Category Archive: Latest News
Primrose Hill Lectures 2014 – St Mary’s, NW3, Central London – June 11th
Giving a talk on Shakespeare, Original Pronunciation, and more, in Central London next month. Twill be at 7pm on June 11th at St Mary’s Church, NW3, as part of the Primrose Hill Lectures 2014 series, in association with Primrose Hill Books.
For more details, and to buy tickets, head here: Primrose Hill Lectures 2014 at St Mary’s
Houston, San Francisco, NYC, DC, Virginia – April Tour
Here below, details of my book-talk & workshop tour around the USA
April 2014
Houston
4th-11th, University of Houston Downtown, Original Pronunciation (Workshop)
9th, Shakespeare on Toast, 2.30pm
10th, Shakespeare on Toast, Annunciation Orthodox School, 1pm
San Francisco
14th, Pacific Union College, Shakespeare’s Verse (Workshop)
17th, Santa Clara University, Shakespeare’s Verse (Workshop), 2pm
17th, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare’s Verse (Workshop), 7pm
Chicago
18th-19th, Shakespeare’s Ensemble (Workshop)
NYC
23rd, NYPL, Shakespeare on Toast 1.15pm
23rd, 450th Birthday Celebrations at The Pearl Theatre, Presented by The Shakespeare Society, 7pm
25th & 28th, Washington DC
Virginia
26th-27th, Original Practices talks and workshops, Blackfriars Playhouse, American Shakespeare Centre
NYC
28th, Shakespeare’s Verse (Open Workshop)
29th, Sayville School, Long Island
30th, Emma Willard School, Troy
1st May, Shakespeare’s Verse (Open Workshop)
The Once & Future Shakespeare – Oxford Lit Fest – 27th March 2014
Come & see my new talk next week – The Once & Future Shakespeare – 12pm, Thurs 26th March
As we approach Shakespeare’s 450th birthday celebration, what do the next 50 years hold for his works?
Actor and producer Ben Crystal, author of Shakespeare on Toast, Springboard Shakespeare, and co-author of Shakespeare’s Words and the Shakespeare’s Miscellany) discusses why our current approach to Shakespeare’s works may need to change, how we can learn from the practices of the past to see our way forward, and the dramatic effect these lessons may have on the existing canon.
Excerpts from Shakespeare will be performed by Ben and members of his Shakespeare ensemble. all trained in cue-script rehearsal techniques, where each is only given their lines, and the first encounter with one’s fellow actors is on stage, in front of a paying audience…
British Council, London – 12th Feb, 2014
Giving a talk at the British Council, which is open to all to come to, & is apparently being given a LIVE equally free Webcast for those who can’t.
Register here to come/see:
Open Workshop with Ben Crystal & Company – London – September 2013
Come and work with the Passion in Practice Company
A day-long intensive workshop, introducing our work towards fresh and accessible approaches to playing Shakespeare.
Over the course of the day we will share our method in finding fluency with Shakespearean text, to discover a truthful and simple way of speaking verse.
The workshop will include:
- Text and rhythm exploration
- Performing Shakespeare with a free physicality
- Speech and scene analysis
- Mini Sonnet workshop with Will Sutton **NEW**
- RP accent absolutely not required…
Places limited
COST
£50 / £40*
DATE
14th September, 10-6pm
WHERE
Central London – Moving East
Interested participants please email your CV by clicking here
*Early bird rate for the first 10 participants
Shakespeare Verse Masterclass – June 18th
In celebration of my forthcoming Springboard Shakespeare series:
A Shakespeare Verse Masterclass
with Ben Crystal & Company
Guest Sonneteer – Will SuttonTuesday 18th June, 2pm
Jackson’s Lane Theatre, Highgate
£10 on the door
First 10 places £0email us at Verse Masterclass
Springboard Shakespeare – June 20th 2013
Delighted to announce that my new series of books – Springboard Shakespeare – publish June 20th, 2013.
Hamlet, Lear, Macbeth and Dream are the most studied and performed of Shakespeare’s plays. These accessible introduction soffers a springboard into each play, taking a hands-on, performance-based approach, exploring the challenges and the rewards it presents to actors, audiences and students.
Springboard Shakespeare has a three-part structure: whether you’re watching or reading, Ben Crystal takes you through exactly what you need to know Before, During and After the play. He combines a genuine passion and understanding of Shakespeare with his experience as an actor, giving the reader a clear route to thinking about, understanding and enjoying four of Shakespeare’s greatest works.
Head to www.springboardshakespeare.com for more…
Talk at the Old House, Milverton – Saturday 9th March 2013
Giving two Shakespeare talks on Saturday at The Old House, Milverton, near Taunton. A 15th century house with a 500 year old mural of Henry VIII staring out at the proceedings. Fun!
Date: Saturday March 9th, 2013
Times:
Matinee: 3pm
Evening Show: 8pm
Place:
The Old House
Parsonage Lane
Milverton, TA4 1LR
Price: £12.50, including refreshments
Copies of Shakespeare on Toast will be for sale, c/o Brendan Books
For more information on the talks, contact Helen on 01823 400 059 or Angie on 01823 401 047
Toast for 99p – Amazon’s Daily Kindle Deal – 24th Jan ’13
For 23 hours and 59 minutes, Shakespeare on Toast is Amazon.co.uk’s Daily Kindle Deal:
If you thought Shakespeare was elitist and difficult to read, Ben Crystal will show you a new side, in his delightful, witty romp through the bard’s life and works. An actor at Shakespeare’s Globe, Crystal offers the reader a friendly masterclass with this entertaining introduction to Shakespeare’s most brilliant plays.
Get your slice o Toast on Kindle for £0.99 (81% off) until 23:59 on 24/1…
