Will & Me: How Shakespeare Took Over My Life

What are the life lessons we can glean from Shakespeare’s characters? According to Dromgoole, the artistic director of London’s Globe Theatre, Shakespeare is better than religion for “interpreting the world.” Unfortunately, Dromgoole, in spite of his background, isn’t able to pull off the conceit. The first half of the book follows his childhood, then chronicles life in a touring company. En route, Dromgoole extracts monologues from Shakespeare’s plays to underscore his point; in essence: forget the Bible, just read the bard of Avon. When not extolling the educative virtue of Shakespeare’s characters, Dromgoole pays court to distinguished performers, such as Peter O’Toole and Judi Dench. He reserves special attention for Michael Bryant, who plays the smaller Shakespearean roles, proving there are no small roles in Shakespeare’s plays. A purist, Dromgoole rails against directors’ concepts that stand between the play and the audience. And while his affection and high regard for Shakespeare is obvious, he’s too chatty for the academic reader and too self-involved for the general public. Chapter heads are both enigmatic and narcissistic. While an actor will garner insights into how to interpret legendary characters, the book has too much Dromgoole and not enough Will. (Sept.)