Overview
Thirty years ago a promising young actor published his account of
preparing for and playing the role of Richard III. Antony Sher's Year of
the King has since become a classic of theatre literature. In 2014,
Sher, now in his sixties, was cast as Falstaff in Gregory Doran's Royal
Shakespeare Company production of the two parts of Henry IV. Both the
production and Sher's Falstaff were acclaimed by critics and audiences
alike, with Sher winning the Critics' Circle Award for Best
Shakespearean Performance. Year of the Fat Knight is Antony Sher's
account - splendidly supplemented by his own paintings and sketches - of
researching, rehearsing and performing one of Shakespeare's best-known
and most popular characters. He tells us how he had doubts about playing
the part at all, how he sought to reconcile Falstaff's obesity,
drunkenness, cowardice and charm, how he wrestled with the fat suit
needed to bulk him up, and how he explored the complexities and
contradictions of this comic yet often dangerous personality. On the
way, Sher paints a uniquely close-up portrait of the RSC at work.
Year of the Fat Knight is a terrific read, rich in humour and with a
built-in tension as opening night draws relentlessly nearer. It also
stands as a celebration of the craft of character acting. All in all, it
is destined to rank with Year of the King as one of the most enduring
accounts of the creation of a giant Shakespearean role.