Speaking Shakespeare

“An excellent training guide for actors tackling the Bard . . . Shakespeare's complicated words and ideas become completely clear.” —Publishers Weekly

In Speaking Shakespeare, Patsy Rodenburg tackles one of the most difficult acting jobs: speaking Shakespeare's words both as they were meant to be spoken and in an understandable and dramatic way. Rodenburg calls this “a simple manual to start the journey into the heart of Shakespeare,” and that is what she gives us. With the same insight she displayed in The Actor Speaks, Rodenburg tackles the playing of all Shakespeare's characters. She uses dramatic resonance, breathing, and placement to show how an actor can bring Hamlet, Rosalind, Puck and other characters to life. This is one book every working actor must have.

“As a teacher of Shakespeare, I have searched for years for a text that is readable, practical, illuminating and joyful. Finally, with Speaking Shakespeare, I have found it. In the words of my students, 'I love reading this book. I feel like I'm happening on some untold secret, and every note Rodenburg gives us is a clue on how to be great.'” -Janet B. Rodgers, Virginia Commonwealth University in American Theatre

“An excellent resource . . . there are gems in this book for novices and veterans alike.” -Jeff Crockett, Dramatics