The Actor and the Space

“A hand grenade of a book. It contains all the humility and chutzpah you need to work in the theatre.” —Cate Blanchett

In his bestselling book The Actor and the Target, acclaimed actor and director Declan Donnellan laid out a fresh and radical approach to acting that has inspired actors around the world. Now, in The Actor and the Space, he develops and extends those ideas, exploring that most profound source of vitality in life as well as performance: the space around us.

Tackling fundamental questions that face any actor—What makes performance better? How do I create a space for my character to live in? How do I tap into that space, and draw energy from it?—Donnellan offers a universal set of keys to unlock the mysteries of performance. Full of insightful precepts, acute psychology and practical, hands-on advice, the book presents a bold new way of thinking about acting, illustrated throughout with line-by-line analysis of scenes from Macbeth to show how it works in rehearsal and performance.

Essential reading for any actor or theatre director, The Actor and the Space is also a fascinating distillation of the work of a world-leading director that will reward and enrich anyone with an interest in theatre.