Othello Nicole Sheriko; 11. Pitying desdemona in Folio Othello: Race, Gender, and the willow song Joshua Held; 12. 'Desdemona's honest friend' Jeremy Lopez; 13. 'Suffering scstasy: Othello and the drama of displacement' Jennifer J. Edwards; 14. 'Othello's sympathies: Emotion, Agency, and identification' Richard Meek; 15. 'Warning the Stage: Shakespeare's mid-scene entrance conventions' Margaret Jane Kidnie; 16. 'Looking for perdita in Ali Smith's summer' Bailey Sincox; 17. 'Grafted to the Moor: Anglo-Spanish dynastic marriage and miscegenated whiteness in The winter's tale' Zainab S. Cheema; 18. 'Rhyme, History, and Memory in A Mirror for Magistrates and Henry VI' Molly Clark; 19. 'Bad' Love lyrics and poetic hypocrisy from Gascoigne to Benson's Shakespeare' Katherine Mennis; 20. 'Viola's Telemachy' Robert B. Pierce; 21. 'New analogical evidence for Cymbeline's folkloric composition in the medieval icelandic Ála flekks saga' Jonathan Hui; 22. 'But when extremities speak': Harley Granville-Barker, Coriolanus, the world wars and the state of exception' Richard Ashby; 23. Shakespeare performances in England 2021: London Lois Potter; 24. Shakespeare performances in England 2021: outside London Peter Kirwan; 25. Professional Shakespeare productions in the British Isles, January-December 2020 James Shaw; 26. The Year's contribution to Shakespeare studies: 1. Critical Studies reviewed by Jane Kingsley Smith, 2. Performance reviewed by Russell Jackson, 3. Editions and Textual Studies reviewed by Emma Depledge.
£90.00
Taylor & Francis Performance Trauma and Puerto Rico in Musical
Book SynopsisThis study positions four musicals and their associated artists as mobilizers of defiant joy in relation to trauma and healing in Puerto Rico. This book argues that the historical trajectory of these musicals has formed a canon of works that have reiterated, resisted or transformed experiences of trauma through linguistic, ritual, and geographic interventions. These traumas may be disaster-related, migrant-related, colonial or patriarchal. Bilingualism and translation, ritual action, and geographic space engage moments of trauma (natural disaster, incarceration, death) and healing (community celebration, grieving, emancipation) in these works. The musicals considered are West Side Story (1957, 2009, 2019), The Capeman (1998), In the Heights (2008), and Hamilton (2015). Central to this argument is that each of the musicals discussed is tied to Puerto Rico, either through the representation of Puerto Rican characters and stories, or through the Puerto Rican positionality of its creators. The author moves beyond the musicals to consider Lin-Manuel Miranda as an embodied site of healing, that has been met with controversy, as well as post-Hurricane Maria relief efforts led by Miranda on the island and from a distance. In each of the works discussed, acts of belonging shape notions of survivorship and witness. This book also opens a dialogue between these musicals and the work of island-based artists Y no habÃa luz, that has served as sites of first response to disaster. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in Latinx Theatre, Musical Theatre and Translation studies.
