Acting: The Basics (Third Edition), 2023
Routledge, 2023
Acting: The Basics 3rd Edition is a dynamic response to recent societal and entertainment industry changes, focusing on inclusion, diversity and equity, and the actor's trajectory from training to rehearsal to performance on stage and screen, with hands-on tools and global perspectives.
The book offers vital ways of building a practical acting toolkit, through breath, body, voice, emotions, imagination and spirit. We begin with a socio-cultural look at actor as magician, storyteller, healer and social changer. Throughout, there are insights from Black, Indigenous, First Nations, South/East Asian, intercultural and feminist practitioners, together with methods focusing on disability and accessibility, intimacy directives, mindfulness and intersectionality. Key 'canonical' figures still feature (e.g., Stanislavsky, Meisner, Brecht and Suzuki) with re-visioned perspective. Scattered throughout are post-COVID insights, plus expanded sections on screen acting (including self-tapes) and Shakespeare.
This book is useful for beginner or expert, as it's always helpful getting back to basics. Because the author is both an actor and an actor trainer, the tools are steeped in user-friendly application. At the same time, transferable skills (e.g., dynamic listening and empathy) are shown as relevant to everyone. With a glossary of terms and useful online suggestions (including blogs, videos and podcasts), this is ideal for anyone learn anew about the practice and history of acting, or to take their acting and teaching into new terrain.
What they said about ACTING: THE BASICS 2nd Edition...
''The beauty of this book is its broad-brush stroke approach to the entire world of acting theory, now and in the past. Bella Merlin knows her stuff.' Ed Hooks, acting teacher and author, USA
'An essential purchase for students who are involved in any way with the analysis of performance or who are in training. It offers a dynamic and comprehensive guide to the field.' Jane Boston, voice and acting consultant, UK
https://www.routledge.com/Acting-The-Basics/Merlin/p/book/9781032212074
Shakespeare & Company:
When Action is Eloquence
Bella Merlin & Tina Packer
Foreword by Allyn Burrows
Routledge, 2020
Shakespeare & Company is the first comprehensive insight into this internationally acclaimed company founded in 1978 in Lenox, Massachusetts, by actor-director Tina Packer and voice pioneer Kristin Linklater, with the transformative power of Shakespeare’s language at its heart.
Why act Shakespeare? What’s his relevance in the twenty-first century? Compelling answers to these questions lie at the center of this highly accessible journey into Shakespeare & Company’s aesthetics and practice. Drawing on hitherto unpublished material – including notebooks, lectures, interviews, rehearsal diaries – and the Company's newly collated archive, this book provides insight into a working theatre company and sheds light on the role Shakespeare plays in our modern world. It also details:
- Shakespeare & Company’s founding and early history
- Its aesthetic based on the Elizabethan theatre’s principles of the Art of Rhetoric; Structure of the Verse; Voice and Movement; Clown; Fight; and Actor/Audience Relationship
- Vocational components of its Training intensives
- Practical pedagogy of its Education programs
- Insights into its unique approaches to Performance
- Impact and legacy of its three lifetime founding members: Dennis Krausnick (Director of Training), Kevin G. Coleman (Director of Education) and Tina Packer (founding artistic director).
