WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE?

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.