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Intimacy Directing for Theatre
Book SynopsisIntimacy Directing for Theatre provides much needed strategies on how teachers and artists can do intimacy work in the classroom and rehearsal room that is safe and just.This book puts forth intimacy work that is based on human rights and consent for everyone, fully integrating justice with intimacy directing. It offers practical advice on how instructors can do intimacy work in their courses and productions that is based on consent and racial and gender justice. Each chapter is written by an instructor and professional practitioner who offers their perspective and experience on how to cultivate a space that is safe and intersectional, as well as respectful of students' race, gender, sexual orientation, and other integral modes of identity. Chapters contain low stakes exercises that help to keep the rehearsal room safe, consensual, and inclusive.Intimacy Directing for Theatre is an excellent resource for Theatre & Performance instructors and practiTable of Contents1. Introduction 2. From Director to Director: Why Intimacy Direction Is a Necessity 3. Definitions 4. Intimacy Directing, Race, and Human Rights 5. What the Student of Color Actor Needs in Intimacy Work 6. You Can’t Colorblind Choreograph: The Importance of Cultural Competency in Intimacy Practice 7. Genderqueer Intimacy 8. Consent Culture & Devised Work 9. Staging Violence & Theatrical Intimacy 10. Actor Training and Consent in the Movement Classroom 11. Virtual Intimacy Directing and Consent 12. Do’s and Don’ts of Intimacy and Consent 13. Building a Future of Justice & Consent 14. Bibliography and Resources
£121.50
Taylor & Francis How to Rehearse a Scene
Book Synopsis
£37.99
Cambridge University Press The Players Advice to Hamlet
Book SynopsisHamlet is a characteristic intellectual more inclined to lecture actors about their craft than listen to them, and is a precursor of Enlightenment figures like Diderot and Lessing. This book is a quest for the voice of early professional actors, drawing on English, French and other European sources to distinguish the methods of professionals from the theories of intellectual amateurs. David Wiles challenges the orthodoxy that all serious discussion of acting began with Stanislavski, and outlines the comprehensive but fluid classical system of acting which was for some three hundred years its predecessor. He reveals premodern acting as a branch of rhetoric, which took from antiquity a vocabulary for conversations about the relationship of mind and body, inside and outside, voice and movement. Wiles demonstrates that Roman rhetoric provided the bones of both a resilient theatrical system and a physical art that retains its relevance for the post-Stanislavskian performer.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Hamlet's advice to the players; 2. Rhetorical performance in antiquity; 3. Acting, preaching and oratory in the sixteenth century; 4. Baroque acting; 5. Actors and intellectuals in the Enlightenment era; 6. Emotion; 7. Declamation; 8. Gesture; 9. Training.
£106.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd Staging Sex
Book SynopsisStaging Sex lays out a comprehensive, practical solution for staging intimacy, nudity, and sexual violence. This book takes theatre practitioners step-by-step through the best practices, tools, and techniques for crafting effective theatrical intimacy. After an overview of the challenges directors face when staging theatrical intimacy, Staging Sex offers practical solutions and exercises, provides a system for establishing and discussing boundaries, and suggests efficient and effective language for staging intimacy and sexual violence. It also addresses production and classroom specific concerns and provides guidance for creating a culture of consent in any company or department. Written for directors, choreographers, movement coaches, stage managers, production managers, professional actors, and students of acting courses, Staging Sex is an essential tool for theatre practitioners who encounter theatrical intimacy or instructional Trade Review"Staging Sex makes an excellent case for implementing a movement-based system for staging intimacy that is specific, desexualized, and repeatable. It addresses the explicit and implicit power structures within rehearsals and provides a pathway for actors to have agency over their own bodies."-Hillary Boyd, Theatre Topics, Volume 31, Number 2, July 2021, pp. 203-204Table of Contents1. Tools and Techniques 2. The Ingredients 3. Staging Intimacy 4. Recipes 5. Production Logistics 6. Staging Sex: A-Z Appendix: Theatrical Intimacy Education