www.routledge.com/Shakespeare--Company-When-Action-is-Eloquence/Merlin-Packer/p/book/9780367262556
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Colonels, Cads and Charmers: Memories
Miles Anderson with Bella Merlin, 2021 Honorable Mention: Los Angeles Book Fair, 2022 Honorable Mention: Southern California Book Fair, 2022 A nine-month-old baby is dropped on its head... ...on the floor of a concrete swimming pool. It’s 1948 in Southern Rhodesia. And from the baby’s ensuing convulsions emerges a figure who has become a much-beloved actor of stage and screen. Colonels, Cads and Charmers follows the real-life adventures of Miles Anderson. From his childhood in (now) Zimbabwe (including his father Major General Jock Anderson’s historic dismissal from the army for resisting Ian Smith’s regime) to his award-winning stage career and his popularity on British television. In the African tradition of vivid storytelling, moments of hilarity mix with poignant tales of loss and thoughtful provocations. There are perspectives on acting and insights into the entertainment industry - from the original House of Cards to the ever-popular Soldier Soldier, along with the impactful Cry Freedom and the improbable Sky Bandits. The tales travel the gamut. Talking to a bear in Malaya. Diving from the skies in Singapore. Playing a dog at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Quitting the West End to become a Greek fisherman. Cremating a friend in a hysterical funeral. Each story shimmers with a dramatis personae of charismatic characters - and not a few romances... https://outskirtspress.com/colonelscadsandcharmers |
Facing the Fear:
An Actor's Guide to Overcoming Stage Fright
Nick Hern Books, 2016
'An utterly engrossing book about confronting one of the most fundamental aspects of being an actor -
fear.' Antony Sher
The first book of its kind written specifically for actors, drawing upon the author's own and other actor's personal experiences to examine:
- the internal and external roots of stage fright, and how it manifests itself, both psychologically and physiologically
- the complex relationship between the actor and the audience, and how it contributes to stage fright
- the cognitive processes of learning, storing and retrieving lines, and practical strategies to help
- the essential principles for building a healthy, fear-free rehearsal environment
- the techniques that actors can employ to develop their own practices, from tips on physical well-being to performance strategies
"I am reaching out to thank you for writing Facing the Fear. I admire your courage and generosity in sharing your personal struggles in such detail, as well as the thoroughness of your research. I especially appreciate having actionable strategies for different instances of the work. [...] I feel like in reading your book I gained some new tools and a little piece of mind as well." (Unsolicited email from Mariana, May 2016)
https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/facingthefear
Facing the Fear:
An Actor's Guide to Overcoming Stage Fright
Nick Hern Books, 2016
'An utterly engrossing book about confronting one of the most fundamental aspects of being an actor -
fear.' Antony Sher
The first book of its kind written specifically for actors, drawing upon the author's own and other actor's personal experiences to examine:
- the internal and external roots of stage fright, and how it manifests itself, both psychologically and physiologically
- the complex relationship between the actor and the audience, and how it contributes to stage fright
- the cognitive processes of learning, storing and retrieving lines, and practical strategies to help
- the essential principles for building a healthy, fear-free rehearsal environment
- the techniques that actors can employ to develop their own practices, from tips on physical well-being to performance strategies
"I am reaching out to thank you for writing Facing the Fear. I admire your courage and generosity in sharing your personal struggles in such detail, as well as the thoroughness of your research. I especially appreciate having actionable strategies for different instances of the work. [...] I feel like in reading your book I gained some new tools and a little piece of mind as well." (Unsolicited email from Mariana, May 2016)
https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/facingthefear
Acting: The Basics (Second Edition)
Routledge, 2018
Now in a vibrantly revised second edition, Acting: The Basics remains a practical and theoretical guide to the world of the professional actor, which skilfully combines ideas from a range of practitioners and links the Academy to the industry. Retaining a balance between acting history, a discussion of pioneers and a consideration of the practicalities of acting techniques, the new edition includes a discussion of acting for the screen as well as the practicalities of stage acting, including training, rehearsing and performing. With a glossary of terms and useful website suggestions, this is the ideal introduction for anyone wanting to learn more about the practice and history of acting.
'The beauty of this book is its broad-brush stroke approach to the entire world of acting theory, now and in the past. Bella Merlin knows her stuff.' Ed Hooks, acting teacher and author, USA
'An essential purchase for students who are involved in any way with the analysis of performance or who are in training. It offers a dynamic and comprehensive guide to the field.' Jane Boston, voice and acting consultant, UK
https://www.routledge.com/Acting-The-Basics/Merlin/p/book/9781138820418
Routledge, 2018
Now in a vibrantly revised second edition, Acting: The Basics remains a practical and theoretical guide to the world of the professional actor, which skilfully combines ideas from a range of practitioners and links the Academy to the industry. Retaining a balance between acting history, a discussion of pioneers and a consideration of the practicalities of acting techniques, the new edition includes a discussion of acting for the screen as well as the practicalities of stage acting, including training, rehearsing and performing. With a glossary of terms and useful website suggestions, this is the ideal introduction for anyone wanting to learn more about the practice and history of acting.
