Speak the Speech!: Shakespeare's Monologues Illuminated

The most comprehensive sourcebook of Shakespeare's monologues ever available in one volume.

A detailed guide to approaching Shakespearean text, Speak the Speech contains everything an actor needs to select and prepare a Shakespeare monologue for classwork, auditions, or performance.

Included herein are over 150 monologues. Each one is placed in context with a brief introduction, is carefully punctuated in the manner that best illustrates its meaning, and is painstakingly and thoroughly annotated. Each is also accompanied by commentary that will spark the actor's imagination by exploring how the interrelationship of meter and the choice of words and sounds yields clues to character and performance. And throughout the book sidebars relate historical, topical, technical, and other useful and entertaining information relevant to the text. In addition, the authors include an overview of poetic and rhetorical elements, brief synopses of all the plays, and a comprehensive index along with other guidelines that will help readers locate the perfect monologue for their needs.

More than just an actor's toolkit, Speak the Speech is also an entertaining resource that will help demystify Shakespeare's language for the student and theater lover alike.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: 09/18/2002
ISBN: 9780571211227
Pages: 1092
Weight: 2.65lbs
Size: 9.20h x 7.00w x 1.90d

Review Citations: PW Notes and Reprints 06/03/2002 pg. 84
Library Journal 06/01/2002 pg. 148
Choice 03/01/2003 pg. 1189
Publishers Weekly 06/03/2002