She Speaks!: What Shakespeare's Women Might Have Said

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'It is STUNNING and I simply sat and read it right through, and shall start again at once. I had no idea that she is such a sensationally fine poet. Astonishing' JOANNA LUMLEY

'Harriet Walter unpicks and re-centres the inner life and journey of these women as only one of our most talented and celebrated classical actors could. A must read!' MAXINE PEAKE

'Bold and original . . . Anyone who cares about Shakespeare will want to own and share this book'

JAMES SHAPIRO, author of 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

Dame Harriet Walter, renowned for her wonderful portrayals in Succession and Killing Eve among others, is one of Britain's most esteemed Shakespearean actors. Now, having played most of the Bard's female characters, audaciously she lets them speak their minds.

With thirty new parts for Shakespeare's women, written in 'Shakespearean' verse and prose, Harriet Walter goes between the lines of the plays to let us hear what she imagines - sometimes playfully and sometimes searchingly - these women were really thinking.

Gertrude tells Hamlet the unvarnished truth; Lady MacBeth has her regrets; Kate, the Shrew, challenges us; Juliet's nurse challenges the nobility; Cleopatra's handmaiden reveals her mistress's secrets; Ariel is frightened of freedom; Ophelia surprises us; Olivia surprises herself; and the Witches have a good old rap.

Harriet Walter herself says, 'I worship Shakespeare. His psychological insight is second to none but the mirror that he held up to nature reflected a predominantly male image of the world. I pondered the long shadow of his genius and tried to think of ways to let a little sunlight in on some of his women's stories. I like to think he wouldn't mind'.

'An incisive, funny, mischievously subversive homage to Shakespeare's heroines, written by one of mine' MEERA SYAL

'With characteristic wit, compassion and fierce intelligence, she gives tantalising voice to the Bard's female greats' TAMSIN GREIG

'Effortlessly witty, charming, surprising, delightful. Clearly, Harriet Walter should have been in the

writers' room with us for Succession' FRANCESCA GARDINER

Reviews

She Speaks! - bold and original - is many rewarding books in one. In these pages one of the great actors of our age asks: 'What were Ophelia, Rosalind, Cleopatra and Shakespeare's other women characters really thinking' Drawing on her own rich performance history, Harriet Walter gives them voice in Shakespearean pentameter verse, and what they have to say is both witty and profound. I was dazzled many years ago when I saw her play Ophelia at the Royal Court, and continue to be dazzled by her brilliance and hard-won insights into the plays. It's a book that anyone who cares about Shakespeare will want to own, and share -- James Shapiro, author of 1599: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF SHAKESPEARE

Did Lady Macbeth instruct the weird sisters what to tell her husband What happened when Cleopatra was reunited with Mark Antony in Heaven And what did Hermione really do shut away for those sixteen years
Harriet Walter's years of inhabiting and imbibing so many of those great roles gives her a special licence to speak for them. But the wit of these delightful poems also belies frustration, exasperation, and like a true "Lover's Complaint", real affection

-- Greg Doran, former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company
With her gravitas, empathy, intellect and absolute belly laugh wit, the unheard voices soar. A real celebration of her life and art -- Phyllida Lloyd, BAFTA and Tony winning theatre and film director
Brilliant, witty but also profound and moving. They are an astonishing achievement, technically, but also in their emotion. They haul you into an alternative universe with such brevity and in such a striking way. They are funny, disturbing, challenging and sometimes heartbreaking. They are a triumph and I am sure will become instant classics. -- David Thompson, Origin Films
The writing is effortlessly witty, charming, surprising, delightful . . . moving . . . just GORGEOUS. I cheered aloud at the end of Kate! Clearly Harriet Walter should've been in the writers' room with us for Succession -- Francesca Gardiner, writer, SUCCESSION
What a privilege, joy and utter pleasure to read Harriet Walter's marvellous verse ... One of the most joyful aspects of the work is that of course, Harriet is the 'real deal', in that she has lived and breathed life into these women - and men - on the page and brought them not only to the stage but to the ear, also. This gives us, the reader, an especial ringside seat to the arena where a Shakespearean artist shares her private passions, realizations, discoveries and internal debate; the character of this piece, is above all, undeniably Harriet Walter -- Claire van Kampen, Senior Research Fellow & Associate Shakespeare's Globe
If you liked Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife - you will love this incisive, funny, mischievously subversive homage to Shakespeare's heroines, written by one of mine -- Meera Syal
With her characteristic wit, playfulness and fierce intelligence, Harriet Walter gives tantalising voice to the bard's female greats. Her extensive experience, passionate advocacy and vibrant imagination make this collection a must-read for all lovers and curious-ers of Shakespeare's women -- Tamsin Greig
An invaluable book for actors and enthusiasts alike. If like me you have struggled with Shakespeare's representation of female characters Walter's crystal clear analysis will restore your faith. She unpicks and re-centres their inner life and journey as only one of our most talented and celebrated classical actors could. A must read! -- Maxine Peake
Nothing Harriet Walter does surprises me, but this took me aback. It is STUNNING and I simply sat and read it right through, and shall start again at once. I had no idea that Harriet Walter is such a sensationally fine poet. Astonishing -- Joanna Lumley
This is unlike any other book to do with Shakespeare that I've ever read. It's more fun for a start. If I were a teacher, I would put this on the curriculum pronto -- Rachael Stirling
This brilliant book is a form of creative pastiche that solves some of the riddles surrounding Shakespeare's characters . . . an exhilarating read that tells you far more than a shelf full of solemn academic works * Country Life *
On stage, Harriet Walter always conveys sharp intelligence and humour, which is equally characteristic of her books * TLS *

Author Bio

Dame Harriet Mary Walter DBE is a British actress. She has received a Laurence Olivier Award as well as numerous nominations including for a Tony Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2011, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to drama.