Gosh what an interesting book. As someone who read a LOT of Shakespeare (everything once and some many times over) for school but saw very few live performances, this was almost magical. The authors go DEEP into every character Dench has played, and the insights about character motivation, production choices, and audience response was like adding a rich layer onto an already well-loved recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to English Lit lovers and theater folks. (I also think it would do well on the syllabus for a Shakespeare survey course.)

Thanks to Judi Dench and Brandon O'Hea for this truly illuminating and highly original memoir of life in the theater. Dame Dench has a prodigious memory, can recall in many cases the Shakespearean roles she has embodied over the past seven decades. But more than that, her deep understanding of and reverence for Shakespeare, his poetry, his insights, his contributions to the English language, are all inspiring. She discusses the characters' motivations and inner lives, incorporating them into flesh and blood women and not just dusty facsimiles. It gave me a better understanding of Shakespeare and an appreciation of his work. Even to the rhythm of iambic pentameter and even how some works deliberately would shift between text and poetry to establish a character. Also how every emotion in human experience is delineated and timeless. Loved this even more than I thought I would.

Courtesy of St.Martin's Press and Netgalley, I received the ARC of Shakespeare, The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench as she is interviewed by Brendon O'Hea. While commenting on everything Shakespeare, from historical aspects to his use of verse, prose, and rhyme, staging and how to prepare for a role, Judi Dench has the most impressive recall! Backstage events, co stars, directors...she includes witty insights and interpretations from her impressive career. Highly recommend this entertaining memoir!

What a wonderful look at several of Shakespeare’s plays as seen through the lens of Dame Judi Dench’s 70-year career playing his characters.

This book was a pure delight to read! I have not read much Shakespeare, but I enjoy all of the Shakespeare adjacent content, adaptations, and reimagings. My favorite play is Twelfth Night and I relished hearing Judi’s description and insight into playing Viola and later Maria.

I was given a free review eARC of this book by the publisher, but after about 20% of the way through the ebook, I realized I wanted to listen to it instead. So, even though I was given a free ebook, I paid for the audiobook when it was released just so I could listen to dialogue; it was magical.

I highly recommend you give this book a read and listen!

This book feels like sitting down for the most wonderful chat with Dame Judi Dench about the plethora of Shakespearean roles she has played over her 70+ year career. The book itself is really a series of intimate conversations with actor and director Brendan O’Hea, but they have been captured in such a way that it feels like you’re there, conversing with them - or at least a fly on the wall in the room!

And Judi Dench has so much to share!! Wild stories from her days performing on stage and on set, and beautiful, deep insights into so many Shakespearean plays. I’m not a die-hard Shakespeare fan, but this book has piqued my interest and made me want to pick up my Word Cloud Classics volume of Shakespearean tragedies and dive in.

Anyone who loves the acting style of Dame Judi Dench will love this interesting new book! Brendan O'Hea started the project by recording Judi Dench regarding her roles in Shakespeare plays. The result is an interesting view of 39 Shakespeare plays through the eyes of the actor, with personal reflections on how Shakespeare is still relevant in today's world and her personal approach to each role she played.

NOTE: While reading this book, I couldn't help but think that I would enjoy the AUDIOBOOK version so much more, because you could actually HEAR Dame Judi's thoughts and inflections as she shares her wonderful stories. The book was good, but I would advise the audiobook for much more depth and enjoyment.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Reader Copy of this book! #NetGalley

Judi Dench's 'Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent' is a masterclass in bringing the Bard's timeless works to life. With her unparalleled talent and deep reverence for Shakespearean literature, Dench offers readers a captivating exploration of the man behind some of the greatest plays in history. Through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis, she invites us into the fascinating world of Shakespeare, shedding new light on his genius and enduring legacy. Whether you're a lifelong fan of the Bard or new to his work, Dench's book is a must-read that will deepen your appreciation for Shakespeare's unparalleled contributions to the world of literature and theater.

I will update with my review once the SMP boycott has ended.

In the meantime...
#SPEAKUPSMP has three demands:

Address and denounce the Islamophobia/racism from their employee.

Offer tangible steps for how they're going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.

Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab readers, influencers, and authors in addition to their BIPOC readers, influencers, and authors.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a breezy and chatty book of conversations between Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea. The reader feels like one is listening to the two banter back and forth about acting in general and acting in Shakespeare specifically. They go through the myriad of roles she has played in a long career and the insights and knowledge that she shares is amazing and entertaining. She comes off as a lovely, kind, intelligent woman who knows her stuff. It is filled with revelations.

