Acting, Emotion, and Science on Shakespeare's Stage
b'How do actors do what they do? How do they stir up emotions, both in themselves and in us as we watch them? Joseph Roach\\u2019s 1985 book The Player\\u2019s Passion: Studies in the Science of Acting examined how the actor\\u2019s art has been understood through history: from Shakespeare\\u2019s 17th century, when spirits emitted by actors\\u2019 eyes took hold of audiences, to David Garrick\\u2019s 18th century, when pneumatic tubes transmitted emotion from the brain to the body. We talk with Joseph Roach about historical theories of acting. These theories\\u2014shared by doctors, scientists, actors, and audiences\\u2014affected the way some of our favorite playwrights wrote, and some of them even made their way into the most influential acting techniques of the 20th century. Joseph Roach was the long-time Sterling Professor of Theater at Yale University. The Player\\u2019s Passion: Studies in the Science of Acting, one of a number of books by Roach, was originally published by the University of Delaware Press in 1985 and was reissued by the University of Michigan Press in 1993. He recently joined us at the Folger Institute for a seminar titled \\u201cWhat Acting Is.\\u201d He is interviewed by Barbara Bogaev. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. Published March 5, 2019. \\xa9 Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This podcast episode, \\u201cSuit the Action to the Word, the Word to the Action,\\u201d was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Ben Lauer is the web producer. We had technical help from Andrew Feliciano and Evan Marquart at Voice Trax West in Studio City, California, and Ryan McEvoy at the Yale University Broadcast Center.'