£32.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy
Book SynopsisDramaturgy, in its many forms, is a fundamental and indispensable element of contemporary theatre. In its earliest definition, the word itself means a comprehensive theory of play making. Although it initially grew out of theatre, contemporary dramaturgy has made enormous advances in recent years, and it now permeates all kinds of narrative forms and structures: from opera to performance art; from dance and multimedia to filmmaking and robotics.In our global, mediated context of multinational group collaborations that dissolve traditional divisions of roles as well as unbend previously intransigent rules of time and space, the dramaturg is also the ultimate globalist: intercultural mediator, information and research manager, media content analyst, interdisciplinary negotiator, social media strategist.This collection focuses on contemporary dramaturgical practice, bringing together contributions not only from academics but also from prominent working dramaturgs. The incTrade Review“Romanska has put together a robust, impressively comprehensive volume that covers the ever-broadening scope of contemporary dramaturgy within a global context… this volume reveals the established, emerging, and imagined ideas of what dramaturgy is and could be… [it] is destined to become a go-to reference for practitioners and students of dramaturgy, along with directors, critics, playwrights, and theater scholars. Highly recommended.” - Choice"It is not overstating the case to say that this volume will for sure be the book of reference for students, scholars, and dramaturgs in the fields named above if it comes to questions of dramaturgy. The Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy goes far beyond a conventional handbook on dramaturgy as a way to structure a text to be staged. Rather, it claims attention to and evokes interest for the variety of a concept and a profession that not only covers crucial aspects of the field, but also implicitly highlights the richesse of dramaturgy as a field of study and therefore advocates theatre, performance and media studies as important disciplines that have a long history whose end is not in sight." - Journal of Contemporary Drama in English"A wide range of working methods in postdramatic theatre outlined in clear terms."- Theatralia"A timely gift to the world of contemporary theatre."- American Theatre"A singular, vital, and necessary contribution to the field."- Platform: Postgraduate Journal of Theatre Arts"An indispensable resource for anyone serious about dramaturgy."- Contemporary Theatre Review"The Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy will prove highly useful in theatre and performance practice, education, and scholarship."- Theatre Survey "Offers an impressive range of voices and insights into dramaturgical practice." - Theatre Research International Table of ContentsIntroductionMagda RomanskaPart I World dramaturgy in the twenty-first century1 Robert Blacker looks at the past and future of American dramaturgyJacob Gallagher-Ross and Robert Blacker2 Contemporary new play dramaturgy in CanadaBrian Quirt3 Collaborative dramaturgy in Latin American theaterMargarita Espada4 Documentary dramaturgy in BrazilJulie Ann Ward5 The place of a dramaturg in twenty-first century EnglandDuška Radosavljević6 On German DramaturgyBernd StegemannTranslated by Johannes Stier7 The making of La Dramaturgie in FranceKate Bredeson8 Dramaturgy and the role of the dramaturg in PolandAgata DąbekTranslated by Michael Leonard Kersey Morris9 The new play dramaturgy in RussiaPavel RudnevTranslated by Jessica Hinds-Bond10 Dramaturgy in post-revolution Iran: problems and prospectsMarjan Moosavi11 Performing dramaturgy in Syria: observations and interview with Mayson AliFadi Fayad Skeiker12 Official and unofficial dramaturgs: dramaturgy in ChinaWilliam Huizhu Sun13 Dramaturgy of Separated Elements in the Experimental Japanese TheatreEiichiro Hirata14 Dramaturgy in Indian theatre: a closer viewKetaki Datta15 Dramaturgy in Australia and the case of Avast and Doku RaiPeter Alexander Eckersall16 Dramaturgies in/of South AfricaMarié-Heleen Coetzee and Alan MunroPart II Dramaturgy in the age of globalization17 The dramaturg as globalistTom Sellar18 Freelance dramaturgs in the twenty-first century: journalists, advocates, and curatorsAnne Hamilton19 The National Theatre goes international: global branding and the regionsJens Peters20 From alienation to identity: transnational communication of Russian-Israeli