A Practical Guide for Actors, Directors, Students and Teachers
An Arden Performance Companion
Classical Rhetoric, the art of persuasion, formed the sum and substance of Shakespeare's education and was the basis of his understanding of the power of language and how it worked to move, delight and teach. Rhetoric, which seeks to explain the way that language works to influence others, provides a powerful, transformative tool for approaching text in performance. This book helps you understand the key concepts of rhetoric. It gives clear explanations, stripped of jargon, and examples of rhetorical technique in the plays. It also provides engaging, practical exercises to unlock character and to identify themes in the plays through the lens of rhetoric. Academically rigorous, based on more than a decade of practical experience in the use of rhetoric in drama at the highest level, it is an ideal companion for anyone engaging with Shakespeare in performance.
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What People Are Saying
A vital aid for all modern students of Shakespeare
"Shakespearean Rhetoric will greatly aid anybody who needs a text illuminating in order to decipher character - not only in Shakespeare's works, but in most classic, European texts that students will be asked to study or perform. Acting Shakespeare is made easier with the guidelines of rhetorical techniques discussed and concisely demonstrated in Benet Brandreth's book. Unlocking a character through their chosen rhetorical techniques is explained in simple terms and shown to work in practice. A vital aid for all modern students of Shakespeare - with a concise grounding in English grammar thrown in for good measure."
— Paterson Joseph, Actor
Could have a profound impact
"Benet's passion, knowledge and curiosity is contagious, and his ability to clearly transmit the origins and influences of Shakespeare's imagination to performance and artistic process could have a profound impact on both the individual actor and classical technique as a whole."
— Edward Bennett, Actor
A clear and new way of breaking down Shakespeare’s speeches
"Although actors may have studied a range of acting methods, it’s unlikely that they will have encountered the kind of book that teaches them how to break down an argument. Arguably, that’s because such a book didn’t exist until now… This book provides a clear and new way of breaking down Shakespeare’s speeches and scenes and, through that, a fresh encounter with his plays. "
— Josie Rourke, Director (from the Foreword)