And Furthermore

In this warmhearted memoir, actress Dench brings such a fresh and natural reaction as she describes her roles from Mother Courage to Cleopatra, Lady Bracknell and Sally Bowles that a sense of identification occurs; Dench shows the theatrical inside plumbing of the player and how personal insights, emotional backstories, and initial responses create the character. She believes she is blessed with her marriage to actor Michael Williams and a supportive and understanding family, sharing stories about them as well as about actors Sir John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft, Daniel Day-Lewis, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Stephen Sondheim. Her tales of finding movie fame later in her career and her trips on the Oscar red carpet are heartfelt whether she's with Cate Blanchett or Vin Diesel. With candor and wit, Dench interweaves her stage presences with her love of playing pranks on fellow actors, on the stage of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and on Broadway. Considering the idea of retirement, she says, "you retire to do things that you really want to do. Well, I am doing things I want to do now." Photos. (Mar.)