"Now supplemented with a new piece about the need not to be overwhelmed by Shakespeare, this book addresses a number of essential questions about performing Shakespeare today. 'Why is Shakespeare not out of date?' 'What do we mean by Shakespeare's "genius" or "creativity" or "poetry"?' 'What, in fact, is the Shakespeare phenomenon?'" "In attempting answers to these and other questions, Peter Brook invites us to consider the actual conditions of the Elizabethan theatre and the actual qualities of Shakespeare's language. The result is a typically illuminating and provocative take on our greatest playwright by one of his most influential modern interpreters."--BOOK JACKET.