Performance Books – serie

"One of the century's most impressive theatrical manifestos" - Irving Wardle Jerzy Grotowski created the Theatre Laboratory in Opole, South-West Poland, in 1959. His work since then, with a small permanent company, became one of the most potent sources of information for modern actors and directors. This is a record of the ideas that motivated the work of the Theatre Laboratory, and of the company's methods and discoveries.In his Preface Peter Brook writes: "Grotowski is unique. Why? Because no one else in the world, to my knowledge no one since Stanislavski, has investigated the nature of acting, its phenomenon, its meaning, the nature and science of its mental-physical-emotional processes as deeply and completely as Grotowski."Grotowski's Theatre Laboratory Company was first seen in Britain at the Edinburgh Festival in 1968 and went on to international fame.

The Improv Handbook is the most comprehensive, smart, helpful and inspiring guide to improv available today. Applicable to comedians, actors, public speakers and anyone who needs to think on their toes, it features a range of games, interviews, descriptions and exercises that illuminate and illustrate the exciting world of improvised performance.First published in 2008, this second edition features a new foreword by comedian Mike McShane, as well as new exercises on endings, managing blind offers and master-servant games, plus new and expanded interviews with Keith Johnstone, Neil Mullarkey, Jeffrey Sweet and Paul Rogan.The Improv Handbook is a one-stop guide to the exciting world of improvisation. Whether you’re a beginner, an expert, or would just love to try it if you weren’t too scared, The Improv Handbook will guide you every step of the way.

Craig on Theatre presents the essence of Edward Gordon Craig's ideas This selection, accompanied by Craig's own drawings and designs includes key sections from his most influential book On the Art of the Theatre, as well as essays from his own theatre journal, The Mask.An inspiration to such diverse practitioners as Stanislavski, Reinhardt, Meyerhold, Artaud and Brecht, this book offers an invaluable introduction to Craig and a unique compendium of his most significant writings.This volume is a companion to the Methuen titles Artaud on Theatre, Brecht on Theatre and Meyerhold on Theatre.

"I have felt there was nothing for me to do except to devote my labour and energy almost exclusively to the study of Creative Nature...I have acquired a sum of experience in the course of long years of work and this is what I have sought to share with you." (Stanislavski)Here in concise form is what Stanislavski said about acting, alphabetically arranged to aid students, professionals and lay people interested in the stage craft. These collected short statements on a variety of subjects cannot replace the full expression of Stanislavski's ideas and discoveries in his other books, but they will serve to refresh the reader's memory and pinpoint what Stanislavski has to offer enquiring minds both in and out of the theatre.

An Actor Adrift is the remarkable account of Japanese actor director Yoshi Oida, who in 1968 left Japan and joined Peter Brook's international theatre company in Paris. Since then he has become a leading member and trainer in the company. In this book, part personal story and part a workbook for actors and directors wishing to understand and employ Peter Brook's techniques, Oida describes the formation and early training of Brook's company and provides an account of the first decade of work. It provides a fascinating account of the company's first public performance - The Conference of the Birds in Iran, of the extraordinary explorative journey that followed through Africa, of work in America and of the return to work in France. While he relates productions of The Ik, The Conference of the Birds, The Mahabharata, Orghast and Timon of Athens, he interweaves his vivid personal experience as an actor in whom Estern and Western culture and practices come together.

About Acting - formerly titled The Complete About Acting - has become indispensable for students and professional actors alike because it is simple, clear and inspiring about the difficult art and craft of performing on stage, film, television and radio.Peter Barkworth guides the reader through all aspects of acting - from auditions and preparing for a part to rehearsals and surviving long runs with freshness. He has also included a selection of interviews with leading performers and a director about how to work on a part: Judi Dench, Alec McCowen, Edward Petherbridge, Anna Massey, Wyn Jones, Alison Steadman, Patience Collier, Roger Rees, Prunella Scales and Samuel West. About Acting is not only a lucid and practical book about technique, it also explores ways of achieving the connection between an actor's own life and the life of each part he or she plays.

