Great Shakespeare actors : Burbage to Branagh
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"A series of essays on great Shakespeare actors from his time to ours, starting by asking whether Shakespeare himself was the first and continuing with essays on the men and women, both English and American, who have given great stage performances in his plays from Elizabethan times to our own. Individual chapters tell the story of their subjects' careers, but together these overlapping tales combine to offer an actor-centered history of Shakespearian theatrical performance. Stanley Wells examines what it takes to be a great Shakespeare actor and then offers a sketch of each actor's career in Shakespeare, an assessment of their specific talents and claims to greatness. For some of the more recent actors, the author also includes his personal memories of their most notable performances in Shakespeare roles." --,(Source of summary not specified)