Teachers and students returning to school this month are having to get to grips with a 'new normal' of bubbles, masks, and social distancing. The constraints caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic make teaching any subject trickier – but perhaps none more so than drama. That's why director, writer and teacher Glyn Trefor-Jones has created … Continue reading ‘The training must go on!’ – Glyn Trefor-Jones on teaching drama socially distanced
Acting Books
Wrestling with Brecht: author David Zoob on why Brecht still matters
Why are Brecht's theories often so baffling? And are they any use to theatre makers today? David Zoob, author of the newly published Brecht: A Practical Handbook, explains how he was converted to Brecht, and why he still matters. Sometime in the late 80s, when I was in my mid-twenties, my theatre company was touring … Continue reading Wrestling with Brecht: author David Zoob on why Brecht still matters
‘Theatre in its purest form’: Cheryl Henson on the power of puppetry in an increasingly digital world
Puppetry is an artform with ancient roots, but contemporary applications - and the international success of shows like National Theatre hit War Horse proves that it has lost none of its magic. Here, Cheryl Henson, President of the Jim Henson Foundation, reflects on how that ‘magic’ happens, and pays tribute to director and puppeteer Mervyn … Continue reading ‘Theatre in its purest form’: Cheryl Henson on the power of puppetry in an increasingly digital world
Harriet Walter (The Nick Hern Books Anniversary Interviews)
Nick Hern Books is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary in 2018. To mark the occasion, we've commissioned interviews with some of our leading authors and playwrights. First up, theatre journalist Al Senter talks to Dame Harriet Walter... Actor Harriet Walter has enjoyed a long and distinguished career, including playing almost all of Shakespeare's heroines on the … Continue reading Harriet Walter (The Nick Hern Books Anniversary Interviews)
Understanding the Mad King: Antony Sher on rehearsing King Lear
Leading actor Antony Sher's new book Year of the Mad King: The Lear Diaries provides an intimate, first-hand account of his process researching, rehearsing and performing arguably Shakespeare's most challenging role, Lear, in the acclaimed 2016 Royal Shakespeare Company production. This extract, written during rehearsals only a few weeks before the production opened, takes us behind … Continue reading Understanding the Mad King: Antony Sher on rehearsing King Lear
Playing the Mask: John Wright on acting without bullshit
For John Wright, award-winning theatre-maker and teacher, using masks can be liberating for an actor. His new book, Playing the Mask, explores what masks do, how they do it, and, above all, what they can teach us about acting. Here, he explains how he first became interested in masks, and some surprising discoveries he made … Continue reading Playing the Mask: John Wright on acting without bullshit
Releasing your authentic voice: top voice coach Jeannette Nelson on working with actors at the National Theatre
Actors working in the theatre today face many challenges: how do you keep your voice sounding fresh and vital, day after day? How do you manage to sound natural in performance while still being audible? How do you adapt to working with radio mics? Jeannette Nelson, Head of Voice at the National Theatre, explains how … Continue reading Releasing your authentic voice: top voice coach Jeannette Nelson on working with actors at the National Theatre
‘It’s such a joyous play’: four leading actors on playing Shakespeare’s great roles
For his new book Shakespeare On Stage: Volume 2, experienced actor Julian Curry – who himself has appeared in twenty-one of Shakespeare's plays – spoke to twelve leading colleagues about their experience of participating in landmark Shakespearean productions, each recreating in detail their memorable performance in a major role. Here, read some extracts from the … Continue reading ‘It’s such a joyous play’: four leading actors on playing Shakespeare’s great roles
‘A well-kept secret’: the Feldenkrais Method and its powerful potential for actors, by Victoria Worsley
The Feldenkrais Method, named after the distinguished scientist and engineer Dr Moshe Feldenkrais, has been used by performers since being adopted by Peter Brook in the 1970s – but it is only now beginning to gain the recognition it deserves. Tapping into the deep relationship between bodily movement and our ways of thinking, feeling and … Continue reading ‘A well-kept secret’: the Feldenkrais Method and its powerful potential for actors, by Victoria Worsley
Harriet Walter on playing Shakespeare’s great roles
In her new book Brutus and Other Heroines: Playing Shakespeare's Roles for Women, acclaimed actor Harriet Walter looks back at her experiences of playing many of Shakespeare’s most famous roles – both female and male – across her varied and distinguished career. Her perceptive and intimate accounts illustrate each play as a whole, and provide … Continue reading Harriet Walter on playing Shakespeare’s great roles
The Prompt Book 