On Shakespeare

Fifty years ago, I was in a production at NIDA – I think it was Tolstoy’s Power of Darkness – and one of the main roles was played by a very talented fellow-student named Anne Dobrovolska. On opening night, she received a lovely gift from her boyfriend, John. It was a miniature rose in full bloom. Mini-roses were a real novelty then and this was the first one I’d ever seen. We all oohed and aahed over it and if the other girls felt as I did, we were all jealous. I wished I had a boyfriend who bought me such presents!

I haven’t seen Anne again since her graduation but I’ve caught news of her from time to time. She became known professionally as Anna Volska, and married the boyfriend. Together John Bell and Anna Volska founded a Shakespeare company, and the rest, friends, is history. Now here I am, 50 years on, witness to that history in reviewing the company’s work and John Bell’s new book On Shakespeare.

On Shakespeare is a darned good read and will appeal to the general reader as much as the scholar. It is straightforward and basic enough to provide an excellent introduction to Shakespeare, yet it should also have a place in reference libraries as well as on the shelves of anyone with an interest in the Bard’s work or in Australian theatre history. The history of the Bell Shakespeare Company has probably been better covered in Bell’s earlier book, The Time of My Life (Sydney: Currency Press 2002) but there is enough of the topic in the present volume to satisfy the casual reader whose main interest is in learning more about Shakespeare and his works.

For the student of theatre, John Bell’s first-hand reminiscences are hard to beat. What’s more, his résumé and critique of each play is not just scholarly; he knows this stuff from the inside, and his understanding of the characters he has played will be of benefit not only to actors but to students who have been given the classic ‘compare-the-characters-of-Brutus-and-Cassius’ type of exercise. We learn about Shakespeare through Bell’s ‘interviews’ with his contemporaries – a novel, yet surprisingly credible, approach to getting a handle on the man behind the plays.

All this is presented through the eyes of a fine actor and director, and a person who loves what he does. Bell’s passionate relationship with the Bard and his works is what shines through the most, and it’s what will keep you turning the pages. Learning from an expert is good; learning from an expert who loves his subject is even better. Bell’s easy-to-follow colloquial style helps, too.

John Bell’s place in Australian theatre is well-recognised: he has been awarded an OBE and an AM as well as being recognised as an Australian Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia. He’s also received a couple of honorary degrees. Furthermore, in 2001 a painting of Bell by artist Nicholas Harding won the Archibald Prize; the following year his performance of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in Richard III earned him a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor. In 2003 he was named Cultural Leader of the Year. Not bad for a boy from Maitland who set out with little but a dream and lots of determination!

On Shakespeare
By John Bell
Allen and Unwin
432 pages
RRP $39.99