theatreMiriam Yahil-Wax21 Intercultural dramaturgy: dramaturg as cultural liaisonWalter Byongsok Chon22 The dramaturgical bridge: contextualizing foreignness in multilingual theatreDebra Caplan23 Reading and (re)directing "racial scripts" on and beyond the stageFaedra Chatard Carpenter24 Transcultural dramaturgy methodsJudith Rudakoff25 The dramaturgical process and global understandingRobyn Quick26 European dramaturgy in the twenty-first centuryMarianne Van KerkhovenPart III Dramaturgy in motion: demolitions, definitions, and demarcations27 Dramaturgy on shifting groundsHans-Thies Lehmann and Patrick Primavesi28 Dramaturgy as skill, function, and verbLawrence Switzky29 Interactual dramaturgy: intention and affect in interdisciplinary performanceBruce Barton30 The expansion of the role of the dramaturg in contemporary collaborative performanceSarah Sigal31 Who is the dramaturg in devised theatre?Teresa Stankiewicz32 Finding our hyphenates: a new era for dramaturgsJessica Applebaum33 Dramaturgy as a way of looking into the spectator’s aesthetic experienceMilan Zvada34 Dramaturgy as training: a collaborative model at Shakespeare’s GlobeAmy Kenny35 The art of collaboration: on dramaturgy and directingAnne Bogart and Jackson Gay36 Dramaturgy in action{...}even if it’s not as a dramaturgThomas A. OldhamPart IV Dramaturgs as artistic leaders and visionaries: privileges and responsibilities of the office37 Dramaturgs as artistic leadersGideon Lester38 Dramaturgical leadership and the politics of appeal in commercial theatreKen Cerniglia39 On dramaturgy and leadershipVicki Stroich40 Leadeship advice to a dramaturgy studentAnne Cattaneo41 Season planning: challenges and opportunitiesEdward Sobel42 The dramaturg’s role in diversity and audience developmentJulie Felise Dubiner43 Guthrie Theater’s debt to women and diversityMarianne Combs44 Reimagining the literary office: designing a department that fulfills your purposeJanine Sobeck45 The National New Play Network Collaborative Literary Office: new tools for old tricksJason Loewith and Gwydion SuilebhanPart V Dramaturg as context manager: transculturalism, translation, adaptation, and contextualization46 A view from the bridge: the dramaturg’s role when working on a play in translationKatalin Trencsényi47 Lost in translationGitta Honegger48 The dissemination of theatrical translationAdam Versényi49 Literary adaptation for the stage: a primer for adaptation dramaturgsJane Barnette50 Intermingling literary and theatrical conventionsTomasz Wiśniewski51 Research strategies in dramaturgical practiceMatt DiCintio52 Dramaturg as context manager: a phenomenological and political practiceGraça Corrêa53 New play explorations in the twenty-first centuryMark Bly54 Thinking like an actor: a guide for the production dramaturgAndrew Ian Carlson55 The youth respondent method: new work development for Theatre for Young AudiencesKristin LeaheyPart VI Dramaturgy among other arts: interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity, and transvergence56 Complex in-betweeness of dramaturgy and performance studiesMarin Blažević57 The dramaturg(ies) of puppetry and visual theatreDassia N. Posner58 A method for musical theatre dramaturgyBrian D. Valencia59 Borderless dramaturgy in dance theatreVessela S. Warner60 The role of the dramaturg in the creation of new opera worksAndrew Eggert61 Dramaturgy and filmGerry Potter62 Phronesis for robots: (re)covering dramaturgy as an InterdisciplineMichael Chemers63 Dramaturgical design of the narrative in digital gamesKlaus P. Jantke64 New media dramaturgyPeter Eckersall, Helena Grehan, and Edward Scheer65 The science of dramaturgy and the dramaturgy of scienceJules Odendahl-JamesPart VII Dramaturg as systems analyst: dramaturgy of postdramatic structures66 Postdramatic dramaturgyGad Kaynar67 Teaching deconstructivelyBarbara Johnson68 EF’s visit to a small planet: some questions to ask a playElinor Fuchs69 Dramaturging non-realism: creating a new vocabularyTori Haring-Smith70 On dramaturgy in contemporary dance and choreographySandra Noeth71 Research, counter-text, performance: reconsidering the (textual) authority of the dramaturgD. J. Hopkins72 The bead diagram: a protean tool for script analysisShelley Orr73 Methods for a new dramaturgy of digital performanceJodie McNeilly74 Drametrics: what dramaturgs should learn from mathematiciansMagda Romanska75 Parallel-text analysis and practical dramaturgiesToby MalonePart VIII Dramaturg as public relations manager: immersions, talkbacks, lobby displays, and social networks76 Dramaturgy and the immersive theatre experienceCatherine Bouko77 Barrack-dramaturgy and the captive audienceAndrás Visky78 Framing the theatrical experience: lobby displaysMiriam Weisfeld79 Dramaturg as public relations managerKatie Rasor80 Talkbacks: asking good discussion questionsJodi Kanter81 Talkbacks for "sensitive subject matter" productions: the theory and practiceMartine Kei Green-Rogers82 Dramaturgies for the digital ageIlinca Todoruț83 Digital engagement: strategies for online dramaturgyTanya Dean84 Digital dramaturgy and digital dramaturgsLaRonika Thomas85 Can technology save theatre? Tweet Seats, YouTube auditions, and Facebook backstage?Randi Zuckerberg
