Shakespeare cover art

Shakespeare

The Man Who Pays The Rent

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Discover the work of the greatest writer in the English language as you've never encountered it before by listening to internationally renowned actor Dame Judi Dench's SHAKESPEARE: The Man Who Pays The Rent - a witty, insightful journey through the plays and tales of our beloved Shakespeare

Read by Barbara Flynn (Open All Hours, The Durrels) and the book’s co-author Brendan O’Hea. Also featuring a warm and witty exclusive bonus conversation between Dame Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea about the making of the book.

Taking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig...

Cavorting naked through the Warwickshire countryside painted green...

Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head...

These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare.

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, she guides us through Shakespeare's plays with incisive clarity, revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans.

Interspersed with vignettes on audiences, critics, company spirit and rehearsal room etiquette, she serves up priceless revelations on everything from the craft of speaking in verse to her personal interpretations of some of Shakespeare's most famous scenes, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour, striking level of honesty and a peppering of hilarious anecdotes, many of which have remained under lock and key until now.

Instructive and witty, provocative and inspiring, this is ultimately Judi's love letter to Shakespeare, or rather, The Man Who Pays The Rent.

'A MAGICAL LOVE LETTER TO SHAKESPEARE' Sir Kenneth Branagh

©2023 Judi Dench (P)2023 Penguin Audio

 Drama & Plays Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Shakespeare Celebrity Entertainment Funny Witty Theatre Feel-Good Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Inspiring

Critic reviews

Wonderfully inspiring. A delightful spell in the company of one of our greatest and most thoughtful actresses
A magical love letter to Shakespeare
A wonderful mixture of appreciation and anecdote
It’s a mark of Dench’s impish genius and O’Hea’s deftness that it genuinely feels like you’re sitting at her kitchen table with her. It’s companionable and compelling – if you love Judi Dench or Shakespeare (and most of us do), look no further
Gorgeous flows of recollection
An utterly delightful book…there can be few higher pleasures in civilised life than hearing Judi Dench recite the poetry of Shakespeare. What emerges is a wealth of unpretentious horse sense – Shakespeare from a great actor’s perspective – that repeatedly strikes to the heart of the matter with a sharp instinctive intelligence that puts fancy-pants literary critics to shame
This is a gloriously entertaining tour through the canon in the company of perhaps the most experienced living Shakespearean actor; reading it feels like a chat with an old friend.
The book is pure enchantment. It swirls and dances with brilliance and mischief, so forget traditional Shakespearean criticism and analysis. Sack the Eng. Lit. professors. As never before, this book brings the subject to wild, authentic life.
A wonderful ode to the bard
Riveting, revealing and witty
All stars
Most relevant
I shall listen to this many times. Like Judy herself, I have failing eyesight and can only see to read books on e-readers, back-lit, or on audio. This was -and is- a superb production. Thank you.

Magical

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’m so glad I bought this on audible as listening to the discussion about each play brought it to life for me in a way that I don’t think I would have got from a book. I loved the witty, sparring and how the discussion delved into the plays and characters. I’ve read and seen a few plays and by no means a Shakespeare aficionado and found the discussion very accessible. Wish it been around several c25 years ago when i was at school!

Marvellous!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Though Judi does recite Shakespeare passages beautifully, her recollections are in the main voiced by the sensational Barbara Flynn who plays Jude exquisitely. Barbara captures Judi’s naughtiness, spirit and thoughtfulness perfectly and I adore listening to her. A totally transporting, inspiring and adorable book. Thank you!

A sheer joy which makes you fall in love with theatre all over again

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love Judi Demch. Her passion for Shakespeare comes across is spades. Brilliant insight into all the parts she’s played, plus some naughtiness and mischief. Barbara Flynn does a beautiful job of reading for Judi (who makes several appearances in the audio and do listen to the extra bit at the end.) Somehow Barbara Flynn has managed to capture Judi’s vocal mannerisms, especially her throaty chuckle. I just loved listening to this book.

Just wonderful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved the conversational premise. When you hear Judy as opposed to the voice actor, it's astounding how magnificent she sounds. What a talent. Loved the podcast ending. A lovely, kind and highly entertaining listen.

Brilliant, engaging, funny, touching.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews