Shakespearean Rhetoric will greatly aid anybody who needs a text illuminating in order to decipher character - not only in Shakespeare's works, but in most classic, European texts that students will be asked to study or perform. Acting Shakespeare is made easier with the guidelines of rhetorical techniques discussed and concisely demonstrated in Benet Brandreth's book. Unlocking a character through their chosen rhetorical techniques is explained in simple terms and shown to work in practice. A vital aid for all modern students of Shakespeare - with a concise grounding in English grammar thrown in for good measure.

Paterson Joseph

Benet's passion, knowledge and curiosity is contagious, and his ability to clearly transmit the origins and influences of Shakespeare's imagination to performance and artistic process could have a profound impact on both the individual actor and classical technique as a whole.

Edward Bennett

Benet Brandreth draws on his extensive experience coaching actors in Shakespearean Rhetoric. Featuring a foreword by director Josie Rourke and recommended by actors including Paterson Joseph, Brandreth's guide is designed to enhance readers' understanding of the key concepts of rhetoric and, in doing so, to make rhetoric a valuable and relevant tool for Shakespearean performance today. The result is a practical rather than an academic text which aims to make accessible not only Shakespeare's works, but the classical rhetorical texts with which the educational culture of his time was suffused.

The Year's Work in English Studies