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Performing Shakespeare
By Oliver Ford Davies
Nick Hern Books
£10.99
274 pages
Dateline: 24th May, 2007
There are not many people that could have written this book. Oliver
Ford Davies has a background in academe and has then spent a lifetime
acting. Having reached the stage of his career where he is well fitted
to play King Lear or Prospero, he is happy to share his wisdom with
aspiring actors but also those who wish to understand what makes both
actors and Shakespeare tick.
Having played in most of the Bard's works, Ford Davies is perfectly
placed to draw on his experience and observation of fellow actors to
give what might become definitive guidance for many who wish to follow
in his footsteps.
He draws not only on Shakespeare's works but also commentary from numerous
other theatre practitioners and what appears to be a good deal of independent
research, to provide a book that is both thorough and readable.
Following two sections of introduction, one outlining the little that
is known about The Elizabethan Actor and the other providing a detailed
analysis of Shakespeare's Language, Ford Davies gets into the meat of
the book. This takes the budding actor through the three stages of his
trade.
The first of these is the preparation required to take on a part, whether
large or small. Being a thorough man, the author looks at this aspect
from multiple angles. He is big on language and motivations so that
he is convinced that a thorough textual analysis of the play is the
best starting point while matters such as family relationships, class
and character are also critical.
As an actor through and through, one might detect a degree of cynicism
regarding the excesses that directors and designers might force on the
performers. One fears that the negative comments are based on bitter
experience.
Following the preparation, Ford Davies considers the issues that must
be ironed out in rehearsal, regularly returning to the head v. heart
debate as to whether reason or instinct is more important in creating
a play and individual characters.
This leads to the final section on performance, which is different
from the earlier phases in that it is vitally connected to interacting
with an audience.
The first of two sets of appendices walks readers through playing the
parts of the Duke in Measure for Measure and Viola in Twelfth
Night.
The other presents a series of interviews with top actors about their
experiences in Performing Shakespeare and how they create and refresh
parts that are so familiar. These range from Simon Russell Beale and
Juliet Stevenson to Josette Simon and Sir Ian McKellen. There is also
a fascinating juxtapositioning, as Barbara Jefford and Adrian Lester
are interviewed about working with Peter Brook half a century apart.
It is hard to offer enough praise to this book. Oliver Ford Davies
started life as an academic and it shows in his wide-ranging and diligent
research for this book. It relies on a tremendous knowledge of the canon,
as the writer ranges so widely over the works to illuminate points.
However, he is an actor through and through and therefore the writing
is always practical and never dry or dull.
Performing Shakespeare will prove a great help to actors, old
and young. They will have an opportunity to learn from experts and also
to benefit from the wisdom of a man who has dedicated much of his life
to this subject.
This is also a book that will help general readers to understand what
it takes to inhabit a role and the effort that goes into presenting
the results that they so greatly enjoy (or otherwise) on stage.
Philip Fisher
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