Written in two parts in an accessible, conversational style, this book is more than a ‘how-to’ primer on the cue-script method: how Shakespeare and his actors staged his plays with minimal to no full company rehearsal. In Part 2, the author (a professional actor, director and academic researcher) expands upon how she has used this approach to Shakespeare herself and, as a result, made some ground-breaking discoveries.

For those listeners who may be unfamiliar with cue-scripts, and to bring the text to life, through performance, this edition, first published in print and e-book format in 2017, has been specially rewritten, updated and adapted for audio. The word on the page being, of course, vital to the process, the audiobook comes with a free, downloadable pdf and the updated version is also available in print and as an e-book.' A lifelong dedication to the theatre arts and a personal vow to help keep theatre alive, inspired its title. But of course it was Ben Johnson who said it first: “Thou art alive while thy book doth live.” Thy book being, of course, The first Folio (1623). The insights provided in this book, as well as in the other books you'll find recommended in its bibliography, confirm just how authoritative the First Folio (1623) really is.

To anyone who finds this book useful, may you feel inspired to verify, refine and expand upon this work and, in turn, share your findings with you own audience, readers, students and colleagues. The modest number of personal, new and surprising insights it has been possible to include in this slim volume is suggestive of many more to come.