On Directing has ratings and 11 reviews. Feliks said: A decent/adequate survey of all the basic theatrical principles –supported by a rich trove of. Harold Edgar Clurman (September 18, – September 9, ) was an American theatre The play’s success led Clurman to develop his directing style. On Directing by Harold Clurman – “A straightforward, tasteful, and articulate account of what it is to bring a play to palpitating life upon a stage” (The New.
| Author: | Gardaktilar Tukinos |
| Country: | Ethiopia |
| Language: | English (Spanish) |
| Genre: | Personal Growth |
| Published (Last): | 20 September 2006 |
| Pages: | 367 |
| PDF File Size: | 5.74 Mb |
| ePub File Size: | 7.33 Mb |
| ISBN: | 328-3-54306-208-9 |
| Downloads: | 79051 |
| Price: | Free* [*Free Regsitration Required] |
| Uploader: | Douhn |
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to harol. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — On Directing by Harold Clurman. On Directing by Harold Clurman.
Questions?
In this classic guide to directing, we are taken logically from the choice of the play right through ever aspect of its production to performances and beyond. Harold Clurman, director of such memorable productions as A Member direecting the Wedding and Uncle Vanyadescribes the pleasures and perils of working with such celebrated playwrights and actors as Marlon Brando, Arthur Miller, Julie Harris, and Lillian Hellman. He also presents his own directing notes for ten of his best-known productions.
Paperbackpages. Published April 3rd by Touchstone first published January 1st To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about On Directingplease sign up. See 1 question about On Directing…. Lists with This Book.
Apr 10, Feliks rated it haold was ok Shelves: So the book is fine in that it rehashes all that. Whenever it was first released it may very well have been a wonderful read. When it was released everything in it must have seemed worth bearing-in-mind. But today, any junior high-school age kid would probably know all this material. Its all pretty much old-hat at this point.
We’re simply in a much more media-aware age than whenever this book came out.
It is not a ‘how-to’ or a ‘manual’ of any kind. For sure, Clurman explains the way he directs–in detail–he shares much sage advice. But he offers no instructions.
Half the book is how Harold Clurman ‘assesses’ a long list of famous plays and famous fictional characters he encountered during his career. Basically you can read his ‘old notes’ for famous stage plays.
This is fully half the book: Annoyingly, Clurman uses the word ‘spine’ as his constantly reiterated ‘go-to’ concept. He really wants you to gravitate to use of his favorite phrase. What is the ‘spine’ of Hamlet? But what if you don’t wish to adopt this? At the end of it all, its simply a pleasant, ‘fireside chat’ of a book. A garrulous, and rambling set of “reminiscences” rather than a clear-cut set of methods you can adopt in your own career. You learn all about how Clurman made his mark on the stage– but not at all about how to go about directing a play of your own.
There’s ‘guidelines’ Clurman offers, sure–but always with the understanding that ‘you can probably find your own way just as well!
If you are trying to learn directing techniques My first experience as an actor was when I was in church.
I played an important shepherd in a musical called “No Phibbin’ Mephiboseth”. This was much later followed by a Middle School version of “The Hobbit” and then, in High School, I tried to act in at least two plays a year. College also found me acting many times. I have been in seven I believe acting courses, a Stagecraft course, worked on sets for at least three or four plays, and – in my recent job – been afforded the chance to co-direct Jean Anouilh’s Antigone as well as work with students directing their own plays for the past few years.
I’ve been in the theater for a while. I have some experience on “both sides of the stage” so to speak, and, in preparation for my solo directorial debut, wanted a little extra background on directing. I found Harold Clurman’s book for cheap at a bookstore and figured, “Why not? My answer is yes, to a degree. Is this a useful book for intermediate or advanced dirdcting that is, those who have directed before and wish to refine their techniques?
My answer is again clurmqn, to a degree. And what degree is that? The underlying assumption of this book is that you are a director for a professional theater production.
ON DIRECTING by Harold Clurman | Kirkus Reviews
Off-Broadway or touring companies may be the lowest level in Harold Clurman’s book assumes you will be working with. So, as I am directing a high school play, much of this book is impossible to employ.
For the intermediate and advanced directors, they too have certain ideas on how a production should look and work. They may be constrained by factors not present in the productions that Clurman discusses. Are there ideas present in the book that they could try clufman if they haven’t already?
I think the Director’s Notes Part III of the book would work wonderful for the experienced director looking for inspiration on how to tackle a particularly “difficult” play.
That section also works great as examples of what Clurman means when discussing haropd pre-production work. The idea of dirceting director’s script as a blue print is not new to theater, but the detail discussed here and to varying degrees based on the play gives a handle to someone who has not been disciplined in thinking of the cohesiveness of a production. I don’t believe that everyone needs to be a “Harold Clurman” and how many people actually recognize that name anymore?
Hell, how many people recognize the names of the playwrights he has directed plays of anymore?
But the main reason why this book is not getting a higher rating is that it is most useful to the director planning on a professional production, and those directors should have had experience and training equal to reading this book by the time they would pick it up. I don’t have enough time in a high school production to let the actors do nothing dirscting read the play harod two weeks.
I only have 5 – 8 weeks for rehearsal and at most 5 hours per week for those rehearsals.
Clurman has full day rehearsals. But I’m sure there’s better books out there. Jul 15, Kevin Powe rated it really liked it. As comprehensive a guide to the process of kn as you can expect from a written text, carefully constrained and positioned by Clurman direting simply his own perspective.
Looking forward to digging into some of the play analyses in conjunction with the play itself. Aug 05, Ali rated it liked it Shelves: Jul 24, Adam Hegg rated it it was amazing Shelves: Re-read this one to get clrman head in directing digecting. I feel like Clurman is my uncle. The prose can be considered kind in this book.
It almost feels as though he is while providing erudite instruction telling you stories on his front porch. That is not to say that this is a work of anything other than a sparkling intellect.
I am better off for having read it again. Jul 03, Keira rated it really liked it. This is the onn straightforward book on directing for the theater. Clurman is the master at laying out, step-by-step the process of directing. A major tool for any aspiring director and a must-have for the bookshelves of the experienced director. Aug 02, Erin rated it really liked it. This helped me figure jarold why directing came more naturally to me than acting.
It was also really clear and practical, without being too basic. Jan 25, Travis dlurman it it was amazing. This is a great inspirer to directing actors and being prepared for a play or film. Apr 12, Jeremy added it.
Great for all directors – good notes in the end. Eden Bailey rated it really liked it Jan 23, Alex Bala rated it liked it Nov 17, Kyle rated it really liked it Jan 18, Rick rated it really liked it May 17, Caitlin rated it really liked it Apr 15, Nov 30, Julian Munds rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book is the best book I’ve read about the subtle art of theatrical direction.
It uses personal anecdote and also a balanced perspective to convey points. A must have for any theatre professional.