How to Direct Shakespeare

(Paperback)

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You may be a student, or just starting out in the theatre profession, or an actor contemplating a switch to directing, or anyone dreaming of a life in the theatre. Know this: by developing and sharpening your skills on a Shakespeare text, you will be preparing yourself for your next production whatever or wherever that might be. Practical, inspirational and steeped in the wisdom and expertise of one of the great Shakespearean directors of our age, How to Direct Shakespeare guides you through each step of a production, from conception to final presentation to an audience. It includes close analysis of the text and provides strategies for focusing on the main action and structure; it considers dramatic energy and the world of the play, and illuminates these with examples drawn from a variety of Shakespeare's plays. It will assist you with creating your vision for the production as you collaborate with the design team, cast the play and work with actors in rehearsal. And it walks you through the encounter with the audience as you open your production. Drawing on examples from his work as artistic director of The Royal Shakespeare Company and subsequent directing work that has taken him all over the world, Noble shows how every production is shaped by a vision of the world the interplay of the writers vision and the directors interpretation of it. How to Direct Shakespeare will inspire and equip you as you develop your vision for your next production.

Reviews

How to Direct Shakespeare is a 'must have' book for ALL directors- experienced and aspiring! Adrian Noble shares his vast experience and leads the reader through the whole journey of directing Shakespeares plays from the preparation through all stages of rehearsal leading up to the opening night. It's a wonderful companion to his How to Do Shakespeare for actors. However his guidance can be used for directing any plays as it gives a wonderful insight into a director's process. Invaluable. * Sir David Suchet CBE FRSA *
To be in rehearsal of a Shakespeare play with Adrian Noble is a gift to any actor. He is, quite simply, a brilliant director, and now in How to Direct Shakespeare, he guides us through every step of his directorial process with perfect precision and infinite generosity. Hugely informative and insightful, this book is an invaluable asset to any actor or director. * Sinad Cusack *
Adrian Noble and I were contemporaries at the Drama Centre in the early seventies. In 1978, he asked me to play Titus Andronicus at the Bristol Old Vic; it was my first Shakespeare - and his. For me it was like climbing a particularly craggy mountain, but from the first day it was clear that Adrian had a direct line through to the play, its world and, especially, its author, and if I managed it at all, it was largely due to him. In this indispensable book, he shares that extraordinary understanding and connection with anyone who wants to direct Shakespeare, with crystal clarity and a fund of insights both practical and penetrating. Above all, he makes it clear that to stage Shakespeare, directors have to bring their entire being to the work; nothing less will do. * simon callow *

Author Bio

Adrian Noble is a freelance director of theatre, opera and film, whose work can be seen in the UK, USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong and across Europe. He was the Artistic Director of The Royal Shakespeare Company, 1991-2003, and of the Shakespeare Festival, San Diego, USA, 2010-2013. In 2014 Nobel was Mellon Visiting Artist and Thinker at Columbia University, USA. He is the recipient of multiple awards and honours in the UK, USA and Europe.