Throughout the 1980s, Dario Fo, Italy's best known and most provocative satirical playwright, and his wife Franca Rame, the celebrated actress and feminist, conducted a series of performance-seminars around the world on the subject of acting. In places as diverse as London's Riverside Studios, Rome's Teatro Argentina and Perugia's Free University of Alcatraz, Fo and Rame have revealed to rapt audiences the many facets of the actor's art - his or her 'Tricks of the Trade'. Tracing the life of the comic performer back to the itinerant jongleur and the skillful improvisations of later commedia dell'arte troupes, Fo's genius as both a player and synthesiser of the historical past allows him to resurrect before our eyes and ears a shadow performer upon whom all actors unwittingly base their work. Using mime, masks, pieces of text, dance, action and snatches from songs, Fo and Franca Rame consolidate many months of their lecture demonstrations into a 'Six Day' workshop, a staged demonstration that is also a Fo-on-Fo one-man show. It is released to coincide with the paperback release of Dario Fo's autobiography "My First Seven Years Plus a Few More".

Dealing with the cutting edge of contemporary theatre. This book presents the results of a unique investigation, carried out in conjunction with the Royal National Theatre Studio, into the nature of performance itself.

Stand-Up! is the first book to both analyse the background of stand-up comedy and take us inside the world of being a solo comedian Oliver Double writes a lively history of the traditions of British stand-up comedy - from its roots in music hall and variety to today's club and alternative comedy scene - and also engages in a serious exploration of what it is like to be a comedian onstage in front of a sometimes adoring and sometimes hostile audience. He looks critically at the work of such stand-up stars as Frankie Howerd, Les Dawson, Billy Connolly, Victoria Wood, Ben Elton and Eddie Izzard. And he looks at himself as a performer.

The definitive work on the life, achievements and theory of the great choreographer Rudolf Laban Like Picasso in painting, Stravinsky in music or Stanislavski in theatre, Rudolf Laban (1879-1958) has been a seminal influence on the arts in this century. The impact of his theories and practice have influenced the whole course of modern dance and choreography, and his ideas about physical life and expression have also influenced performers in other fields. His mark can be found in the work of artists as diverse as the German dancers and choreographers Mary Wigman, Kurt Joos and Pina Bausch and the British theatre artists Joan Littlewood, William Gaskill, Joan Plowright, Malcolm Ransome and many others In this major new study John Hodgson looks at the different facets and phases of Laban's life and writings to unravel the many strands of his thinking and its application. This is a masterful synthesis of Laban's work, providing a practical understanding of how the human body moves and creates both beauty and purity through movement.It will become a central text for practitioners of dance and theatre as well as the major record of the history and creative development of Rudolf Laban himself.

This practical book with illustrations links Alexander technique to acting, dancing and singing by the trainer of performers on The Lion King The Alexander Technique is a method of physical relaxation that reduces tension and strain throughout the body. It promotes a beneficial use of movement that is stress-free by learning to free-up the body. It teaches an individual to use their body efficiently in order to avoid damage or loss of control. Kelly McEvenue has been teaching the Alexander Technique to performers for nearly twenty years and is a world expert on the system. In this book she draws on her considerable experience and sets up a series of set-by-step warm-ups and exercises that anybody can follow. The exercises are linked to accurate anatomical drawings, showing where stress is most pronounced in the body.The Foreword is by Patsy Rodenburg, Head of Voice for the Royal National Theatre and author of Methuen titles The Right to Speak and The Actor Speaks.

The Amateur Theatre Handbook is the essential handbook for anyone involved in amateur dramatics. Keith Arrowsmith guides the reader through the potential pitfalls of putting on a production, from preliminary planning and choosing a play, through stage management, to first night. There are sections on staging a show, group organisation and special performances, covering legal rights and obligations, health and safety, budgeting, copyright law, choosing a venue, stage management and front-of-house, plus a comprehensive reference section. Using personal anecdotes, checklists and clear guidelines, this is a comprehensive and accessible handbook for all aspects of amateur production.

An invaluable, practical guide to an acting career - "A really useful book for every actor to own" (Prunella Scales) Make Acting Work is an essential guide for anyone wishing to develop a career in this exciting but unpredictable profession. It offers a level-headed appraisal of the challenges that actors face and identifies a wide range of opportunities that exist for the resourceful. Practical advice is given on all the critical elements, including preparing a CV, photographs, demo-tape and showreel, getting an agent, and auditioning. The different requirements of theatre, radio, film and tv are explained, as well as a comprehensive survey of less traditional work, such as voice-overs, corporate training and role play."This book should be part of every resourceful actor's armoury" (Annette Badland)

"Welfare State International are brilliant at making an audience of strangers into a community" Guardian Welfare State International, the inspirational theatre company founded in 1968 and based in Cumbria, creates and facilitates celebratory art and theatre, ranging from carnivals, lantern processions and rites of passage, to flags, banners and pyrotechnics. In a mixture of personal stories, clear instructions, poems and artists' sketches, Eyes on Stalks is a detailed and practical guide to their production techniques. It includes sections on caravans and street shows, community regeneration, comedy extravaganzas and alternative naming, betrothal and funeral ceremonies.

