SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

A five-part educational series in which Cicely Berry and Andrew Wade from the Royal Shakespeare Company conduct workshops on verse and speech training. The twenty actors are drawn from the United States and the United Kingdom and they meet in New York to explore the structure, imagery, meaning and power of Shakespeare’s language. Jeremy Irons introduces each part and describes its educational themes and instructional purpose. Individual titles are: 1: Muscularity of Language: Motion and Rhythm. 2: Speech Structures: Subtext and Hidden Landscapes. 3: Shared Rhythms and Collective Music. 4: Story telling. 5: The Preparation Workshop: Voice Exercises as a Routine for Vocal Preparation for Performance.

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Video

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Year of release

2006

Duration

433 mins

Credits

Director

Tom Todoroff

Contributor

Andrew Wade; Blythe Danner; Cathy Tyson; Cherry Jones; Cicely Berry; Claire Danes; Diane Venora; Emily Watson; Helen Hunt; Jeremy Irons; Kate Burton; Lenny James; Lindsay Duncan; Lolita Davidovich; Paul Jesson; Robert Sean Leonard; Samuel L. Jackson; Toby Stephens; Trellis Stepter; Victor Garber

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Subjects

Drama; Shakespeare

Keywords

acting techniques; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); sonnets; Verse speaking; Workshops

Notes

Notes

The five-DVD set includes two workbooks that break down and expand on the subjects covered on screen. Cicely Berry’s 128-page Teacher’s Companion describes the mechanics of each performance exercise and discusses the pedagogical intention and instructional outcome of each. Texts are supplied on screen by Working Arts Library as well as in Cicely Berry’s training manual.

Be aware of advertising on some websites which states ‘Working Shakespeare Video Library’ but only offer part I, MUSCULARITY OF LANGUAGE: MOTION AND RHYTHM.

Production Company

Name

Working Arts Library

Email

shakespeare@aol.com

Web

http://ww.workingartsvideo.com External site opens in new window

Phone

+1 212 575 9265

Address

19 W. 21st Street
Suite 201
New York City 10010
USA

Archive

Name

Folger Shakespeare Library

Email

reference@folger.edu

Web

http://www.folger.edu External site opens in new window

Phone

(202) 544 4600

Fax

(202) 544 4623

Address

201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington
DC 20003
USA

Distributor

Name

Quantum Leap

Notes

The company ceased trading in 2018. It was previously a distributor and online retailer specialising in non-fiction DVD titles on a wide variety of subjects, particularly in the areas of music instruction, music performance, sport instruction, and health. Some titles also available through retail outlets.