5 comments about Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Made Easy).

1. I have my degree in English... I like reading and teaching with this version as "help" not as a substitution. It gives a clearer understanding to Shakespeare for people who have difficulty with it.



2. "Twelfth Night" is built upon the reliable comedic premise of mistaken identity. We begin with a shipwreck and a twin brother and sister, Sebastian and Viola, each of whom believes that the other has died at sea. Viola disguises herself as a boy and, assuming the name of Cesario, gets a job as a page for Orsino, the duke of Illyria, with whom she is in love. Orsino, however, is in love with a lofty young countess named Olivia, who has no interest in him and furthermore is mourning her own brother's recent death. Orsino dispatches Cesario/Viola to relay his amorous entreaties to Olivia, hoping that Cesario's youth may make him a more appealing messenger and soften her heart; but, wouldn't you know, Olivia becomes attracted to Cesario instead.
   
   Meanwhile, Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch, a knavish and idle aristocrat, is distressed by his niece's apparent desire to remain unmarried and tries to prepare his protege, the dimwitted but affable Sir Andrew Aguecheek, as a suitor. As part of a secondary plot, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew cooperate with Olivia's maid, Maria, to play a practical joke on Olivia's steward Malvolio, a humorless stuffed shirt whose conceit has finally piqued them all, by forging a letter that leads him to believe that his beautiful employer is in love with him. The ruse pays off, and Malvolio is imprisoned for madness after satisfactorily making a spectacle of himself in front of Olivia. Rounding out this retinue of clowns is Olivia's jester, named Feste, who, like King Lear's fool, seems to know more about the people around him than they know about themselves.
   
   "Twelfth Night" is not just a comedy but, as the title indicates, a festive play in which songs and holiday spirit figure into the mood, providing a relaxed and joyous atmosphere in which the audience may feel privy to an elaborate jest. Certainly the plot is predictable, but its predictability is part of what makes it truly funny. We all (Shakespeare not the least of us) know how absurd it is that Viola disguised as a boy would look and sound so exactly like her twin brother as to make the two indistinguishable to the other characters in the play, but this is the indispensible device that holds the comedy together. Pretending to be someone or something you are not is the essence of the act, the idea encapsulated in "Twelfth Night" and expressed by Feste's sarcastic riposte to Sebastian, "Nothing that is so, is so."



3. After reading Twelfth Night, I realized that I have never read a better Shakespearean work. Not only does this have signs of comical mischef, but it has so many deeper meanings as well. The first deep message that I uncovered was the fact of gender confusion. Viola, using the power of a man to her advantage, begs the question to whether or not she is struggling with issues of gender identity. Her conversation even begs the question much futher, and by the end of the play leaves the reader with so many questions....This was a wonderful read, and quite possibly one of Shakespeare's best works.



4. Of all Shakespheare's plays I've read so far, I like Twelfth Night the best. I read it so many times I even lost my dependence on the modern language translation and I could read the Elizabethan language with the right conversational rhythm, losing all the awkwardness. I particularly liked the role of the snobby servant Malvolio, who tries to move up to the level of his Countess Olivia and leave his other "inferiors" behind. There is a couple of elaborate pranks being played upon characters in the play, in which Malvolio becomes one of the victims. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria are the comic "team" that set these pranks in motion, all with amusing results. I just like the playfulness of these characters and their continual search for fun.

   The main plot of the play is little less interesting involving the old disguised, mistaken, or confused identity ploy that Shakespheare uses from time to time. This time out a woman named Viola is a character pretending to be a man who is sent to woo Countess Olivia for Duke Orsino. She has a brother that looks just like her, especially now since she is dressed like a man. Identity confusion ensues. Also the pranks of the subplot mesh with the main plot for an amusing end.




5. I liked the play. It was pretty interesting. Shakespeare writes in the most beautiful language I know. Even though I did not understand everything, I really enjoyed reading it.
   However I think the end is a little bit too facile. I do not like love stories with such easy happy endings. I suppose the play should have been a little bit longer so that Orsino could have had enough time to fall in love with Viola. This just went on too fast. Maybe it is the way men are. But well, such is life...

2 comments about Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement.

1. The book was fine. It was for Wayne State University's DNC 1000 course. I found the book to be easy reading and informative. It gives you insight on different dance forms from around the world and gives you a fuller appreciation of dance as an art. :-)
   Thanks Amazon!



