One of the highlights of the series is when Barton has Patrick Stewart and David Suchet, both of whom played Shylock for him in different productions, take the same scenes, ask the same questions about Shakespeare’s intentions at the same points and come up with very different interpretations. But there are many highlights: I particularly enjoyed watching Ian McKellan take one rather ordinary line and find different ways to deliver it according to the mood Barton specifies. A scene from Twelfth Night with Judi Dench and Richard Pasco is a revelation. Even such talented actors as these start with a rather pedestrian cold read (Pasco more so than Dench) and through Barton pointing out stresses in the verse and pauses from shorter lines, bring the scene to sparkling life. These are master classes, indeed.
Playing Shakespeare is one of the first releases from Athena and at $79.99 is very affordable. The boxed set is attractively packaged with nine episodes on four CDs. The videos occasionally have a few brief tracking issues, though nothing that interrupts the enjoyment of watching the classes. The audio is excellent. The set comes with a 20 page viewer’s guide, including a history of the RSC and actor biographies. I can’t recommend Playing Shakespeare highly enough, not just for actors, but for anyone interested in the theatre. The series is a classic.
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