San Antonio College Library

"Writing for a small troupe of men and boys who performed on an almost bare stage, William Shakespeare dramatized an unparalleled range of stories and emotion through his wizardry with words, his uncanny knowledge of the human spirit, and his genius for maximizing the talents of his actors. Working under conditions that today we would consider primitive, he made himself into a supreme playwright." "By concentrating on a dozen of his best-known plays...

"Shakespeare and the History of Soliloquies provides the first systemic and comprehensive account of the conventions governing soliloquies in Western drama from antiquity to the twentieth century. Avoiding anachronistic assumptions that have marred earlier commentaries on soliloquies, the present study is based on a painstaking analysis of the actual practices of dramatists from each age of theatrical history. This investigation has uncovered evidence...

A comprehensive treatment of Shakespeare's plays in clear prose, The Practical Shakespeare: The Plays in Practice and on the Page illuminates for a general audience how and why the plays work so well. Noting in detail the practical and physical limitations the Bard faced as he worked out the logistics of his plays, Colin Butler demonstrates how Shakespeare incorporated and exploited those limitations to his advantage: his management of entrances and...

Addresses the challenge faced by Shakespearan actors to deliver his words as they were intended as well as in an understandable and dramatically effective manner, offering advice on dramatic resonance, breathing, and placement.