Judi Dench, Shakespeare and Love of Theater: An Exclusive Excerpt
With Shakespeare’s birthday only a few days away, we’re so excited to share an exclusive excerpt from Judi Dench’s book, Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent. Taking us through each Shakespeare production she’s worked on and recounting the best of backstage and beyond, Dame Judi Dench gives us even more to love about one of our favorite playwrights.
Hardcover
$28.80
$32.00
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent
By Judi Dench , Brendan O'Hea
In Stock Online
Hardcover
$28.80
$32.00
Backstage with the very witty Dame Judi Dench. Check. Raucous stories. Check. Masterclass in Shakespearean theater. Check. A total delight to read.
Backstage with the very witty Dame Judi Dench. Check. Raucous stories. Check. Masterclass in Shakespearean theater. Check. A total delight to read.
Macbeth was the reason I went into the theatre. I saw my brother Peter play King Duncan in a school production. He had to say ‘What bloody man is that?’ and I thought: My God — swearing! If this is Shakespeare this is for me.
Do you think it’s harder to play comedy than tragedy?
I think it’s all bloody hard. Yes, comedy is hard because if you get a laugh and then next night that laugh doesn’t come, you think: What have I done wrong? People are meant to laugh, and if they don’t, it’s not a comedy, is it?
When you’re in a comedy you’re usually sitting in the dressing room in floods of tears, whereas with tragedy, you’re often falling about, making jokes and laughing — as happened with Macbeth — when we did it at the Other Place. We were in a cupboard, us four girls (myself and three witches), getting ready, but the atmosphere was like a group of twelve-year-olds at school. I remember pants being thrown up and sticking on the ceiling. We all just behaved frightfully badly. But then when the show began and we came to sit on those orange boxes in that circle of chalk — you know, the froth had gone off the top of the beer, and everything became centered.
You adore this play, don’t you?
Love it. Beautifully constructed, terrific story, great part, good memories — I remember so much of it. Short, no interval, pub (Dirty Duck) heaven.