Book review: A Beginner’s Guide to Acting Methods/Directing Theatre

As I continue to learn more about the mechanics of theatre (how can I review actors and directors and their work if I don’t know about the nuts and bolts behind the scenes?) I find myself drawn to Methuen Drama’s ‘Beginner’s Guide’ series.

I was very happy to have the opportunity to review two new titles in the series, Directing Theatre by Robert Marsden and Acting Methods by Kim Shire.

Acting methods

Let’s look at the acting book first. As you might expect this goes through the history of the methodology of acting, with suggestions for exploring each in your own practice.

Going all the way back to Thespis, through Stanislavski, Chekhov, Brecht, Lecoq and many others, this interesting and indispensable book doesn’t suggest any method is the right one.

In each case, the method is described with discussion prompts and a ‘tools for your toolbox’ section of exercises and activities.

I found the book a fascinating read and with thirty practitioners described in depth, any actor will surely find a way of working that clicks for them.

Each of these iconic people have left their mark on modern acting, collectively bringing techniques and ideas to the table any performer can choose to explore.

Author Kim Shire is a teacher, acting professor and director based in the USA. Her writing demystifies terminology and  methodology across a range of acting styles.

Directing theatre

The Directing Theatre guide isn’t as large and wide ranging, but I found its approach to creating a show in four stages very useful, the fourth and final stages offering a checklist of show effectiveness that critics might find of interest.

The book is split into three sections: an introduction delves into the ‘what’ of directing and why it is needed (or not); the stages of directing give a road map of how to approach it; and the final section offers interviews with four leading directors.

Author Robert Marsden is a theatre director with wide-ranging experience. He is also an academic and author who previously published Inside The Rehearsal Room for Methuen.

Both books are pitched at the general reader while understanding the complexities and requirements of the creative arts. I will certainly go back to both for further insight.

You can now purchase both books in the Beginner’s Guide series.

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/beginners-guide-to-acting-methods-9781350434158/

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/beginners-guide-to-directing-theatre-9781350370517/