In fact, this book should be required reading for anyone studying Shakespeare or anyone studying acting. It is that good. Five purrs and two paws up,

This really is a gem of a book. Part memoir, part love letter to the theater, part master class on Shakespeare from the actor's perspective, this book has something for everyone. And if you aren't madly in love with Judi Dench by the end of it, you weren't pay attention to her irreverent humor and sharp mind.

The book is essentially a series of interviews between Judi and Brendan O'Hea, with wonderful repartee. Most chapters focus on a single play, with Judi deconstructing the play from the perspective of her character with asides about her performance and casts. You don't have to be a Shakespeare scholar to follow along. In fact, this would be the perfect book for someone looking for an introduction to his plays. Her approach is refreshing and a little radical; she explains Hamlet from the perspectives of Ophelia and Gertrude; King Lear from the perspectives of his daughters; Coriolanus from the perspective of Volumnia. In a canon focused on decoding Shakespeare's leading men, Judi Dench foregrounds the women.

Of course, it works well this way because it's also a memoir. Interspersed between chapters on the plays are short ruminations about life in the theatre. Yet another audience for this book: prospective or current actors. Her love for theater acting in particular shines through here, and I could see how someone with the acting bug would want to tread the boards in Stratford after reading this.

I always had the sense Dame Judi was a bit cheeky, but she's downright naughty at times here. No plays are off-limits from her sharp humor: she is openly hostile (in the funniest ways possible) to The Merchant of Venice, and admits that Lear is well-written but not her favorite. She pulls back the curtain on shenanigans by some of the most famous classical actors and directors from productions staged 40-60 years ago.

I honestly felt transported. As I read this, I was at the plays and could see the action unfolding on the stage. She has done a marvelous job in honoring both the man who pays the rent (so named because, well, she made a living performing his plays) and the theatrical life that she so clearly adores.

I was enthralled by Shakespeare: the Man Who Pays the Rent. Reading it is like being in the room with Dame Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea as they talked about Judi’s career, her love for Shakespeare, and the numerous roles she has played over the years. Shakespeare to Judi Dench is a passionate affair, she talks about it with love.

My introduction to Shakespeare was at secondary school, when each year we studied one of his plays. Then some years ago I took an Open University course on Shakespeare, so I’ve read and seen performances of many of the plays in which she has acted. Unfortunately she wasn’t acting in any of the plays I’ve seen on stage. I enjoyed Shakespeare at school but it was only when I took the Open University course and saw the plays live on the stage that I really began to love them. And when I read Shakespeare: the Man Who Pays the Rent it brought it all back to me.

This book is a wonderful run through the plays told from Judi’s perspective and, of course, her life, giving her insight not only into the characters but also into the world of the theatre. She talks about the rehearsals, the costumes, the sets, other actors, about critics, Shakespeare’s language – similes and metaphors, the use of rhyme, prose and verse, soliloquies, asides and how to adjust your breathing – and so on. Whatever she is talking about is all so clear and relevant, full of wit and humour and understanding. It brought back such wonderful memories of the plays I’ve studied and seen performed. And as for the plays I don’t know this book makes me want to see those as well.

It is a book I shall return to whenever I need a pick me up – I loved it, it gave me so much joy. There is so much more in this book than I’ve included here – I have only covered the surface in this post. If you like Judi Dench and Shakespeare you really should read Shakespeare: the Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea. And it includes Illustrations by Judi Dench too!

Usually I start my reviews by talking about the book and then I end with my personal thoughts and feelings, as best I can put them into words at that point in the day (usually late, so they’re generally far from perfect). But I’m going to do this differently and I will tell you why. 

It’s a trap. Like the part of Hamlet I borrowed for my title, where Hamlet is trying to trap a killer into giving himself away, listening to Dame Judi Dench talk about her time with Shakespeare is a trap. Because you’re sitting, reading, as she describes being feral as a child, running and singing and riding bikes, or things that went wrong onstage during a production, like fainting during Twelfth Night because she had malaria, and then suddenly you’re knee deep in the Shakespeare. And it’s like no other conversation you’ve had about the man. 

We all studied some of the plays in high school or college, and we all know what they’re like. They’re dense with words and poetry, and some of the language is archaic, and trying to understand what is going on makes your head swim a little. But when Dame Dench talks about the plays, she wipes all that away and describes them in modern terms that makes them seem so clear, so accessible. I mean, you signed up for juicy backstage stories, and you get sucked into the stories about the plays themselves. Just like that, you’re stuck wanting to know more about the Shakespeare. As I said, it’s a trap.

