A Piece of Work

Simon Russell Beale's insights into Shakespeare have never been confined to his performances. In rehearsal, he will dazzle you with the penetrating originality of a line reading and follow it with a profound analysis of what he thinks the playwright might have been up to. In this wonderful book, he shares what it's like to live the lives that Shakespeare trusts to his actors; and he writes with the same eloquence and wit he brings to his acting. And with tenderness and wry humour he lets us know how he became the most admired and loved of present day Shakespeareans. I can't think of a more stimulating or enjoyable way to discover Shakespeare - Nicholas Hytner
A glorious feast of insight, memory, gossip and revelation. Like a long outdoor lunch on a sunny autumn day, listening to the sharpest and kindest of companions, talking about Shakespeare and life and the whole shebang - Dominic Dromgoole

Simon Russell Beale studied at Cambridge before joining the RSC. Described by the Daily Telegraph as 'the finest actor of his generation', he has been lauded for both his stage and TV work, winning many awards including the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Evening Standard Best Actor Award and the BAFTA Best Actor Award.