'The beauty of this book is its broad-brush stroke approach to the entire world of acting theory, now and in the past. Bella Merlin knows her stuff.' Ed Hooks, acting teacher and author, USA
'An essential purchase for students who are involved in any way with the analysis of performance or who are in training. It offers a dynamic and comprehensive guide to the field.' Jane Boston, voice and acting consultant, UK
https://www.routledge.com/Acting-The-Basics/Merlin/p/book/9781138820418
The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit
(Revised Edition)
Nick Hern Books, 2014
The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit collects together for the first time the terms and ideas developed by Stanislavsky throughout his career.
It is organised into three sections: Actor-Training, Rehearsal Processes and Performance Practices. Key terms are explained and defined as they naturally occur in this process. They are illustrated with examples from both his own work and that of other practitioners.
Each stage of the process is explored with sequences of practical exercises designed to help today's actors and students become thoroughly familiar with the tools in Stanislavsky's toolkit.
'This may be the only acting handbook you'll ever need...meticulously organised, well-written, and a pleasurable read.' Backstage East
'Drawing from recent Stanislavsky scholarship and her rich experience as an actor, director, teacher and scholar, Bella Merlin magically converts her extensive knowledge into real-world practice and on-the-floor technique. This new edition is a necessary and lively resource for any theatre practitioner.' David Chambers, Professor of Directing, Yale School of Drama.
'For actors, actor-trainers and directors, it is a must-have for understanding Stanislavsky's practices and spirit, and a complement to any other system being taught.' Tanya Moodie, actor and associate teacher at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
'a great achievement... a serious, no-nonsense interpretation of Stanislavsky's thinking written by an actor-teacher with considerable experience... I shall be going back to this Toolkit again and again' Reviews Gate
'One of the essential books about acting for both professionals and students. This revised edition brings new clarity to unlocking what Stanislavsky means for actors today.' Michael Earley, Former Principal, Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance
'The ultimate "all in one" panacea for drama teachers struggling to make Stanislavsky's teachings understandable for students.' Teaching Drama Magazine
https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/complete-stanislavsky-toolkit
(Revised Edition)
Nick Hern Books, 2014
The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit collects together for the first time the terms and ideas developed by Stanislavsky throughout his career.
It is organised into three sections: Actor-Training, Rehearsal Processes and Performance Practices. Key terms are explained and defined as they naturally occur in this process. They are illustrated with examples from both his own work and that of other practitioners.
Each stage of the process is explored with sequences of practical exercises designed to help today's actors and students become thoroughly familiar with the tools in Stanislavsky's toolkit.
'This may be the only acting handbook you'll ever need...meticulously organised, well-written, and a pleasurable read.' Backstage East
'Drawing from recent Stanislavsky scholarship and her rich experience as an actor, director, teacher and scholar, Bella Merlin magically converts her extensive knowledge into real-world practice and on-the-floor technique. This new edition is a necessary and lively resource for any theatre practitioner.' David Chambers, Professor of Directing, Yale School of Drama.
'For actors, actor-trainers and directors, it is a must-have for understanding Stanislavsky's practices and spirit, and a complement to any other system being taught.' Tanya Moodie, actor and associate teacher at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
'a great achievement... a serious, no-nonsense interpretation of Stanislavsky's thinking written by an actor-teacher with considerable experience... I shall be going back to this Toolkit again and again' Reviews Gate
'One of the essential books about acting for both professionals and students. This revised edition brings new clarity to unlocking what Stanislavsky means for actors today.' Michael Earley, Former Principal, Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance
'The ultimate "all in one" panacea for drama teachers struggling to make Stanislavsky's teachings understandable for students.' Teaching Drama Magazine
https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/complete-stanislavsky-toolkit
Konstantin Stanislavsky (Revised Edition)
Routledge, 2018
As one of the most well-known names in theatre history, Konstantin Stanislavsky’s teachings on actor training have endured throughout the decades, influencing scholars and practitioners even in the present day. This second edition of Konstantin Stanislavsky combines:
* an overview of Stanislavsky’s life and work, including recent discoveries
* an assessment of his widely read text, An Actor Prepares (1936) with comparisons to Benedetti’s 2008 translation, An Actor’s Work
"A fascinating book and exemplary exposition. Aleks Sierz, Times Higher Educational Supplement
Routledge Performance Practitioners are a series of introductory guides to the key theatre-makers of the last century. Each volume explains the background to and the work of one of the major influences on twentieth and twenty-first century performance. These compact, well-illustrated and clearly written books unravel the contribution of modern theatre's most charismatic innovators, through:
*personal biography
*explanation of key writings
*description of significant productions
*reproduction of practical exercises.
