Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent

For this exuberant collection, O’Hea, an actor at Shakespeare’s Globe theater, brings together his interviews with Dench (Behind the Scenes) about the many Shakespearean roles and productions in her seven-decade career. Conducted over four years and originally intended for the Globe’s archives, the lively conversations bounce from backstage reminiscences (“I wouldn’t know how to get ready unless there were jokes and pants flying through the air”) to irreverent commentary on the plays (“Oh my God, I loathed it,” Dench says about The Merchant of Venice, objecting to its irredeemable characters and antisemitism). Dench’s accessible musings feel like learning about Shakespeare from a favorite teacher, as when she notes how the contrast between Romeo’s metaphor-rich language and Juliet’s “straight to the point” responses in the balcony scene reveal how “she has no guile about her. And there’s no time to be flowery—she’s too anxious about Romeo’s safety.” Of particular value are Dench’s lucid insights on her craft: “Acting is learning how to edit. It’s not just about what you put in, but probably more importantly what you choose to chuck out.” The breezy discussions make up in energy and passion for what they lack in rigor. It’s a refreshingly loose exploration of the Bard’s oeuvre. Illus. (Apr.)