Playing Shakespeare (1982) User Reviews

Veteran actors of the RSC demonstrate how to play Shakespeare.

[Noel_Wood · 10/10 · 23 December 2002]

This is a definitive instructional video on the problems and approaches to playing Shakespeare; an invaluable tool for the student actor and an entertaining and enlightening guide for the lay person on the actor's craft.

I wish there were more videos like this one, whereby techniques are demonstrated by actors who are experienced and actually good. I have seen countless other instructional videos on acting, from audition techniques to acting for the camera, where the so-called actors featured came across as amateur and self-conscious.

Here, we have the privilege of watching seasoned film and stage actors, such as Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellan and David Suchet (among many others, and I apologize for omitting some fine actresses) show us how there are infinite ways of interpreting and acting Shakespeare's plays, as well as reminding us why they are such good actors.

Great If You're Interested in Acting, Directing or Shakespeare

[richlandwoman · 9/10 · 24 September 2005]

Incredibly informative and interesting. I especially liked the dueling Shylocks episode, in which Suchet and Stewart play the same scenes back to back and explain why they made their different choices.

Also very interesting is the episode in which each actor does a brief speech from Troilus and Cressida, then gets direction from Barton and redoes it, usually for the better.

You also learn a little about the actors as people. For instance, Patrick Stewart is a bit of a ham. Ben Kingsley is soft-spoken and quick to admit what he sees as faults in his acting style. Ian McKellen is rather teacherly, expounding at length whenever he's given the chance.

Highly recommended!

Better than class

[pageiv · 10/10 · 15 May 2002]

My Reading and Acting Shakespeare teacher played snippets of this video to help convey that Shakespeare was more than the words on the page. The presentation, though old, is fun and extremely informative. I got a kick out of seeing Ian McKellen looking young and dapper with Patrick Steward looking like he just stepped off of the bridge of the Enterprise(to quote Mary Mcfly in Back to the Future "Didnt that man ever have hair?).

To the point, I learned more watching this video than I have so far in class. All students of Shakespeare should see it.

When, oh when, will this be available on DVD?

[madjack71 · 10/10 · 11 July 2006]

I had the opportunity to see this series when I was in college. I was rehearsing a production of Julius Caesar, and my director hosted a get together at his apartment, where we watched several episodes that he had taped. Since then, I've been waiting in vain for the opportunity to watch the entire series. I have yet to find another book or documentary that equals this series as a guide either to performing Shakespeare or to acting in general. Having such high-caliber Royal Shakespeare Company talent as Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Dame Judi Dench, Patrick Stewart and David Suchet performing the Bard's work ensures that the series is highly entertaining as well as instructive.

Commercial release June 2, 2009

[jcpo · 10/10 · 29 March 2009]

After a long spell of unavailability this series will be released commercially in the US. Release date is set for 6/2/2009. The publisher is Acorn Media Group, Athena line. Retail vendors are lining up on Amazon. The selling price is about $80 US. It will also be available from Netflix. A check on Amazon UK yielded no results, but it is reasonable to expect a worldwide release.

This is an extraordinary instructional video. After its initial airing on the South Bank Show in the UK, which ended in 1984, the series was picked up by Films for the Humanities. Their intended American audience was high-end libraries who could afford the near-$1000 price for the eleven VHS tapes. One hopes that the sales provided a good revenue stream for the good folks at FFH and the artists at the RSC. Some pioneering American theater artists purchased sets as well, and their audiences were much the better for the performances they attended.

Veteran actors of the RSC demonstrate how to play Shakespeare.

[Noel_Wood · 10/10 · 23 December 2002]

This is a definitive instructional video on the problems and approaches to playing Shakespeare; an invaluable tool for the student actor and an entertaining and enlightening guide for the lay person on the actor's craft.

I wish there were more videos like this one, whereby techniques are demonstrated by actors who are experienced and actually good. I have seen countless other instructional videos on acting, from audition techniques to acting for the camera, where the so-called actors featured came across as amateur and self-conscious.

Here, we have the privilege of watching seasoned film and stage actors, such as Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellan and David Suchet (among many others, and I apologize for omitting some fine actresses).

Absolutely the Best

[murphya · 15 November 2002]

If you love Shakespeare, or acting, or any of these great actors - or if you love all of these - the series is indescribeable. Actors taking speeches, working on them, improving them.

Just great. Kingseley, Stewart, Howard, Dench, etc

Will the real Shakespeare please stand up?

[Bernie4444 · 10/10 · 14 January 2024]

The DVD box set of "Playing Shakespeare" was released on June 2, 2009. It includes 4 discs and has a total runtime of 456 minutes.

It was always said that Shakespeare was always meant to be experienced live and not through reading. But what is life? This program shows the range of variation in presentation and you get to judge for yourself what is the intention of Shakespeare and is the variety of presentation and improvement or a betrayal?

You may not come to the same conclusions as John Barton but at least you have something to think about and look for the next time you watch your favorite version.

A great side effect is seeing great actors when they were young. A school could build its class around this series.