2. Product was purchased known to be used, and was in excellent shape except for one tiny minute crease on the cover's bottom corner, which I accepted ahead of time by knowing the product was not new. You would never have known it was used otherwise. Had I expected perfection, I would have purchased a new copy. The product was well worth the price.

2 comments about Mind Magic: Extraordinary Tricks to Mystify, Baffle and Entertain.

1. No what I expected. Was looking for a lot more. Not a lot of info.



2. I do a couple of tricks from the book. It teaches you a little about some of the fundamental aspects of magic, but the setting and situational instruction is kind of corny. I liked the street magic books a lot better.

2 comments about Henry V (Folger Shakespeare Library).

1. This version of Henry V is helpful because of the corresponding notes on the opposite page.



2. The good folks at the Folger have done a great service to all readers who have ever said, "You know, I think I would like Shakespeare better if I didn't have to contend with all those footnotes." The Folger editions have a page of the play's text on the right, while the footnotes and other applicable explanatory information are on the left hand page. I don't know exactly why that makes it easier to read and digest, but it does. Taking your eye across the page to find the footnotes is much easier and less disruptive than having to go up and down the page.
   
   I have read a couple of these editions now, and reading Shakespeare is getting easier all the time. I give some credit to the essays that begin each book, which explains some of the quirks of Shakespeare's language. The essays are basically the same from play to play, but the specific examples in the essays are taken from whatever play is featured in that particular book. Make sure to read one in detail, but you can probably skim them when you read subsequent plays.
   
   I also have to give a lot of credit to Kenneth Branaugh. After several viewings of his excellent productions, with their beautiful but nearly conversational tone, I have begun to grasp the rhythms and flow of Shakespeare's dialog. I also highly recommend Branaugh's film version of Henry V, if you want to read it and see it.

5 comments about At Play: Teaching Teenagers Theater.

1. I've been teaching theatre for over 10 years now. This book is the one book that I carry with me to all of my classes. It is a great reference, not only with teaching theatre games, but in creating an ensemble, dealing with teenager issues, and creating theatre that is meaningful and powerful. It is the best investment I've made in a while, and I've been recommending it to everyone.



2. Since buying At Play: Teaching Teenagers Theater, I find I am using it a good deal in my lesson planning. From this book, I get ideas for adapting Viola Spolin-type drama games in ways that appeal to older students. Like Spolin, Elizabeth Swados introduces drama skills incrementally, isolating non-verbal games from verbal ones at first, so that students gain skills and confidence gradually and are not overwhelmed by their creative tasks. Although Swados's game instructions may be a little sparse for beginning drama teachers, she provides excellent examples, and employs a very common-sense methodology for introducing students to drama. The book is an excellent extension to other sources which provide detailed instructions for popular drama and improvisation games.



3. I looked at a lot of reviews before purchasing this book, and along with this book I also bought Gavin Levy's 112 Acting Games. I liked this book the best of the two (though both have strengths). I liked this book for two reasons. First I liked the clear explanations that came with the activities, including a little about the "aim" of the activity. Secondly, and more importantly, I liked the activities themselves. They seemed more mature than the activities in 112 Acting Games, and since I work with university ESL students, this was better for me. In the end, I think many of these activities have a nice depth and meaning to them that was clear to me. I would highly recommend this book for teachers working with junior/senior high school students or university esl students. Very nice book.



4. I help run a small theater group at my kid's middle school. I don't have any acting background, but wanted the kids to be able to do a play and get more direction than "talk lounder!". This book has a lot of exercises and games to do with the kids to get them thinking about timing, expression and movement and voice. Be warned to read before doing this with the kids, since it also explores much larger, more serious topics(prejudice, sex, drugs). However, there is PLENTY of stuff that kids can do at a younger age.



5. 
   
   Beginning with her personal experiences and attraction to the world of the theater, Swados bridges the gap of her own life with the common experiences of a group of youngsters as they create their own musical theater piece about the dangerous world they inhabit and the small redemptions of daily life as they accomplish their goals. Specifically structured, the exercises begin with personal experiences and expand to include the group as a whole, each phase furthering the creative community: direction, voice, movement, characters, improvisation, discussion, time, space, music and choreography, the conclusion, their own show.
   