As a first step towards critical understanding, and as an initial exploration before going on to further, primary research, Routledge Performance Practitioners are unbeatable value for today's student.
www.routledge.com/Konstantin-Stanislavsky/Merlin/p/book/9780815361046
Routledge, 2018
As one of the most well-known names in theatre history, Konstantin Stanislavsky’s teachings on actor training have endured throughout the decades, influencing scholars and practitioners even in the present day. This second edition of Konstantin Stanislavsky combines:
* an overview of Stanislavsky’s life and work, including recent discoveries
* an assessment of his widely read text, An Actor Prepares (1936) with comparisons to Benedetti’s 2008 translation, An Actor’s Work
- * detailed commentary of the key 1898 production of The Seagull
- * an indispensable set of practical exercises for actors, teachers and directors.
"A fascinating book and exemplary exposition. Aleks Sierz, Times Higher Educational Supplement
Routledge Performance Practitioners are a series of introductory guides to the key theatre-makers of the last century. Each volume explains the background to and the work of one of the major influences on twentieth and twenty-first century performance. These compact, well-illustrated and clearly written books unravel the contribution of modern theatre's most charismatic innovators, through:
*personal biography
*explanation of key writings
*description of significant productions
*reproduction of practical exercises.
As a first step towards critical understanding, and as an initial exploration before going on to further, primary research, Routledge Performance Practitioners are unbeatable value for today's student.
www.routledge.com/Konstantin-Stanislavsky/Merlin/p/book/9780815361046
With the Rogue's Company:
Henry IV at the National Theatre
National Theatre/Oberon Books, 2005
The National Theatre had never before staged Shakespeare’s two most admired history plays; it was ten years since Michael Gambon’s last appearance at the Theatre, and five since director Nicholas Hytner had started talking to him about playing Falstaff. The play was for Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 – which Kenneth Tynan called ‘great public plays in which a whole nation is under scrutiny and trial’.
Bella Merlin follows the production from pre-rehearsal planning to opening night, charting the processes that make up two major productions in the Olivier Theatre, and provides a unique insight into the staging of two great Shakespeare plays.
www.amazon.com/Rogues-Company-Henry-National-Theatre/dp/1840025603/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=With+the+Rogue%27s+Company+Henry+IV+at+the+National+Theatre&qid=1576966829&s=books&sr=1-1
Henry IV at the National Theatre
National Theatre/Oberon Books, 2005
The National Theatre had never before staged Shakespeare’s two most admired history plays; it was ten years since Michael Gambon’s last appearance at the Theatre, and five since director Nicholas Hytner had started talking to him about playing Falstaff. The play was for Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 – which Kenneth Tynan called ‘great public plays in which a whole nation is under scrutiny and trial’.
Bella Merlin follows the production from pre-rehearsal planning to opening night, charting the processes that make up two major productions in the Olivier Theatre, and provides a unique insight into the staging of two great Shakespeare plays.
www.amazon.com/Rogues-Company-Henry-National-Theatre/dp/1840025603/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=With+the+Rogue%27s+Company+Henry+IV+at+the+National+Theatre&qid=1576966829&s=books&sr=1-1
The Path of the Actor: Michael Chekhov
Edited by Andrei Kirillov and Bella Merlin
Routledge, 2005
Edited by Andrey Kirillov and Bella Merlin, this is the first English translation of Michael Chekhov’s two-volume autobiography, combining The Path of the Actor (1927) and extensive extracts from his later volume Life and Encounters.
Accompanying Chekhov's witty, penetrating, and immensely touching accounts are extensive and authoritative notes compiled by leading Russian Chekhov scholar, Andrei Kirillov. Anglo-Russian trained actor Bella Merlin provides a useful hands-on overview of how the contemporary practitioner might utilise and develop Chekhov's ideas.
