April 2012
Here are some acting resources which have been added to stock. Please feel free to add a comment or review and if you have any further suggestions for new stock please do let the LRC know.
Split Britches: lesbian practice/feminist performance, edited by Sue-Ellen Case – the Split Britches theatre company have led the way in innovative and challenging lesbian performance for the last decade. This book is a long-awaited celebration of the theatre and writing of Lois Weaver, Peggy Shaw and Deborah Margolin, who make up this outstanding troupe. The book’s unique anthology comes complete with seven of their best-loved performance texts; a critical, historical introduction; program notes; and a range of stunning performance photographs.
Dialects for the stage, by Evangeline Machlin – dialect work is one of the actor’s most challenging tasks. Need to know a Russian accent? Playing a German countess or a Midwestern farmhand? These and more accents (from Yiddish to French Canadian) are clearly explained in this classic work. Now available in a book-and-CD format, this is based on a method of dialect acquisition developed during the author’s years working with students. During the author’s long career, she has trained such actors as Steve McQueen, Lee Grant, Suzanne Pleshette, Joanne Woodward, and Faye Dunaway.
Theatre and sexuality, by Jill Dolan – Why is it useful to look at theatre and performance through the lens of sexual identity? How has commercial theatre embraced gay and lesbian work? This book introduces critical methods and artistic practices that link drama, theatre, and performance with minority sexualities in both the USA and the UK. It narrates a select history of LGBTQ theatre from the early twentieth century to the present. Including an extended reading of Split Britches/Bloolip’s production Belle Reprieve, the book offers clear analysis, as well as a celebration, of LGBTQ performance.
Puppetry: a reader in theatre practice, by Penny Francis – in this sophisticated and compelling introduction to puppet theatre, the author offers engaging contemporary perspectives on this craft. She provides an account of puppetry’s different facets, from its demands and techniques, through its uses and abuses, to its history and philosophy. Now recognized as a valuable and powerful medium used in the making of most forms of theatre and filmed work, those referring to this book will discover something of the roots, dramaturgy, literature and techniques of this visual art form. The book gathers together material from an international selection of sources, bringing puppet theatre to life for the student, practitioner and amateur alike.
Deep heat: encounters with the famous, the infamous and the unknown, by Robin Soans – the verbatim monologues in this book are drawn from conversations the author has had or overheard, or are edited versions of interviews he has conducted in the course of research for his plays. Subjects range from people who have held high office to those who have blown them up; from those who live in large country houses to others whose home is two blankets and a pile of leaves in the corner of a disused garage. So much of what is passed on as historical fact is the version of events that those with an ulterior motive choose to project. This book doesn’t seek to judge, nor provide solutions; it seeks to redress the balance by giving a fair hearing even to those who may not share the same views as ours.
How to direct a play: a masterclass in comedy, tragedy, farce, Shakespeare, new plays, opera, musicals, by Braham Murray – this practical handbook takes us on a step by step journey from pre-production through the rehearsal process, followed by focused advice on each genre from comedy to tragedy, Shakespeare to new plays and musicals. Special chapters offer strategies for dealing with difficult actors, working with producers and taking on the job of an Artistic Director. An indispensable guide to a director’s craft, packed full of advice and peppered with priceless anecdotes about the highs and the lows of a lifetime’s work in the theatre.
Audition speeches for women, by Jean Marlow – choosing the right audition speech can be daunting. Interesting and fresh speeches are needed for examinations, applying for drama schools and even auditioning for parts in television and theatre. In this book, the author presents a generous selection of speeches of all types, classic and contemporary. Many of the speeches are drawn from recent plays or from well-known films. In addition there is helpful advice from directors, actors and teachers.
Truth in comedy: the manual of improvisation, by Charna Hapern, Del Close and Kim “Howard” Johnson – The ‘Harold’, an innovative improvisational tool, helped many actors on the road to TV and film stardom. It is fully described in this new book for would-be actors and comics. The ‘Harold’ is a form of competitive improv involving 6 or 7 players. They take a theme suggestion from the audience and ‘free associate’ on the theme into a series of rapid-fire one-liners that build into totally unpredictable skits with hilarious results. The ‘Harold’ is a fun way to ‘loosen up’ and learn to think quickly, build continuity, develop characterisations and sharpen humour.