£36.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Labour of Love
Book SynopsisLabour MP David Lyons cares about modernisation and electability... his constituency agent, Jean Whittaker cares about principles and her community. Set away from the Westminster bubble in the party''s traditional northern heartlands, this is a clash of philosophy, culture and class against the backdrop of the Labour Party over 25 years, as it moves from Kinnock through Blair into Corbyn... and beyond?This razor-sharp political comedy from James Graham was produced by Michael Grandage Company and Headlong and received its world Premiere at the Noël Coward Theatre in September 2017.Trade ReviewIt is in fact startlingly funny, peppered with one-liners and jokes... -- What's On StageIn the last five years James Graham has established himself as British playwriting's prolific new wunderkind, and here he once again probes the thorny relationships that are the essence of political life. **** -- The Evening Standard...diligently researched and informative...in its brightest moments this nearly three-hour show is an inventive hybrid of Much Ado About Nothing, Yes Minister and Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. -- The Evening Standard...unexpectedly proven to be box office gold. -- Time OutAt the age of 35, James Graham is currently Britain's busiest playwright. With his new play Labour of Love, he continues to stake his claim to be one of its very best. -- What's On StageAnd what makes this such a good and gripping piece of theatre is that it doesn’t preach us sermons about press ethics but leaves us to draw our own conclusions ...It strikes me as a first-rate play...**** * Ink review, Guardian *Graham is so good at this kind of thing, mining recent political and social history to create compelling theatre...**** * Ink review, The Stage *What's striking is just how coherent this up-to-the-minute response is. **** -- The Telegraph
£13.93
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 New Playwriting at Shakespeares Globe
Book SynopsisShakespeare's Globe Theatre is recognised worldwide as both a monument to and significant producer of the dramatic art of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. But it has established a reputation too for commissioning innovative and distinctive new plays that respond to the unique characteristics and identity of the theatre. This is the first book to focus on the new drama commissioned and produced at the Globe, to analyse how the specific qualities of the venue have shaped those works and to assess the influences of both past and present in the work staged.The author argues that far from being simply a monument to the past, the reconstructed theatre fosters creativity in the present, creativity that must respond to the theatre''s characteristic architecture, the complex set of cultural references it carries and the heterogeneous audience it attracts. Just like the reconstructed wooden O', the Globe's new plays highlight the relevance of the past for the present and give the spectators aTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I – The new Globe plays 1 - Something old, something new 1.1 - A reconstructed theatre 1.2 - Specially constructed plays 2 - Presenting the past 2.1 - Multiple time-planes 2.2 - Shakespeare’s ghost 2.3 – Language centre stage 2.4 - Laughing matter 2.5 - Founding narratives 2.6 - Topicality 2.7 - Come all ye... 3 - The spectacle of spectators 3.1 - Spectators as participants 3.2 - Spectators as a challenge 3.3 - Spectators as interlocutors 3.4 - Spectators as supernumeraries 3.5 - Spectators as subject matter Part II – Brenton’s Globe 4 - The weight of the past 4.1 - Virtuoso meets Steinway 4.2 - History plays for now 4.3 - A British epic theatre 4.4 - Perverse saints 4.5 - Historiographic metatheatre 5 - Playing to the crowd 5.1 - Aiming at an audience 5.2 - Attracting the audience 5.3 - Addressing the audience 5.4 - Admonishing the audience Conclusions Notes Bibliography Index
£32.29