by Ted van Griethuysen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 10, 2019
Passionately argued but lacking attention to detail and the conclusion the book deserves.
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A revealing if idiosyncratic debut study of the Bard by an actor who has played Shakespeare’s characters—including Hamlet, Romeo, and King Lear—from coast to coast and overseas.
Who is Shakespeare? The answer involves “great uncertainty,” van Griethuysen declares. So it’s better to ask “What is Shakespeare?” with the aim of interpreting “the plays themselves.” His response to the question has a provocatively robust actorly bias. Van Griethuysen places an emphasis on Shakespeare as an “auditory experience”: “always the ear must come first and that, of course, means that Shakespeare is meant for actors, skilled actors.” Influenced by Aesthetic Realism founder Eli Siegel, the author goes on to suggest that Shakespeare is “true poetry,” which he defines as “more honest language than that to which we are accustomed in our everyday lives.” The author draws on his personal experiences of performance and his understanding of specific characters, such as Shylock and Falstaff, along with questions of directorial interpretation and costume, to develop his argument. His writing style is forthright and thought-provoking, demonstrating how a lifetime of treading the boards has shaped his understanding of Shakespeare: “Doing Lear, with five performances on the weekend, I knew intimately that the author of the play knew how to construct it so that the actor who was Lear would have time for rest when he needed it.” This reads as valuable insider knowledge, offering a refreshing divergence from typical academic writing. However, the study is not without its flaws. This comparatively short work is heavily padded with long excerpts from Shakespeare, on one occasion including an entire scene unnecessarily. The arc of the thesis is also incomplete, as van Griethuysen makes insufficient effort to provide a conclusion that sums up or ties together his various ideas. The text would also have benefitted from a more thorough copy edit—apart from its occasionally untidy punctuation, the book incorrectly refers to Jaques, one of Duke Senior’s Arden exiles in As You Like It as “Jacques.” For fans of van Griethuysen and those wishing to understand Shakespeare from a seasoned actor’s perspective, this will prove an insightful read, excusing some obvious missteps.
Passionately argued but lacking attention to detail and the conclusion the book deserves.Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5255-6078-1
Page Count: 182
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Feb. 11, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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