Acting Shakespeare

Gielgud does not discuss Shakespeare in any kind of biographical or historical way. This book is about Gielgud's experiences and thoughts about acting various roles and directing many of the plays over his great career in theater. He not only tells us openly his opinions of his own performances, he also shares fairly unvarnished views about fellow actors and actresses and especially of directors and other behind the stage personnel. However, these are views about the private person, they are about what they did in bringing Shakespeare's plays to the stage. It is most interesting to read the author's thoughts about his strengths and limitations. He knows the romantic roles such as Romeo were of limited success, but he loved his Richard II and Lear. The occasion of this book seems to be the release of Gielgud's taking the Prospero role in the film "Prospero's Books" and the release of the movie. The actor talks about his work in bringing Shakespeare to film as well as the stage and said that he always wanted to play Prospero on film and shares with us his many failed attempts to make that happen. While he had not seen the finished version of "Prospero's Books" he felt that it would be beautiful to look at. I have never seen the film. The book has many wonderful pictures of Gielgud and his contemporaries in their roles. There are also playbills, photos of directors and others involved in the productions as well. Gielgud also is interesting talking about stagecraft and the stage direction of the different productions, the costumes and how all of it goes into creating a role. Anyone who has ever been involved in a performance of anything knows how much goes into making something appear so effortless on stage. Even the lighting adds a level of sophistication to the drama. The appendices include lists of Gielgud's performances as an actor in the various plays, productions he directed, some notices from critics, some of the casts of productions in which he took part, and some notes he took in a 1946 production of King Lear under the direction of Harley Granville-Barker whom Gielgud admired. A fascinating book and miles upon miles from the mindless publicity minded celebrity books that get tossed off with little thought and less content. This book is interesting, has a great deal to offer anyone interested in Shakespeare and acting in the theater (or on film).

I was expecting more of a how-to book when I bought this but was not at all disappointed. This funny and inspiring book gave some insight into the life, work and thoughts of one of our time's greatest actors. This is an good book for both fans of Shakespeare and of biographies.