Book Reviews: First ACT Shakespeare

Before I consider this book, I should nail my colours to the mast. I love Shakespeare. I am one of those people who was lucky enough to be introduced to Shakespeare by an inspirational teacher (Mr King – thank you, wherever you are!) who taught me to love the plays as performance texts.

So, I can't argue with Mr Pennant Jones' thesis that Shakespeare should first be acted, then seen, then read, but never ignored. It's not dissimilar to the Royal Shakespeare Company's campaign to promote the active teaching of Shakespeare in schools and it's a valid point.

The bulk of the book that follows is in two halves – the first half being the 37 Shakespeare plays listed in order of performance popularity. For each play the author gives a rundown of the plot, pointers on how to deal with the challenges of the play and sometimes a reference to previous performances. These indicate a huge depth of knowledge and understanding of the plays.