“Kenneth Branagh” by Mark White

Mark White says that he wrote the book about Kenneth Branagh ‘ to look at the way in which his work had been received, particularly the phenomenon of 'Branagh-bashing' in England. There is so much trash in our popular culture now - so many people famous for essentially doing nothing, for being good at nothing. And it seemed to me that here was someone, because he had achieved so much at an early age and had carried out an important public service in enlarging the audience interested in Shakespeare, who was in fact worth celebrating but had instead become a target for an array of rather vicious attacks. I could not understand how this state of affairs had come to exist. I wrote this book in an attempt to find out why."  

From humble beginnings in the Belfast docks, Kenneth Branagh has driven himself to dizzy heights of accomplishment. By 21 he had starred in a West End hit. At 23 he was playing Henry V for the Royal Shakespeare Company. By 26 he had established his own theatre company. Shortly after that he directed and starred in a movie version of Henry V, the start of a series of Shakespeare films that resulted in him being viewed by many as the leading interpreter of Shakespeare in the world. No actor of his generation achieved so much so rapidly.  
 

This book is a great read for Branagh fans and gives a fascinating insight into the man and his personality. It’s not paean to his greatness but a solid look at what drives him and the flaws in his character that have driven, and sometimes impeded, his career and relationships. My only criticism is its style – first he did this, then he did that - the book goes into great depth about the making of each (and every one) of Branagh’s plays and films, which can be a bit tedious.

 

Di