Reviews
I am more than happy to report that I have . . . received this fascinating book, which is just so easy to read. It feels as if the reader is sitting in on the interviews, listening to the subjects chatting away about their lengthy careers and co-workers - and it does not disappoint in any way. It brings us up to date with the likes of Peggy Cummins, Angela Lansbury and Joan Collins and once started, the book is very difficult to put down. All twenty two subjects are so different and the author's intelligent questions certainly bring out the best in them and I learned such a lot. I am therefore delighted to recommend this entertaining book to all MVM readers., Rowman & Littlefield have published an absolutely delightful book of interviews with some of the leading lights of English actors. Written by Barbara Roisman Cooper, Great Britons of Stage and Screen in Conversation is the book as just exactly what you would think it would be, and so very, very much more. Books of this nature tend to fall into two groups: Academic, dry as dust dissertation on theory and technique; or, worse, gossip-filled fluff full of rumor and innuendo. Magically, this book seems to be a delightful self-examination of 22 British stage and screen celebrities of the last half a century. Each profile offers a short introduction followed by the performer's most significant credits, both on the stage and screen. Questions cued by Cooper offer lovely autobiographical sketches, amazingly neither boring nor salacious, and the reader comes away with the warm feeling of actually chatting up these titans of theatre and cinema, which Cooper did, in intimate surroundings including the performers' private homes and dressing rooms between performances. . . .In nearly 400 pages, the wealth of experience and knowledge of the last century in the British entertainment world is dissected and discussed. For casual fan or rabid student, this book is not to be missed., For anyone with even a casual interest in the theatre, this collection of interviews is a must-read. The author's conversations with leading lights of the British stage brim with insights into not only these gifted actors, but also the craft itself. Cooper's cast is illustrious indeed. Among the players - Peggy Cummins, Sinead Cusack, Samantha Eggar, Stephen Fry, Julian Glover, Jeremy Irons, Sir Derek Jacobi, Felicity Kendal, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sir John Mills, Alfred Molina, Lynn Redgrave, Jean Simmons, Richard Todd and Michael York. Each found the lure of acting irresistible and remain thrilled by connecting with the texts, bringing the lines to life, whether penned by Shakespeare or Stoppard. Simon Callow compares discovering the nuances of a character to learning a foreign language. There are remembrances of collaborations, most often nurturing, occasionally antagonistic. And they reference such other theater legends as Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness and Paul Scofield. Some interviewees touch on other intriguing aspects of their careers, such as Isla Blair's recollections of working with Christopher Lee on a Hammer Dracula flick, as well as on-set interaction with Paul McCartney during 'A Hard Day's Night.' Several of the subjects are known as screen stars, as well as stage greats, among them Dames Joan Collins and Angela Lansbury. But it's the magic, mystery and majesty of the theatre that remains the focus. Though treading the boards can be terrifying, it can also be immensely exhilarating and satisfying. As Callow eloquently describes his profession/art to the author, 'We have it within us to summon up some of the energies of the universe and profoundly resonate with our fellow human beings.' Cooper has done her homework, so her questions open up a wealth of interesting areas. TCM's Robert Osborne contributed an admiring foreword. Filled with juicy tidbits, thoughtful perspectives and colorful anecdotes galore, her book is a delight from start to finish., Barbara Roisman Cooper presents interviews she personally conducted with more than twenty stars of film, television, and theatre. Held in intimate surroundings-including the actors' private homes and theatre dressing rooms between performances-these interviews provide readers with a rounded understanding of the creative process and the dedication required to develop a performance. . . .At nearly 400 pages and with an hefty index, this represents quite a body of work with 28 interviews. . . .The questions are theatrical, not in a wild sense but in the sense of trying to get to the nub of what these people see as 'acting', there are none of the celebrity and lifestyle questions that so often dominate interviews, these are the questions anyone who loves the art of theatre would want to ask .... and Barbara Cooper gets the sort of answers we want to hear. . . .[I]t is the content that counts in this interesting book.
