Graham Watts

Shakespeare's Authentic Performance Texts

The Case for Staging from the First Folio

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

When we pick up a copy of a Shakespeare play, we assume that we hold in our hands an original record of his writing. We don't. Present-day printings are an editor's often subjective version of the script. Around 25 percent of any Shakespeare play will have been altered, and this creates an enormous amount of confusion. The only authentic edition of Shakespeare's works is the First Folio, published by his friends and colleagues in 1623. This volume makes the case for printing and staging the plays as set in the First Folio, which preserved actor cues that helped players understand and perform their roles. The practices of modern editors are critiqued. Also included are sections on analyzing and acting the text, how a complex character can be created using the First Folio, and a director's approach to rehearsing Shakespeare with various exercises for both professional and student actors. In conclusion, all of the findings are applied to Measure for Measure.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: McFarland
• Seitenzahl: 258
• Erscheinungstermin: 15. Januar 2015
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 254mm x 178mm x 14mm
• Gewicht: 492g
• ISBN-13: 9780786497201
• ISBN-10: 0786497203
• Artikelnr.: 41252081

Autorenporträt

London based Graham Watts has directed 28 professional Shakespeare productions in the United States, the UK, and Europe.

Inhaltsangabe

Table of Contents Acknowledgments
vi Preface
1 Introduction.
How Did This Argument Begin?
3 1.
The Heavy Hand of the Editors: "Oh pardon me ... that I am meek and gentle with these butchers"
15 2.
The Shaman at Work: "Words, words, words"
30 3.
Bungling Printers: "You strike like the blind man"
51 4.
Creating a Role from the Folio Text: "Know you the character?"
67 5.
Shakespeare's Rogues and Vagabonds: "Unperfect actors"?
108 6.
Character as Actor: "I can counterfeit the deep tragedian"
121 7.
Ambiguity: "Faire is foule, and foule is faire"
147 8.
A Director's Approach: "The rich advantage of good exercise"
173 9.
Weighing Up the Options: "Measure for Measure"
199 Conclusion.
"I'll to my book, for yet ere supper-time I must perform"
213 Chapter Notes
219 Bibliography
241 Index
247