This book introduces young people to the theatrical processes behind the scenes of one of the country's best known and best loved theatres. The Young Vic is famous for its hugely successful productions of classic and modern plays, which have attracted widespread critical acclaim. Here Ruth Little, the theatre's associate artistic director, looks at the processes involved in staging a theatrical work with young people from transforming stories into action in GRIMM'S TALES, tackling classical dialogue in DR FAUSTUS, developing character in RAISIN IN THE SUN, or staging a musical in SIMPLY HEAVENLY. Each chapter is based on actual work led by professional directors at the Young Vic and includes multiple ideas for how to enthuse young actors and directors with the possibilities of theatre, including costume and design, running rehearsals and much, much more.With a preface by the Young Vic's Artistic Director, David Lan, THE YOUNG VIC BOOK is full of insights from actors and directors who have worked at the theatre including Jude Law, Lennie James, Frank Dunlop and Barbara Houseman.

A handbook of theatre workshops for actors, teachers and directors, by a leader in the field of physical theatre and research This is a book of theatrical beginnings for actors, teachers and directors. Divided into four parts, from Body through to Voice, Heart and Mind, the book covers all the elements you need to engage in order to train as an actor. The dizzying breadth of exercises and workshops offered here start you off on all the processes; from voice warm-ups and bodywork through to interacting with space and creating characters. Drawing on a plethora of influences, from Japanese Butoh to African dance, Shakespearean verse speaking and children's games, this book is aimed to entice actors who need to refresh their skills, those who would like to take part in or run workshops, and many who have no experience at all.Praise for Luke Dixon's directing: "Outstanding physical theatre...electrifying...an appearance of the most voluptuous glamour" -Independent

Harold Guskin is an Acting Doctor whose clients include David Suchet, Glenn Close, James Gandolfini, Bridget Fonda and dozens more. In HOW TO STOP ACTING he reveals the insights and techniques that have worked wonders for beginners as well as stars. Instead of yet another 'method', Guskin offers a strategy based on a radically simple and refreshing idea: that the actor's work is not to 'create a character' but rather to be continually, personally responsive to the text, wherever his impulse takes him, from the first read-through to the final performance. From this credo derives an entirely new perspective on auditioning and the challenge of developing a role and keeping it fresh, even over hundreds of performances. Drawing on examples from his clients' work and his own, Guskin presents acting as a constantly evolving exploration rather than as a progression toward a fixed goal. He also offers sound and original advice on adapting to the particular demands of television and film, playing difficult emotional scenes, tackling Shakespearean and other great roles."The Great Guskin" - John Lahr, The New Yorker "Reading Harold Guskin's book HOW TO STOP ACTING was like someone slowly removing handcuffs that have been on for a very long time. A method of working was given to me at drama school and with a few variations, here and there, has served me well for thirty-five years. More recently, however, I wanted to be free of 'a way' of working and Harold's approach to acting was the much-needed key to the freedom that I wanted. I was influenced by Stanislavsky and Method acting, often feeeling guilty if I failed to use them in the studying of my script and in the development of a character! Applying Harold's HOW TO STOP ACTING has allowed me to work much more freely and instinctively and therefore more truthfully and being truthful has always been, for me, the ultimate goal. Thank you Harold!" David Suchet

A founding member of Peter Brook's international theatre company, Yoshi Oida infuses his acting and directing with the artistry of the Oriental traditions and a mastery of Western forms. In this disarmingly accessible study of the art of acting he shares his unique experience and range of expertise. An Actor's Tricks offers a meticulous scrutiny of the actor's preparation for performance and comes with a foreword by Peter Brook. Drawing on an unrivalled wealth and range of expertise in the fields of acting, directing and training, Yoshi Oida and Lorna Marshall provide an authoritative and fascinating study of the art of the actor. In scrutinising the process of performance from the twin perspectives of the actor and director, An Actor's Tricks is filled with hints, insights and stories from productions with Peter Brook and from around the world. Beginning with the daily preparation to train the body, it moves to the process of rehearsal for a performance right up to the moment when the actor steps onstage. An appendix of practical exercises is included for the actor to follow.The books combines principles and techniques from both Western and Eastern disciplines of acting to provide a masterful study essential for every actor and director.