   This very accessible handbook is directed toward a specific audience, young people from twelve to the early twenties, ages mixed for maximum benefit from the experience. From middle and high school, young people can perform these exercises before their peers at public and private schools and local community centers, all directed toward channeling creative energy in a positive manner, the resulting performance a theatrical experience for the students involved. All of the categories outlined lend to the expansion of students' awareness, but a teacher/reader can improvise as necessary to accommodate his group for a performance outside of school, inside school, as a training ground for young actors in a dramatic school or community environment, even as exercises for a limited class time.
   
   In the context of the theater, mentoring focuses on the sense of family created by mutual experience, a spirit of togetherness that may yield lifelong friendships and artistic collaborations. This hands-on guide to theatrical performance is practical and effective; if followed, it will enrich the lives of students who participate in the process. Practical and specific, At Play is a valuable teaching tool; even more, it is the diagram for success in a field that enhances students' life experiences and collaborative endeavors with their peers, the result empowering. Luan Gaines/2006.
   

5 comments about Games for Actors and Non-Actors 2nd Edition.

1. The book was in very good condition and shipped quickly. I paid about $20 less than my college's bookstore was charging for it.



2. This text is an essential publication for any drama practitioner, teacher, actor. It encloses many unique activities that vary in levels of ability that enable the participants to explore various facets within drama/ theatre.
   
   A DEFINATE MUST HAVE!!!



3. This book has given me several tools to use in my Sunday School class on the gospel of Mark. It helped the group of college students and adults, really get a more embodied sense of the gospel story, human ethics and Christian theology. If you are looking to do something different in your church, buy this book!



4. This text represents a valuable introduction to the theories and practice of Augusto Boal. GFA, unlike its predecessor the Theatre of the Oppressed, contains practical exercises as well as an introduction to the important theoretical work of Boal. Boal's major innovations (such as Forum Theatre and Image Theatre) are introduced, discussed, and illustrated with examples, thus effectively allowing the reader to enter into the dialogue of using and refining the techniques. I would recommend this to any performer, artist, educator, or theatre worker who is unfamiliar with the work of Boal, and seeks new methods of understanding and transforming practice, and empowering both audience and participants.



5. Definitely a must-have in all drama classes. Don't recycle the same old exercises which have nothing to do with the world around us - the work of Boal is accessible and important to students of the theater of all ages.

5 comments about Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy.

1. I have never been a big fan of books that try to theorize something as ambigous and subjective as a form of art. I am a comedy writer, I write a late show that airs through Latin America and before that I was wirting a cartoon for adults that was censored because it made fun of local politicians. I state this, not to brag, but to prove that I was used to worked with spicy humour, and had a high standard for this book.
   
   The thing is that because of all the censorship issues I was kind of depressed and felt that the comedy I was writing that made it to the final program was completely inane and empty, and a lot of friends told me that my show lacked that edge that late shows from the USA have. So, after I realized that I had too little power to battle the network, I decided to start a stand up show where I would say everything that this guys didn't let me say. The thing was, I've never performed anything on stage. So, logically, all the material I prepared for my firs show ended up in the bigges bombing since Hiroshima, they didn't throw food at me because they didn't serve it at that bar. I was so puzzled, my material was good and I knew it, they were jokes that had worked with friends of mine... But then I realized, by watching the tape, that I was so nervous that I talked to fast and sucked pretty badly. Of course, I had never perform anything on stage, no even on elementary school.
   
   So, as always, I went online looking for tips, and found this book, and this book alone about stand up. As I said before, I don't believe in this kind of books but I was desperate for guidance so I ordered it. All I can say is that, not only is Franklyn Ajaye a genious, he interviews nothing but.
   
   In here you will not find Ajaye's method for stand up, you will find the biggest comedians' method for doing their wide variety of sets. From the I-never-bombed-and-always-improvise style of Simbad, to the extremely organized and hard working style of Jerry Seinfeld. You won't believe how many of this comedians failed when they began, and you will laugh and cry when you here how they found the real funny in them. Like George Wallace, who prefered to work as and advertiser and ensure his future before pursuing his true dream of becoming a comedian.
   
