As this week marks both the birth and death of William Shakespeare on 23 April, there is no better time than now to dive into his plays a bit more. Yes, many of us associate Shakespeare with painful secondary school classes where we try to figure out just what is going on. However, seeing these plays performed can make a world of difference. And Judi Dench is possibly the most prolific actor in terms of performing Shakespeare’s works. This week we are chatting about Judi Dench’s Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC and an Advanced Listening Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent, Judi Dench
Discover the work of the greatest writer in the English language as you’ve never encountered it before by ordering internationally renowned actor Dame Judi Dench’s SHAKESPEARE: The Man Who Pays The Rent—a witty, insightful journey through the plays and tales of our beloved Shakespeare.
Taking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig…
Cavorting naked through the Warwickshire countryside painted green…
Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head…
These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare.
For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra. In a series of intimate conversations with actor & director Brendan O’Hea, she guides us through Shakespeare’s plays with incisive clarity, revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans.
Interspersed with vignettes on audiences, critics, company spirit and rehearsal room etiquette, she serves up priceless revelations on everything from the craft of speaking in verse to her personal interpretations of some of Shakespeare’s most famous scenes, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour, striking level of honesty and a peppering of hilarious anecdotes, many of which have remained under lock and key until now.
Why You Should Read This…
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC and an Advanced Listening Copy in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this as I’m neither here nor there on Shakespeare. However, as I should have suspected, Dench won me over immediately! These are her personal thoughts and memories of working on countless different productions, and it is far more entertaining than anything else I’ve read on Shakespeare! I knew that she has had a prolific career in the theatre but I had no idea just how many of his plays she has acted in.
This was funnier than I expected it to be; I always think of Shakespearian actors as fully on board with all of Shakespeare’s characters but Dench challenges so many of them. Not only are there some hilarious anecdotes (with some big name actors), I felt much more comfortable in my own understanding of Shakespeare after. I also appreciated that she recognised that she truly disliked several of his plays; we don’t get that form many Shakespearean actors, and it highlights her true honesty. And listening to Dench speak in the audiobook only further gives proof!
This is a must-read for anyone who loves Shakespeare or the theatre.
Is Judi Dench’s Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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I listened to her on Graham Norton speak one of Shakespeare’s Sonnets with no prep time & it was beautiful! I think this book would be really interesting has she has been on stage so much! Thanks for the recommendation- adding it to my list 🙂