Product Description

This manual contains ideas on everything from making masks to designing a lighting plan; from devising a street-theatre to analysing a text.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #353640 in Books
• Published on: 1996-12-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
This book is divided into seven sections covering an extremely wide range of topics. One chapter on 'Finding Work in the Theatre' includes advice on writing a CV and setting up a theatre company, as well as useful information about Equity and actors' agencies. Despite the breadth and scope of the book, some sections are very detailed and, in many ways, this is a useful practical handbook with varied suggestions as to how playtexts and theatrical theory can be actively explored by post-16 students. There are excellent chapters on devising and directing techniques. There is an eclectic selection of play extracts throughout, ranging from Everyman to Ubu Roi, and the interviews with a number of contemporary practitioners give an insight into the modern professional theatre. Commercial mainstream theatre is avoided on the whole and the emphasis is on alternative theatre, with the work of innovative companies like Graeae getting a mention. I like the way the book is highlighted with key points, hot tips and tasks for students along the way, which break up the text and make it particularly user-friendly. There is also a good sprinkling of clear diagrams and photographs. I found it very readable and shall use it as an ideas and source book. -- Sheila McAnulty, Bury College, in The Lecturer 19981001

Customer Reviews

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'Essential guide to making theatre' is fantastic. This book is crammed with useful information; it covers alot in only 287 pages, including:
-Devising techniques
-acting techniques
-movement and voice
-Directing techniques
-production techniques
-The history and development of theatre
-finding work in theatre
The book is filled with random interview with professionals in the business, hot tips and tasks to test your understanding and let you experience for yourself what you have learned. Although some of the parts of the book are a bit brief it gives further reading advice. This book is progressive and takes you through each stage of making theatre step by step and touches on some of the more unusual aspects of theatre like 'starting up your own theatre company'. This book does exactly what the title says; it is the essential guide to making theatre.