This book gives clear guidance to good pronunciation and is written in an easily-accessible form. Many people can identify and solve their speech problems and significantly improve their voice by using tried and tested exercises. The systematic arrangement of the material with clear illustrations makes it easy for the layman to understand and work from effectively. This new edition contains additional exercises as well as an expanded chapter on Indistinct Speech.

"Penny Dyer is an inspiration to work with" Helen Mirren "An indispensible aid for actors" Bill Nighy "Penny takes away the fear of an accent for the actor" David Morrissey "Accurate, specific and enabling, these CDs are as fundamental as the use of voice itself" Michael Attenborough "Invaluable for the modern actor" Michael Sheen "Penny Dyer on a CD. What more could I want" Kelly Reilly An essential tool for actors needing to develop an accent at a moments notice. Top voice coach, Penny Dyer, voice coach to Helen Mirren on The Queen and who has worked with Nicole Kidman, Reece Witherspoon and Cate Blanchett and Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra, Only Fools and Horses) present an hour long voice coaching session on CD. The audio contains examples of the accent from a locally born and bred person; a short history of the accent/dialect; a voice coaching lesson between an actor and Penny Dyer who will explain the phonetics, rhythm etc with numerous examples to listen to and then try; a short extract from a play. A small booklet will include some phonetic notes, transcripts of the accent examples, the play example, the background on the accent and an Introduction.An invaluable resource for every actor's library.

"Generations of actors joining the RSC have benefited from John Barton's teaching" Trevor Nunn "One of the sanest, wisest and most practical volumes I have ever read about Shakespeare" Michael Billington John Barton is Advisory Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company and has directed some of the greatest Shakespeare productions of our time. His book, Playing Shakespeare, is a transcript of his televised workshops with some of our finest Shakespearean actors: Peggy Ashcroft, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Ben Kingsley, Patrick Stewart and David Suchet. "What the programmes and published text reveal, is the method and principle approach of acting Shakespeare which has been fundamental to the Royal Shakespeare Company since it was formed" Trevor Nunn. This new edition contains a DVD with 80mins of video featuring John Barton in conversation with Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Jane Lapotaire discussing changes in approaches to Shakespeare's text since the book first published. This edition also features a foreword by Michael Boyd.A highly readable and non-academic approach to understanding Shakespeare's text - unlocking the hidden stage directions and actors clues that reside in his verse. "When an actor becomes aware of them, s/he will find that Shakespeare himself starts to direct them" John Barton.

Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre is the first book to combine traditional actor vocal training with musical theatre training, offering support and guidance for performers seeking to train their spoken voice specifically for singing and performing in musical theatre.Performers in musical theatre are working harder than ever. The shifting and extreme nature of the modern musical theatre repertoire requires performers capable of mastering musicianship, singing and dancing while at the same time providing convincing and clear performances as actors. Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre will help train musical theatre performers in the longer modes of voice needed to create convincing and moving performances.Ideal for the triple-threat performer, Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre features exercises for performers, tips for teachers and online video resources, allowing for a focused and outcome-oriented training of vocal techniques for musical theatre performers.

Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre is the first book to combine traditional actor vocal training with musical theatre training, offering support and guidance for performers seeking to train their spoken voice specifically for singing and performing in musical theatre.Performers in musical theatre are working harder than ever. The shifting and extreme nature of the modern musical theatre repertoire requires performers capable of mastering musicianship, singing and dancing while at the same time providing convincing and clear performances as actors. Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre will help train musical theatre performers in the longer modes of voice needed to create convincing and moving performances.Ideal for the triple-threat performer, Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre features exercises for performers, tips for teachers and online video resources, allowing for a focused and outcome-oriented training of vocal techniques for musical theatre performers.

Analysing why we laugh and what we laugh at, and describing how performers can elicit this response from their audience, this book enables actors to create memorable – and hilarious – performances.Rooted in performance and performance criticism, Sidney Homan and Brian Rhinehart provide a detailed explanation of how comedy works, along with advice on how to communicate comedy from the point of view of both the performer and the audience. Combining theory and performance, the authors analyse a variety of plays, both modern and classic. Playwrights featured include Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Christopher Durang, and Michael Frayn. Acting in Shakespeare's comedies is also covered in depth.

