Evelyn Tribble is Donald Collie Chair and Professor of English at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

• Chapter 1: Mindful Bodies: Skill Ecologies in Early modern EnglandChapter 2: Opening Simon Jewell’s Box: The Player’s ToolkitChapter 3: ‘Skill of weapon’ Chapter 4: Dancing, Music, and SongChapter 5: The Skill Behind the Skills: Elocution, Memory, ‘Vigilancy,’ and ‘Pregnancy of Wit’Chapter 6: Conclusion: Reading Through the Lens of SkillBibliography; Index

As a work of theatre history, Early Modern Actors and Shakespeare’s Theatre is a compelling introduction to the breadth and depth of players’ practices. Its concise and direct prose renders difficult historical and scientific concepts simple to navigate, if not easy to resolve. The text is efficient and fluent, demonstrating its claims using an extensive collection of brief but cogent readings, which it prefers to lengthier, closer interpretations of a given playtext. This invigorating book offers a model for more sustained academic engagement with acting as both historical practice and contemporary craft. As such, it amply serves both researchers and practitioners invested in early modern stage action.

Evelyn Tribble is Donald Collie Chair and Professor of English at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

• Chapter 1: Mindful Bodies: Skill Ecologies in Early modern EnglandChapter 2: Opening Simon Jewell’s Box: The Player’s ToolkitChapter 3: ‘Skill of weapon’ Chapter 4: Dancing, Music, and SongChapter 5: The Skill Behind the Skills: Elocution, Memory, ‘Vigilancy,’ and ‘Pregnancy of Wit’Chapter 6: Conclusion: Reading Through the Lens of SkillBibliography; Index

As a work of theatre history, Early Modern Actors and Shakespeare’s Theatre is a compelling introduction to the breadth and depth of players’ practices. Its concise and direct prose renders difficult historical and scientific concepts simple to navigate, if not easy to resolve. The text is efficient and fluent, demonstrating its claims using an extensive collection of brief but cogent readings, which it prefers to lengthier, closer interpretations of a given playtext. This invigorating book offers a model for more sustained academic engagement with acting as both historical practice and contemporary craft. As such, it amply serves both researchers and practitioners invested in early modern stage action.

Evelyn Tribble is Donald Collie Chair and Professor of English at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

• Chapter 1: Mindful Bodies: Skill Ecologies in Early modern EnglandChapter 2: Opening Simon Jewell’s Box: The Player’s ToolkitChapter 3: ‘Skill of weapon’ Chapter 4: Dancing, Music, and SongChapter 5: The Skill Behind the Skills: Elocution, Memory, ‘Vigilancy,’ and ‘Pregnancy of Wit’Chapter 6: Conclusion: Reading Through the Lens of SkillBibliography; Index

As a work of theatre history, Early Modern Actors and Shakespeare’s Theatre is a compelling introduction to the breadth and depth of players’ practices. Its concise and direct prose renders difficult historical and scientific concepts simple to navigate, if not easy to resolve. The text is efficient and fluent, demonstrating its claims using an extensive collection of brief but cogent readings, which it prefers to lengthier, closer interpretations of a given playtext. This invigorating book offers a model for more sustained academic engagement with acting as both historical practice and contemporary craft. As such, it amply serves both researchers and practitioners invested in early modern stage action.