Table of Contents
Introduction
Preface
Part One: For
Actors in Training: Acting Shakespeare
Chapter 1: Common
Understandings
Emphasis
in Actor Training
The
Realistic Actor
The Classical Actor
The
Film Actor
Are
These Skills Difficult to Learn?
Know
Thyself
Identifying
Common Mistakes
The
Big "Character" Mistake
What
Goes Wrong?
Why
the British Seem Better at This
Two
Approaches to Training
Better
Training
What
Are the Special Skills?
What
About Meaning?
What
If These Skills Are Too Difficult?
To
Summarize
Chapter 2: The Basic Skill Set for
Working with Heightened Language
Ten Basic Skills
Required
Text
What
is Blank Verse?
What
is a Regular Blank Verse Line?
What
Are Feminine Endings and Elision?
What
is a Short or Shared Line?
What
is a Rhymed Couplet?
What
Are Scansion and Stresses?
How
Do I Select the Breathing Points?
What
is a Caesura?
Text
Study Seems Academic: Does It Matter?
Chapter 3: Scansion, Phrasing, and Caesura
Scansion
Phrasing
The
Caesura
Chapter 4: Support the Line and Thought
Kick
That Box!
Exercises
for Kicking the Box
More
Values From Kicking the Box
Supporting
Realistic Dialogue
Chapter 5: Practice the Breathing Skill
You've
Got to Breathe!
Chapter 6: Practice the Speaking Skill
Say
What You Think When You Think It
Working
with Subtext
Achieve
your Objective
Chapter 7: Working with Structure and Rhythm
Speech
Structure
Breaking
the Rhythm
Chapter 8: Practice Identifying Antithesis
Antithesis:
The Actor's Friend
Chapter 9: Text Analysis
Chapter 10: Love the Imagery
Part Two: A Demonstration of Teaching and Learning Skills
Chapter 11: Session One
Selecting monologues and sonnets
The OED Questions and answers
Subtext
Verse or realism
Shakespeare's limited appeal
Rhythm of blank verse
Chapter 12: Session Two
Blank verse structure
Creating blank verse
Irregular feet
Scansion
Elision
Feminine endings
Trochees
Selecting monologues
Chapter 13: Session Three
End of line support
Caesuras
Use the diaphragm
Kick the box
Chapter 14: Session Four
Review
Using the skills in realise
Lines that are questions
Phrasing
Phrases within phrases
Punctuation marks
Next assignment
Selecting sonnets
Scanning difficult lines
Short lines
More on the OED
Chapter 15: Session Five
Breathing
Lowering the voice
More scanning of difficult lines
First breathing exercise
Chapter 16: Session Six
Breathing work
Second breathing exercise
Third breathing exercise
Chapter 17: Session Seven
Circling phrases
Phrasing exercise
Impulse to speak
Supporting the end of the phrase
Combining breathing and phrasing exercises
Questions on "character"
Combining more skills
Subtext
Playing what the role requires
Subtext exercise
Imposing "attitudes"
Chapter 18: Session Eight
Review of skills
First application of skills to monologues
Technique for giving notes
Exposing weaknesses
Problems from realistic actor training
Chapter 19: Session Nine
Checking more monologues for skills
Descriptive words
More on OED
Enhancing the verbs
Acting difficult or unclear words
Structure of a sonnet
Structure of a monologue
Breaking the meter, trochees
Chapter 20: Session Ten
Antithesis
Chapter 21: Session Eleven
Running the monologues
Checking word definitions
Transitions
Breaking the "attitude" habit
Chapter 22: Session Twelve
Listening to ourselves
Questions about the plays
Summary list of skills
Short lines
Text analysis
Checking scholarly sources
"Natural talent"
Chapter 23: Session Thirteen
Running the monologues
Applying structure and text analysis
Chapter 24: Session Fourteen
Imagery
Imagery exercise
Chapter 25: Session Fifteen
Imagery exercises
Chapter 26: Session Sixteen
Imagery exercise
Falling behind
Actor questions
Finding the images in text
Intentions and actions
Active and passive choices
Chapter 27: Session Seventeen
Character
The actor's job
Being specific
Defining character intentions
More enhancing verbs
Active intentions
Using the skills unconsciously
More listening to ourselves
Becoming natural
Chapter 28: Session Eighteen
Knowing your character
Character questions
More listening to ourselves
Physicalization
Chapter 29: Session Nineteen
Achieving your intention
Loving your words
Adding a monologue partner
Blocking suggestions
Actor reactions to partners
Rhetorical questions
Prepare for performance
Chapter 30: Session Twenty - The Final Session
Performance
Summary
Actor comments about the workshop
Part Three: For
Secondary Schools: Reading Shakespeare Aloud
Chapter 31: Reading
Shakespeare Aloud
Preparation
Four
Simple Skills
More
Advanced Study
Chapter 32: Worksheets
Skill
Worksheet #1: Support the Final Word of Each Line ("Kick the Box")
Skill
Worksheet #2: Scansion—Emphasize the Stressed Words or Syllables
Skill
Worksheet #3: Phrasing—Separate the Thoughts
Skill
Worksheet #4: Breathe Only at the Punctuation Marks
More
Advanced Study Worksheets
Skill
Worksheet #5: Antithesis
Skill
Worksheet #6: Elision
Chapter 33: Scenes and Monologues
Part Four:
For Professional Actors and Coaches: The One-Day Brush Up
Chapter 34:
The Morning Session
Early
Character Choices
Four
Basic Skills
First
New Skill: Scansion
First
Usual Problem: Scansion is Irregular
Second
Usual Problem: Too Many Syllables
Second
New Skill: Break It Up
Chapter 35: The Afternoon Session
Antithesis
Phrasing
Exercise
Chapter 36: The Evening Session
Third
New Skill: Kick the Box
The Kick-Box Exercise
Revisiting
a Familiar Skill: Breathe!
Character
Part Five: Resources
Chapter 37: More Exercises
Chapter 38: Bibliography
Selected
Video and Film Performances
Books
for Further Study
Books
on Acting Shakespeare
Books
on Acting Realism
Chapter 39: Glossary of Terms
Index
About the Author
I
will arm me, being thus forewarned.
HENRY
THE SIXTH, PART 3, IV, i