Secrets of Acting Shakespeare The Original Approach

Secrets of Acting Shakespeare isn’t a book that gently instructs. It is a passionate, yes-you-can guide designed to prove that anybody can act Shakespeare. Patrick Tucker’s classic manual encourages trained and amateur actors alike to look to the original practices of the Elizabethan theatre for inspiration. He explores the ‘cue scripts’ used byactors, who knew only their own lines, to demonstrate the extraordinary way that these plays work by ear. This updated second edition includes: A section dedicated to the modes of address 'thee‘ and 'you‘ A brand new chapter on Original Practices and cue scripts An expanded genealogical chart, showing the interrelations of 92 different characters from the history plays A new discussion of Elizabethan acting spaces – balconies, gates, ramparts and even backstage areas Secrets of Acting Shakespeare is a must-read for actors intrigued by the ‘Original Approach’ to acting Shakespeare, or for anyone curious about how the Elizabethan theater worked.

CONTENTS Preface to the Second Edition Introduction Chapter 1 The 30 Secrets Chapter 2 The Research Starting Off Rehearsals Preparations in Shakespeare’s Time The Platt of The Seven Deadlie Sinnes Parts Played in One Afternoon Chapter 3 The Evidence The Tomb Scene from Romeo and Juliet Rosalind, Celia – and the Duke Viola, the Captaine – and the Saylors Original Elizabethan Language Chapter 4 The Experiment Chapter 5 The Performances Chapter 6 The First Folio Heminge and Condell’s Introduction to the First Folio The Folio Secrets Chapter 7 Original Practices The Platt of England’s Joy Modern Original Practices Actors’ Responses Chapter 8 Understanding through acting The Acting Shakespeare Checklist Chapter 9 The Secrets Expanded and Explained Chapter 10 The Plays and the Clues Epilogue Appendix 1 Folio Examples: Romeo and his Starres The five letters in The Merchant of Venice Appendix 2 Platts: As He Liked It (Haymarket, London) A Midsommer Nights Dreame (Neuss, Germany) The Merchant of Venice (Neuss, Germany) As you Like it (Toronto, Canada) A Midsommer Nights Dreame (Sydney, Australia) As you Like it (Globe, London) King John (Globe, London) The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Jerash, Jordan) Cymbeline (Globe, London) Romeo and Juliet (Jerash, Jordan) Appendix 3 Genealogical Tables: The Wars of the Roses Notes The Wars of the Roses Table The Wars of the Roses Dates The Plantagenets Notes The Plantagenets Table The Scottish Kings Notes The Scottish Kings Table The Scottish Kings Dates Bibliography Index of Shakespeare’s Plays and Characters General Index Biography

Patrick Tucker is Director of London’s Original Shakespeare Company. He is on the Globe Council of Shakespeare’s Globe, London.