Thank you for visiting. The purpose of this site is not to try to get you to buy the Handbook! It will be replaced shortly by www.johnrudlin.com, which is under construction. This will include information about all my publications, teaching, directing, translations and playwriting.
The Handbook has been continually in print, published by Routledge, since 1986 and is used by anglophone performers, teachers and students all over the world. It has also been translated into Turkish.
A selection of 5 star reviews posted by verified purchasers on Amazon:
This book is the real deal, not the dry scholarly approach so often found when researching Commedia. An in depth hands on approach to its characters, physicality, rhythms, status, appetites and interplay with great studio exercises and sample scenes. A must for any character actor or theater director. This volume ranks alongside such greats as Hagen’s ‘Respect for Acting’, Spolin’s ‘Improvisation’’ Brook’s ‘Empty Space’ and Stanislavsky’s ‘Creating a Character’ . If possible buy a copy that is well worn, highlighted and scribbled with notes from its previous owner – you’ll be delighted!
This is a very useful book. I am a teacher of Commedia dell’Arte and use it regularly with my classes. It has a good balance of history, theory and practical information. This truly is the definitive guide to Commedia dell’Arte.
As someone who teaches movement for actor training, I highly recommend this book for your reading list and for required reading for any Commedia work. Terrific resource!
If you’re at all interested in Commedia and have not yet read this book, I highly recommend it. It would be beneficial for anyone at any level. Every section is just wonderful and gives out so much “secret” information. There’s even an appendix on how to make leather masks in the traditional method. I have searched and not been able to find many other books that touch on that subject. It’s an interesting read the whole way through and handy as a reference forever after.
Purtroppo per studiare qualcosa sulla Commedia dell’Arte occorre comprare un libro in inglese! Ottimo scritto bene e facile da capire. Lo consiglio a chiunque voglia approfondire le radici del nostro teatro.
There is a companion book, also published by Routledge and still available, Commedia dell’Arte, a handbook for troupes, co-authored with Oliver Crick, which reveals how to set about creating a company, along with some histories of those who have.
Other works on Commedia are:
Commedia dell’arte, its structure and tradition: John Rudlin in conversation with Antonio Fava (Full details and how to get 20% off by buying direct from Routledge at https://www.routledge.com/Commedia-dell-Arte-its-Structure-and-Tradition-Antonio-Fava-in-Conversation/Rudlin-Fava.
and:
Also, do turn to the Other Publications page which offers further useful material for Commedia teachers and practitioners.
‘Keynote speech’ will take you to my opening address
Flour sacks and Farthingales: class structure and and the actress as suzerain
at the conference “Crossing Boundaries: Commedia dell’arte across Gender, Genre, and Geography”, Friday, February 15 – Sunday, February 17, 2013 at the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Jacques Copeau the seminal French director of the early twentieth century has been my second main area of research, and Strolling tells you about work I have been doing on the history of strolling players, publication of which is forthcoming.
Any questions or suggestions? You can email me at rudlinjohn@gmail.com
which is linked to my personal address.