Year of the King: An Actor's Diary and Sketchbook
Actor Antony Sher has had an impressive career on the London stage and in a variety of highly visible character roles in film (including a lauded portrayal as Disraeli in 1997'sMrs. Brown). In this highly entertaining journal, he chronicles the months of preparation for one of the most critically acclaimed Shakespearean performances in the 20th century, his 1984 portrayal of Richard III, which he played on a pair of custom-made crutches that transformed the Bard's villainous king into a poisonous, scuttling spider. His preparations include attempts to get into the mental territory of a sociopath and discussions with doctors, patients, and physical therapists about the physical realities of playing a hunchback. Along the way we get insights into his South African heritage, discussions of the life of a working actor, and an often funny and always illuminating portrait of a year working in the Royal Shakespeare Company--all illustrated with numerous sketches and cartoons from this multitalented author.Year of the Kingis a grand tour of the inner workings of one of the world's greatest theaters, by an actor at the height of his creative powers.--John Longenbaugh