Why Studying Shakespeare Is Important For Actors

BridgeTTC

Aspiring actors can sometimes find Shakespeare studies daunting with its unfamiliar language and all the complex analysis that goes with it. Nonetheless, learning Shakespeare is pretty much essential groundwork for actors and has been for many years. If you’re serious about becoming an actor you’ll want to try your hand at Shakespeare acting early on.

Why do we learn Shakespeare?

Shakespeare studies are still as popular as ever as his plays are timeless classics ranging from comedies to tragedies – full of romance, suspense, and fun supernatural elements like ghosts, witches, and fairies. There are many reasons why we learn Shakespeare – not just for entertainment or its historical value – but also for the many benefits his work provides for actors, directors, and writers. His plays are full of common plot devices, relatable character archetypes, and evergreen themes of revenge, blind ambition, or tragic irony that are still used today as they make for great stories.

Why is Shakespeare still important today?

Even after hundreds of years, actors, schoolchildren, drama students, and academics are all still learning Shakespeare. His theatre shows are still being performed and are being constantly reinvented and adapted for modern audiences. Modern adaptions of Romeo & Juliet alone range from West Side Story (1961) to Warm Bodies (2013). New theatre productions are on all the time and actors are needed for this. Writers and directors often take inspiration from his work and cultural phenomenon Game of Thrones is a prime example of this.

Shakespeare is ingrained in our culture and society and that isn’t going to change any time soon. Shakespeare studies are also history studies as he helped shape the modern English language and modern drama and literature. It’s important to know how we, as a society, got to where we are and where we came from. We even quote him most days without realising by using words and expressions he invented – from using every day Shakespearean words like ‘bedroom’, ‘gossip’, and ‘manager’ to making ‘knock knock jokes’.

Why is Shakespeare good for actors?

Not only is it a rite of passage for actors to learn Shakespeare, it can form a strong foundation for an actor’s development due to its challenging and diverse nature. Studying Shakespeare as an actor will teach you essential skills like voice work, movement, and in-depth text analysis. After you’ve learnt and performed your fair share of Shakespeare, you’ll realise you’re capable of any drama challenge that might come your way.

You don’t have to look too hard to find countless great actors who have played Shakespeare. While you don’t necessarily need to know Shakespeare yourself to be an actor, you’ll want to make sure you don’t get left behind as many of your contemporaries have Shakespeare experience so you’ll be at a disadvantage against them. Acting is competitive so you need to add as many strings to your bow as you can.

How do I start learning Shakespeare?

There are numerous classes and workshops you can take that cover Shakespeare acting that cater for all levels of drama experience. Research what’s available in your area or better yet take an acting course such as the one we provide here at The Bridge Theatre Training Company in London.