The book itself is written as a series of conversations, because it is. She sat down with her friend, director and actor Brendan O’Hea, and she talks about her seven decades of time on the stage, and they go character by character, play by play, talking through the plots, the key lines, the relationships. And Dame Dench shows her intelligence, her amazing memory, her wit, and her incisive understanding of these works as she talks about all the things she loves about Shakespeare and his women.

You may think this book would only be interesting to theater nerds, and sure, anyone interested in the theater will devour Dame Dench’s insights. But it would also be an amazing help to anyone studying the plays of Shakespeare. It offers insight to those studying acting, directing, or theater design. And of course, anyone who is a fan of Dame Judi Dench will love her stories, memories, anecdotes, advice, and, as she is British, all the tea.

I loved this book so much. It’s a gift that keeps giving, as se goes through play after play. Being a party to the conversation of two veteran actors is fun enough, but with Dame Dench and her smart and surprisingly edgy style of talking about Shakespeare, I just wanted to pull up a chair and listen all day. Like I said, I got sucked into this book, and I have a feeling I’ll keep going back to it, because it’s just that much fun. I have an English degree, and I have never heard anyone talk about Shakespeare the way Dame Dench does. It’s eye-opening and entertaining, and all word nerds should buy themselves a copy of Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, as soon as you can.

Egalleys for Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

For fans of Shakespeare or Dame Dench. I am a fan of the latter, and a novice to the former. This book has motivated me to dig deeper. I am inspired to lister to a few of the plays and then re read specific sections of this title.

I listened to the audiobook aand read along and it was a delightful experience. The interviews with Judi Dench about her career of acting Shakespeare plays onstage was both enlightening and entertaining. The best part was her sense of humor and hearing her giggling!

This isn't the type of book I normally read, but what a joy it was. I was offered this to review and though I would take a chance on it. O'Hea interviews Judi Dench about her vast work in Shakespeare She is incredible. She has played in about everything he wrote and she remembers all of it. She can even talk about what she wore on stage in 1958! A great actress who takes who craft seriously, she doesn't take herself so seriously. But while taking that craft seriously, she has fun with it. The format is O'Hea making comments, asking questions, and occasionally stirring the pot and Dench responding. There are some of her sketches sprinkled throughout. If you have any interest in theater, and I really don't have much, this is worth a read. Even with my tiny interest in the theater, I found it worthwhile.

I thought this book was going to be a memoir of the life of Judy Dench. When I realized it was about the Shakespeare productions she’s worked on it wasn’t of interest to me.

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent (These reviews based on an ARC from NetGalley)
Author: Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hea
For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra. In a series of intimate conversations with actor & director Brendan O'Hea,
I found this book so exciting as I got a much more understanding of the characters in the Shakespeare's plays discussed by Judy Dench. She illustrates the characters she played from a really young age to a mature woman and the actors she starred with such as Ian McKellen, John Gielgud and Kenneth Branagh.
It is a fascinating read which came about during Covid. Brendan O”hea wrote the book but as Judy said “it was like having a long conversation with a friend”, She goes onto say if you want to know about, love, jealousy and anger to name a few themes Shakespeare wrote it.
This book is a good introduction to some of the plays and famous lines from them.

For some reason I expected a very different format of story when starting this book, but soon realized it was simply an in depth interview with actress Judi Dench about her experience with Shakespearian work. I have to admit that I didn't know much about Judi Dench or Shakespeare before reading this book but now I have a love for both of them and have already started reading and watching their other work. Judi puts Shakespeare in a beautiful perspective that made me want to dedicate all of my time to his work. I no longer feel as intimidated by the speech and writing instead I feel excited to learn how to best read the plays and sonnets as well as watch as many as I can. I was extremely impressed with how immersed I was into each play that was talked about in this book especially since I had little to no background knowledge on any of them. A beautiful non fiction novel that reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six but with the passionate love for Shakespeare rather than rock music. I highly recommend this book wether or not you are interested in Shakespeare. It is so much more than a book about one writer it is a book about passion, learning, love, and friendship.

A fascinating look behind the curtain, so to speak. No one tells a story better than Dame Judi Dench, and hearing her talk about her times acting in Shakespeare's plays is most entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves theatre.

I love Judi Dench and I really wanted to learn more about her but this book was definitely not for me …
For the right audience , I’m sure it’s a great book
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review