What Country, Friends, Is This?

Directing Shakespeare with Young Performers

Max Hafler

$31.99

Paperback

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English

Nick Hern Books
05 August 2021

Theatre Studies; Theatre direction & production

A highly practical, comprehensive guide to exploring Shakespeare with young people – ideal for directors, youth theatre leaders, workshop facilitators and teachers.

Experienced teacher, actor and director Max Hafler tackles the myths that Shakespeare's work is like a foreign country, not for the faint-hearted, or only for a privileged few. In this book, he shows how you can embrace the challenges of doing Shakespeare with young people, and make the plays accessible and exciting for all.

Beginning with a series of workshops that introduce the skills and principles of voice and acting, he sets out, step by step, how to use devising, develop short scenes, explore soliloquies, and unlock the themes, characters, stories and language of the plays.

The holistic approach includes dozens of exercises – many inspired by Michael Chekhov's innovative technique – which will help young actors explore their voice, imagination and body, and lead to performances that are richer, focused and more fulfilling.

There is also useful advice on preparing for a production, editing and transposing the text, rehearsing scenes, and fostering an ensemble. Above all, this book will equip you to engage and empower young people, and to help them discover for themselves the joy of working with Shakespeare.

Praise for Max Hafler's Teaching Voice: Workshops for Young Performers:

'A useful book for teachers, youth theatre leaders, facilitators and indeed anyone who works with young people… plenty of exercises, warm-ups and advice about how to use the techniques in the rehearsal room' The Stage

'Through years of experience, Hafler has developed a great understanding of what can work with teenagers and shares it generously with those who work in the field' Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama)

'It is clear that the original, imaginative and fun exercises that are found within this book have been thoughtfully put together by someone who has a wealth of experience in his field and that each session has been successfully tried and tested with his own students' Drama Magazine

'A must-own… full of exercises and advice to explore' Teaching Drama

'There are some real nuggets of good practice here… the book is laid out clearly, making it easy to find ideas and techniques that are well explained… It is very clear that Max Hafler knows his stuff and he writes with a confidence that makes the reader feel that these ideas are worth trying'

— Drama & Theatre Magazine

'This book makes you want to get up and do what it describes while you are reading it… it's suitable for session leaders who haven't tackled this kind of work before, but there is plenty of useful information and advice for more experienced teachers and directors as well… I will certainly be going back to it'

— British Theatre Guide

By: Max Hafler
Imprint: Nick Hern Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781848428034
ISBN 10: 1848428030
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 05 August 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Max Hafler is a teacher, director, deviser, writer and lecturer, who trained and worked as a professional actor for many years. He was a resident voice teacher at Galway Youth Theatre for twelve years and taught voice in youth theatres all over Ireland for the National Association of Youth Drama. He has taught ensemble and directed productions including many notable young people's productions. A successful playwright and adapter, he has written several plays for young people, including Alien Nation, Battle Stations and This Means War! He teaches Voice and Chekhov Technique on the BA and MA programmes at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He has worked in many applied drama areas with disability groups, with medical students, business students, schoolteachers and lecturers, giving him a full understanding of the issues that are faced by a facilitator when working within a particular group. He is the author of Teaching Voice: Workshops for Young Performers and What Country, Friends, Is This?: Directing Shakespeare with Young Performers, both published by Nick Hern Books. He discusses his work extensively in his blog: www.maxhafler.wordpress.com.

Reviews for What Country, Friends, Is This?: Directing Shakespeare with Young Performers

'There are some real nuggets of good practice here… the book is laid out clearly, making it easy to find ideas and techniques that are well explained… It is very clear that Max Hafler knows his stuff and he writes with a confidence that makes the reader feel that these ideas are worth trying' * Drama & Theatre Magazine * 'This book makes you want to get up and do what it describes while you are reading it… it's suitable for session leaders who haven't tackled this kind of work before, but there is plenty of useful information and advice for more experienced teachers and directors as well… I will certainly be going back to it' * British Theatre Guide * 'A very practical book which will be an inspiring influence on teachers of Shakespeare for young people' * Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama) *