   This are very unique interviews made by a comedian, to comedians and for comedians (wich makes them answer concrete and amazing things), Ajaye also list a very wide range of subjects that when you read them you feel you always knew them but never frased them, and that's the beauty of it, you are never imposed with a method for making your routines, he encourages you to find your own way of getting to it, essentially by paying attention to the holy trinity of comedy: Your material, your timing, and your delivery. It's so simple, yet so rich and so well supported by the testimony of the greatest of them all (Except for Klein, Pryor and Bruce, but they all talk about them), that it will really help you if you're starting out, I can say, my last performance didn't bomb, it wasn't a blast either but at least I'm starting to see the road I must take, and I don't like a loser because, if Paul Reiser, Ellen Degeneres, Richerd Lewis and Garry Shandling, all bombed for a year or two, then I'm doing ok.
   
   This is an unlikely book about comedy, it is something that every person interested in this, the greates subject of them all, should have.



2. Rather shallow and repetitive. Then again, comics are gifted humans and their art and skills come from practice, practice, practice and inherent gifts. You can't teach funny but it would be great if the author had included some who didn't say the same thing everyone else said! It is also dated.



3. All these books about Stand Up can not produce one good joke. Some of the techniques might come in handy when in front of an audience but laughter they will not bring. For that, one must be inspired and have a particular view of the world to attract people and share in a funny manner. Bought several books and fine and dandy to hear anecdotes and comedians in all kinds of situations but in the end, if you are really interested in pursuing Stand Up Comedy, a person must be willing to put themselves on the line. Attempt and fail, over and over, until one is recognized as a true comedian and has developed hers or his particular style of comedy. Taking an acting class might be beneficial for so many aspects of stand up comedy can be affected by theatrics. Kind of like wanting to play poker and become rich. You can read all the books you want but until you become one of the players you will not really know wether you are good enough or not. Practice makes perfect, theory does not accomplishes the same thing.



4. The first part of the book was very informative. It offers many tips and knowledge about stand-up comedy. They seem relevant to many types of comedy. I was worried when I saw all the reviews that it was just filler and they would be pointless. However, the author asks great questions. The interviews are a thrill to read. I could not put this book down and read it from start to finish in a couple days. I reccomend it to anyone interested in any kind of comedy or who want to be funnier.



5. Ajaye gives great insight to the aspiring comedian in this concise read. I have never been on stage but this book has helped tremendously in the writing process and my eventual presentation. The many interviews he conducts show a wide variety of approaches and thought processes. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone that is thinking of taking it to the stage.

5 comments about A Doll's House (Dover Thrift Editions).

1. The book came in perfect condition and in a very timely fashion. I was pleased.



2. A Doll's House is an outstanding play that brings up many topics into question, topics such as gender roles, love in marriage, and self fulfillment vs. family duties and responsibility. I think that Nora's and Torvald's characters are excellently drawn out to show the extremes of what could go wrong in a seemingly normal and happy home in 19th century Europe. Gender roles, even though they have changed drastically over the century, have roots from the beginning of time that stick throughout the years. Roots such as that women are more likely to stay at home and men are more likely to be the ones to work; even though these days women and men are legally and socially equal. Nora's actions in the play were courageous and good intentioned, even though they went against her husband's wishes. I really liked how she was created to be so naive that she did not realize that she had no life of her own, but despite that naivete, she still understood that something was missing. Torvald, on the other hand, knew perfectly well that Nora was not living life as people should, but out of his selfishness, he let things be as they were; he enjoyed life that way. What I liked most about this play was Nora's decision to live and to learn and be her own person, even though that meant huge sacrifice on her part and that of her family's. Was she selfish in doing what she did? That question is hard to answer. Should one live for themselves or is that right gone once they have children? Usually, I would say that a mother's duty to her children comes before anything, even her own needs; but what made Nora's situation so difficult was that she was a child herself, she never had the choice to live her life, once she had the chance it's good that she took advantage of it. The play was definetely worth the time spent reading it.



3. This was quite an entertaining play! Very nice - I like it! In all seriousness, it's a fascinating story that revolves around the ideas of gender roles and the negativity that is associated with creating such distinctions in society. `Tis a well constructed (translated) piece, despite originating in Norway.
   
   The characters within speak frequently and frankly, constantly interacting with one another. The simplicity with which this play is written is used to convey a broad message about how society is harsh towards those who do not live up to their associated gender roles. For example, Krogstad is seen by the other characters as a scroungy rogue, minus the charm, associated with being a divorced father of two.
   
