Books by Stephen Unwin

Disputing the notion that William Shakespeare scorned the rabble, an illuminating look at the complex working people of his plays. Was Shakespeare a snob? Poor Naked Wretches challenges the idea that one of the greatest writers of the English language despised working people, showing that he portrayed them with as much insight, compassion, and purpose as the rich and powerful. Moreover, working people play an important role in his dramatic method. Stephen Unwin reads Shakespeare anew, exploring the astonishing variety of working people in his plays, as well as the vast range of cultural sources from which they were drawn. Unwin argues that the robust realism of these characters, their independence of mind, and their engagement in the great issues of the day, make them much more than mere comic relief. Compassionate, cogent, and wry, Poor Naked Wretches grants these often-overlooked figures the dignity and respect they deserve.

A moving examination of a terrifying moral dilemma, and a powerful story that shows what it takes for humanity and decency to be restored in a world that has abandoned them.

A practical, hands-on guide - for actors, directors, teachers and students - to Brecht's history and practice of theatre. The Complete Brecht Toolkit examines, one by one, Brecht's many, sometimes contradictory ideas about theatre - and how he put them into practice. Here are explanations of all the famous key terms, such as Alienation Effect, Epic Theatre and Gestus, as well as many others which go to make up what we think of as 'Brechtian theatre'. There follows a section which looks at the practical application of these theories in Acting, Language, Music, Design and Direction. And finally, the book offers fifty exercises for student actors to investigate Brecht's ideas for themselves, becoming thoroughly familiar with the tools in the Brecht toolkit.

Plays only release their true meaning on stage. After an introduction to the historical background of Ibsen's play, the reader is conducted scene by scene through the Action of the play, followed by a discussion of the Characters, the Setting, Staging, Lighting, Costumes Props and Furniture.

A hands-on guide to directing plays. Stephen Unwin takes a step-by-step approach, covering: choosing the play; casting; design; rehearsal (establishing facts, improvisation, language, character, blocking, using specialists); running the play; putting it on the stage; and finally, opening night!