Analysing why we laugh and what we laugh at, and describing how performers can elicit this response from their audience, this book enables actors to create memorable – and hilarious – performances.Rooted in performance and performance criticism, Sidney Homan and Brian Rhinehart provide a detailed explanation of how comedy works, along with advice on how to communicate comedy from the point of view of both the performer and the audience. Combining theory and performance, the authors analyse a variety of plays, both modern and classic. Playwrights featured include Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Christopher Durang, and Michael Frayn. Acting in Shakespeare's comedies is also covered in depth.

Theatre is at its best when it is disobedient, when it argues back to society. But what enables it to achieve this impact? What makes it a force to be reckoned with? What are the principles and the tools of the trade that shape it to be effective, powerful and resonant? Drawing from both theory and practice, and informed by conversations with recognized practitioners from across the UK, this book provides answers and makes an impassioned call for artists to reimagine, question and disrupt. Divided into two parts, ‘In the World’ and ‘In the Room’, the book presents a rounded picture of the possibilities of a ‘disobedient’ culture and includes many games and exercises for creative practitioners. In Part One the author offers a lexicon defining the spirit and impulse which characterises disobedient theatre: he describes the principles, the strategies, and the voice of the artist, before suggesting ways to survive as a creative practitioner. Part Two illustrates how these principles may be worked out in practice when creating new work, with the hands-on approaches supplemented by games and exercises to assist in generating material.Disobedient Theatre is for all those who have an interest in what makes theatre powerful, disturbing or even life-changing. It is a book for artists, thinkers, activists and all who believe in the function of art to offer new possibilities and to change and inform the evolution of society.

Theatre is at its best when it is disobedient, when it argues back to society. But what enables it to achieve this impact? What makes it a force to be reckoned with? What are the principles and the tools of the trade that shape it to be effective, powerful and resonant? Drawing from both theory and practice, and informed by conversations with recognized practitioners from across the UK, this book provides answers and makes an impassioned call for artists to reimagine, question and disrupt. Divided into two parts, ‘In the World’ and ‘In the Room’, the book presents a rounded picture of the possibilities of a ‘disobedient’ culture and includes many games and exercises for creative practitioners. In Part One the author offers a lexicon defining the spirit and impulse which characterises disobedient theatre: he describes the principles, the strategies, and the voice of the artist, before suggesting ways to survive as a creative practitioner. Part Two illustrates how these principles may be worked out in practice when creating new work, with the hands-on approaches supplemented by games and exercises to assist in generating material.Disobedient Theatre is for all those who have an interest in what makes theatre powerful, disturbing or even life-changing. It is a book for artists, thinkers, activists and all who believe in the function of art to offer new possibilities and to change and inform the evolution of society.

The Improv Handbook is the most comprehensive, smart, helpful and inspiring guide to improv available today. Applicable to comedians, actors, public speakers and anyone who needs to think on their toes, it features a range of games, interviews, descriptions and exercises that illuminate and illustrate the exciting world of improvised performance.First published in 2008, this second edition features a new foreword by comedian Mike McShane, as well as new exercises on endings, managing blind offers and master-servant games, plus new and expanded interviews with Keith Johnstone, Neil Mullarkey, Jeffrey Sweet and Paul Rogan.The Improv Handbook is a one-stop guide to the exciting world of improvisation. Whether you’re a beginner, an expert, or would just love to try it if you weren’t too scared, The Improv Handbook will guide you every step of the way.

How has the work and legacy of Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed been interpreted and practised around the world? What does it look like in different working contexts? This book provides an accessible introduction to the political and artistic principles Boal's techniques are founded on, tracking exemplary practice from around the globe.Using detailed contemporary case histories, theatre artist, scholar and activist Ali Campbell demonstrates how the underlying principles of Boal's practice are today enacted in the work of - among others - an urban network (Theatre of the Oppressed NYC); a rural and developmental theatre organisation (Jana Sanskriti, West Bengal); Boal’s original company CTO Rio (Brazil); and a theatre-based group led by learning-disabled adults in the UK (The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company). The book concludes with a series of conversations between Campbell and international exponents of the work, envisioning futures for the Theatre of the Oppressed in the shifting political, educational and artistic contexts of the twenty-first century.