All About Theatre
ISBN13
9781406358698
Review published
16/11/2015
By Reviewer
Jodi
Star Rating
By Author / Illustrator
National Theatre
Age range(s)
9+
Review
The National Theatre's 'All About Theatre' book is a brilliantly colorful book full of pictures, interviews and fascinating facts about the theatre. Working closely with the various departments housed at the National Theatre in London, this well thought out text gives students a genuine look into the effort and skills used in bringing a text from page to stage. A great resource for KS3 students, and even as an introduction to stagecraft KS4, it discusses a wide range of topics including genre, staging and even how to cry on cue! What I particularly like is the effort that has gone into promoting the skills of the technicians and, as a teacher of drama, working with children who are considering a role in technical theatre, this resource is welcome find! The book is clearly laid out and each section receives the same amount of detail. Designers' talk about their process and the challenges involved and there is a very useful glossary of terms at the back. As well as interviews with well-known faces and names such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Arthur Darvill (Rory from Doctor Who) there are lots of great photographs from popular performances like War Horse, Treasure Island and the smash hit One Man,Two Guvnors. I think this is a must read for anyone with an interest in the theatre and students will enjoy using this text for homework and research. Well done to Marina MacIntyre, NT's director Rufus Norris and his team for producing such a well thought out book. 128 pages / Ages 9-adult / Reviewed by Jodi Swan, teacher