As his fascinating new play 55 Days opens at Hampstead Theatre, starring Mark Gatiss as King Charles I and Douglas Henshall as Oliver Cromwell, playwright Howard Brenton provides an insight into the pivotal, tumultuous historical background to the drama, and the men who embodied it... A LOST HISTORY Recently I met a Frenchman in London … Continue reading Howard Brenton: A forgotten revolution – the historical context to 55 Days
Sandi Toksvig: Why I Wrote Bully Boy
As her play, Bully Boy, opens at the all-new St. James Theatre in London, Sandi Toksvig explains how her own sense of rage led her to write about the impact of a contemporary military occupation on the mental health of serving soldiers... For someone who thinks of themselves as a pacifist I have written a … Continue reading Sandi Toksvig: Why I Wrote Bully Boy
‘You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught’: Engineering the Future of British Musicals
With homegrown musicals such as Matilda and London Road wowing audiences and critics alike, some are saying it's a golden age for British musicals. But any creative industry needs to invest in training for the future, and Britain lags well behind the United States in opportunities for budding writers of musicals to learn their craft. … Continue reading ‘You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught’: Engineering the Future of British Musicals
Overcoming artistic ‘burnout’ by Russ Hope
Forging a career in theatre directing is no mean feat, and for every director who reaches the peaks of success, there are many burnt-out casualties littered along the roadside. In an aim to avoid his own creative burnout, Russ Hope shadowed eight of the UK’s most exciting young theatre directors, with unprecedented access to that … Continue reading Overcoming artistic ‘burnout’ by Russ Hope
Birth of the ‘Rules’ by Andy Nyman
Andy Nyman's The Golden Rules of Acting offers real-world advice on how to be an actor - written by a working actor with over 25 years’ experience. In irresistible pocket-sized paperback, packed with short, punchy bulletpoints and illustrated in colour throughout - it certainly gets the message across in a totally memorable way. In the … Continue reading Birth of the ‘Rules’ by Andy Nyman
I Am Shakespeare: by Mark Rylance
As actor Mark Rylance returns to Shakespeare’s Globe to play the title part in Richard III and Olivia in Twelfth Night, he reveals how his interest in the controversial Shakespeare authorship debate – the subject of his first play I Am Shakespeare, published this month by Nick Hern Books – led to the charge that … Continue reading I Am Shakespeare: by Mark Rylance
The ‘X Factor’ Actor
John Abbott has enjoyed a varied career in theatre - as an actor, director, educator (namely, Head of Acting at ArtsEd) and author. He has written three books for NHB on theatre, and his latest - The Acting Book - is published this month. John identifies charisma as one of the most important attributes for … Continue reading The ‘X Factor’ Actor
‘So tyrannous and rough in proof!’: Shakespeare and typos. By Nick de Somogyi.
Why didn't Shakespeare concern himself with the many inaccuracies in the printed editions of his works? Nick de Somogyi, editor of the Shakespeare Folios Series, hunts for clues and looks at the lasting consequences, as his new book Shakespeare on Theatre, a unique collection of Shakespeare's every reflection on the theatre, is published. In the … Continue reading ‘So tyrannous and rough in proof!’: Shakespeare and typos. By Nick de Somogyi.
The Hound of the Baskervilles: the Peepolykus version
You don't need an actual hellhound or a bucket of phosphorus to stage the Peepolykus version of Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles - the rib-tickling spoof, full of the company's trademark verbal and visual ingenuity, seen on national tour and in the West End. But, as co-adapter, Steven Canny explains, there's plenty of scope … Continue reading The Hound of the Baskervilles: the Peepolykus version
Michael Pennington on his new book, SWEET WILLIAM: Twenty Thousand Hours with Shakespeare
Renowned actor and author Michael Pennington introduces his new book on Shakespeare, Sweet William, based on his solo show of the same name. Read on, and you'll find an exclusive extract from the book, that may whet your appetite for more... This morning the snow is six inches deep and as I live at the … Continue reading Michael Pennington on his new book, SWEET WILLIAM: Twenty Thousand Hours with Shakespeare
The Prompt Book 