"Taking scenes from The Relapse by John Vanbrugh as the text, Callow directs a workshop of young actors and subjects them to his own rigorous and scrupulous appraisal."— RADIO TIMES

The art of acting in Restoration Comedy, the buoyant, often bawdy romps that celebrated the re-opening of the English theatres after Cromwell's dour reign, is the subject of Simon Callow's bold investigation. There is cause again to celebrate as Callow, one of Britain 's foremost actors and directors, aims to restore the form to all its original voluptuous vigor. Callow shows the way to attain the clarity and hilarity in some of the most delightful roles ever conceived for the theatre.

Callow's lively speculations do not follow the familiar route of lace-trimmed interpretations and gratuitous pageantry. He rejects camp for camp's sake, and embraces instead the magnificently perverse language as the primary seductive force in Restoration comedy.

With the text as his inspiration, he shapes an actor's sensibility, coaching his performance in the conventions of the age, the life of the costume, and the audience in performance.

The actor who follows Callow into the Restoration will merge with an invigorated palate for the theatre of every age.

“The actor needs constant mental and vocal energy to liberate the glorious wit encased in the artificial and highly mannered framework of the dialogue. We must try to give birth to the idea, to the conceit in the womb of each phrase during performance.”—Simon Callow

“Restoration comedies are bursting with life, and it is the giving of life that is the job of the theatre.” —Simon Callow

“We affirm, in the very act of theatre, the way in which words may transform our whole understanding of life.”—Simon Callow

“Fops are narcissists, not homosexuals. They pursue women enthusiastically, their vanity protecting them from any mockery their efforts receive.” —Simon Callow

“ The problem for the modern actor is the elegance of speech which is thrown over strong feelings like a piece of silk: it must be be effortlessly worn.” —Simon Callow

“Plays, like people, have both a general and a particular character and the particular can only be understood by reference to the general.” —Simon Callow

Among the subjects covered by Simon Callow:
Restoration Style
Soliloquy
Fops
Asides
Logic and Language
The Art of Being a Woman
The Art of a Fan
Clothes and Movement