...because Patsy Rodenburg knows about voice work too!
Patsy Rodenburg is a bit of voice-coaching guru
Patsy Rodenburg knows a thing or two about
making an impact and having "Presence". She's the Director of Voice at London's
Royal National Theatre and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In short,
she knows her stuff.
So, when Rodenburg brings out a new book about 'Presence', we pay attention.... we rush out, we buy, we read and we review!
What is 'Presence' about and just what's Rodenburg's book doing?
The main 'thrust' of Patsy Rodenburg's book is that there are three levels of presence. In Circle One we are focused inwards, concentrating on ourselves and not on the world around us: we don't have presence. In Circle Three we are focused only on the world around us - we can seem to be bombastic, bullying and hollow: we do not have presence.
Ms Rodenburg argues that only when we're in Circle Two - when we both receive and give - do we have 'Presence'. Examples are people like Tony Blair (in his early days as PM), Nelson Mandela and so on. By contrast, Gordon Brown tends to work in Circle One but on occasion becomes 'too giving', going straight into Circle Three, and comes across as bombastic and no giving of his 'real self'. In short, in neither Circles One or Three are we genuinely 'being ourselves' in a way people can relate to.
This book tries to get us us working in Circle Two more. Simple, really.
How does this book go about it?
The descriptions are clear, the exercises don't feel like hard work and Patsy Rodenburg's basic love of people carries you through every page. It's not a book to rush, but rush it I did - simply because I was enjoying myself.
Now, to be fair, I could do that because the concepts were already familiar to me - in fact I use the same sort of thing in our own training (such as our public voice & presentation skills training courses as well as our in-house courses, albeit with different terminology - and a lot of other people will have to take more time over it....
...but suffice it to say that despite having read it through quickly because I was enjoying myself, I'm going to re-read (slower!) it because there's lots there to pick up.
Does it succeed - does Rodenburg give you "Presence"?
I think so, yes. The jury's still out because I've only just bought and read it, but my first impressions are that it's 11 quid well spent.
Additional review comments
I've now re-read Rodenburg's Presence and while I still think it's a good book, I do think Rodenburg could have shortened it a bit. She almost admits this herself at one point admitting that the main thrust has been covered but urging people to carry on reading. Having read Presence at a more relaxed pace now, I'd suggest that if Rodenburg (or any author for that matter!) has to urge people to carry on reading it tells you what you need to know about the rest of the book.
Thoughout Presence Rodenburg is fond of quoting Shakespeare, so here's another quote - "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." (Hamlet, Act3, Scene2?). Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't read it, but I am saying if you're short of time there's no rush to read the second half of the book.
Patsy Rodenburg biogrpahy
Patsy Rodenburg OBE is very well regarded for what she does. Currently she's Director of Voice at London's Royal National Theatre and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She's also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company (nine or so years) and has collaborated on several films (with people like Sam Mendes!). Here's an excellent Rodenburg biography