Chekhov was arguably one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century. His life made a huge impact on his profession, and his actor-training techniques inspired many a Hollywood legend – including such actors as Anthony Hopkins and Jack Nicholson -while his books outlining his teaching methods and philosophy of acting are still bestsellers today
The Path of the Actor is an extraordinary document which allows us unprecedented access into the life, times, mind and soul of a truly extraordinary man.
www.routledge.com/The-Path-Of-The-Actor/Chekhov-Kirillov-Merlin/p/book/9780415650724
Edited by Andrei Kirillov and Bella Merlin
Routledge, 2005
Edited by Andrey Kirillov and Bella Merlin, this is the first English translation of Michael Chekhov’s two-volume autobiography, combining The Path of the Actor (1927) and extensive extracts from his later volume Life and Encounters.
Accompanying Chekhov's witty, penetrating, and immensely touching accounts are extensive and authoritative notes compiled by leading Russian Chekhov scholar, Andrei Kirillov. Anglo-Russian trained actor Bella Merlin provides a useful hands-on overview of how the contemporary practitioner might utilise and develop Chekhov's ideas.
Chekhov was arguably one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century. His life made a huge impact on his profession, and his actor-training techniques inspired many a Hollywood legend – including such actors as Anthony Hopkins and Jack Nicholson -while his books outlining his teaching methods and philosophy of acting are still bestsellers today
The Path of the Actor is an extraordinary document which allows us unprecedented access into the life, times, mind and soul of a truly extraordinary man.
www.routledge.com/The-Path-Of-The-Actor/Chekhov-Kirillov-Merlin/p/book/9780415650724
Beyond Stanislavsky:
The Psycho-Physical Approach to Actor-Training
Nick Hern Books, 2001
Though well-known - and much taught - in Russia, Psycho-Physical Acting is in its infancy in the rest of the world. Bella Merlin has studied under three of the best teachers in Russia: this book is the fruit of her time there. The book takes the reader through a course in the new system, but because it is infused with the author's personal experience, it is never a dry set of instructions, though every chapter comes complete with exercises.
This is a book which is vital both to practitioners and to all serious students of the theatre. Max Stafford-Clark, Theatre Director, Out of Joint, UK
'A seminal book for today...an outstandingly lucid account...essential reading...' Simon Callow, actor, UK
Chapter 1: Putting You in the Picture. A resume of Stanislavsky's various work methods, with glances at Michael Chekhov and Grotowski.
Chapter 2: Working on Your Self. Fine-tuning both body and psychology to yield vitality and spontaneity on stage.
Chapter 3: Working in the Ensemble. Building a powerful and trusting environment within an ensemble.
Chapter 4: Working on Your Role. The Method of Physical Actions and Active Analysis in the rehearsal room - with application to texts from Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, Pinter and Dostoyevsky.
Chapter 5: Putting it into Practice. Implementing the new techniques as (a) a professional actor; (b) a workshop leader; and (c) a director.
https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/beyond-stanislavsky
The Psycho-Physical Approach to Actor-Training
Nick Hern Books, 2001
Though well-known - and much taught - in Russia, Psycho-Physical Acting is in its infancy in the rest of the world. Bella Merlin has studied under three of the best teachers in Russia: this book is the fruit of her time there. The book takes the reader through a course in the new system, but because it is infused with the author's personal experience, it is never a dry set of instructions, though every chapter comes complete with exercises.
This is a book which is vital both to practitioners and to all serious students of the theatre. Max Stafford-Clark, Theatre Director, Out of Joint, UK
'A seminal book for today...an outstandingly lucid account...essential reading...' Simon Callow, actor, UK
Chapter 1: Putting You in the Picture. A resume of Stanislavsky's various work methods, with glances at Michael Chekhov and Grotowski.
Chapter 2: Working on Your Self. Fine-tuning both body and psychology to yield vitality and spontaneity on stage.
Chapter 3: Working in the Ensemble. Building a powerful and trusting environment within an ensemble.
Chapter 4: Working on Your Role. The Method of Physical Actions and Active Analysis in the rehearsal room - with application to texts from Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, Pinter and Dostoyevsky.
Chapter 5: Putting it into Practice. Implementing the new techniques as (a) a professional actor; (b) a workshop leader; and (c) a director.
https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/beyond-stanislavsky