   While it may not be the sort of drama that can draw a sleazy crowd with a brief tagline or an action packed trailer, it entices it audience with realistically portrayed characters in a convincing setting with an invigorating premise. Oh, and it speaks for universal human efficacy.



4. First, the content -- Ibsen's play is as powerful and -- perhaps surprisingly -- as relevant as ever in today's supposedly more gender-equalized culture. Nora Helmer's predicament as a woman who faces the seemingly impossible choice between self-development and family is treated in a masterful way by Ibsen, who in the process manages to work in connections between bourgeois domestic culture, money, and spirituality.
   
   But this edition is very functional -- no notes and a brief intro only. I have to say that I was a bit shocked because the new copy I ordered looked like it had been pulled out from the bottom of some old craters because it even had the faint impression of a sole on it!



5. 
   Ibsen's best known play about the strictures imposed on women by society. It may be from a hundred years ago, but the plight of Nora and her world is a cautionary tale about life now.
   
   Nora is simple and yet there is a complexity about her. Her naiveté is both her charm and her undoing. Torvald, her husband, is prominent and she is to be showy--a living doll. Nora is to be a mirror that reflects her husband beautifully.
   
   The plot concerns financial woes in the marriage--and secrets kept and broken--in these, the story is not unlike most stressful marriages.
   
   We can speculate about what Nora could or should have done but the die is cast.
   
   This play is good for helping younger readers understand that assumptions about roles in marriage are still there, and have to be understood and discussed in order to help a marriage thrive.
   
   If you have a place where you can read this aloud, try it. Plays were meant to be spoken. The translation is superb.

5 comments about The Film Director Prepares: A Complete Guide to Directing for Film and TV.

1. This unique book is one of the best Film and Television Directing books that promises satisfaction and truth. Myrl A. Schreibman is an authentic and creative author that incorporates wisdom throughout the book rather than regurgitating his knowledge. Experience is another thing that this book offers which creates a pragmatic platform for the reader that ultimately functions as motivation and inspiration. This book is a powerful tool for any beginning, intermediate, and even advanced student or professional of Film and Television Directing.



2. The Film Director Prepares: A Complete Guide to Directing for Film and TV is a great text and resource for the beginner looking at the construct of filmmaking and the director's role as well as great advice and insight for those at intermediate and experienced levels. The added CD from Frame Forge is outstanding and invaluable for storyboarding your project. Overall an excelent resource!



3. I just finished a feature length screenplay that will soon become a feature length film. To prepare for production I decided to purchase two books: Creative Producing A to Z, and, A Film Director Prepares, both by Myrl Schreibman. Having just finished reading them both, I now know I could not have made two better choices. Buy them both, read them both, then read them both again! I promise, your film career will be well served.



4. Practical and easy-to-grasp, this book breaks down directing to its most essential elements: the philosophy and the process. The book is a great starting guide for the newbie. Use it to learn just the fundamental principles of filmmaking, and then go out and discover your own principles.



5. This book is an entirely interactive book as it contains a CD-rom that has a 3d storyboarding software that makes it absolutely remarkable in being able to manipulate the images in the book to experiment with concepts and precepts that the author is knowingly speaking about. The Directors Guild of America calls this book the definitive book for directors and encourages not only those who are learning to direct but those who already direct to hacve this book in their library. It is told from a very easy and understandable perspective and full of practical stuff about telling stories, saving production time during production, working with talent, directing various forms of television and most of all what it means to do coverage to tell stories. This is one book that you must have!

4 comments about The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet (Pictureback(R)).

1. I was in first grade in the late 80's and we were doing a unit on the nutcracker. We went to go see the play and did a lot of music, art and english activities related to it. I was enjoying it so much that my mom bought me a copy of this book, same cover and all. I really loved the illustrations in it, from the christmas decorations to the land of sweets to all the snow. I've misplaced my copy but if I ever do find it it's a keeper!



2. Although many versions of the ballet call the girl Clara, she is called Marie Stahlbaum in the original E.T.A. Hoffmann story and in some versions of the ballet. This retelling is lovely. The name "Marie" is not incorrect; it just refers back to an earlier version of the story.



3. In reference to the next review, Marie and Clara are not the same character. Marie is the little girl, and Clara is her doll.



4. This book is beautifully illustrated and the story is an abreviated version of the origional which is nice for young children. My only complaint is that the character "Clara" is called "Marie" which is very confusing to children (and adults).