Verified source report
Acting review – Cheek by Jowl masterclass in how to strut and fret upon the Shakesperian stage
Sophie Fiennes’s thoughtful documentary follows director Declan Donnellan as he helps actors find their way through Macbeth’s lines Documentary film-maker Sophie Fiennes returns with another palate-cleansingly meditative, unhurried and intelligent movie about artistic process; in this case, the process of acting – or to be more specific, rehearsing and workshopping ideas. Actors are shown developing approaches to Macbeth under the cool eye of Cheek by Jowl director Declan Donnellan. This is the part of “acting” that the movie observes in detail; it doesn’t cover the other business of auditions, table reads, tech runs, dress runs and performing night after night. With its clear, daylit approach, it is comparable to Fiennes’s 2010 study of German artist Anselm Kiefer, Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow – but is very unlike Fiennes’s atypically hyperactive and flashier films about the movies,
What happened
According to The Guardian’s source item, Acting review – Cheek by Jowl masterclass in how to strut and fret upon the Shakesperian stage, Sophie Fiennes’s thoughtful documentary follows director Declan Donnellan as he helps actors find their way through Macbeth’s lines Documentary film-maker Sophie Fiennes returns with another palate-cleansingly meditative, unhurried and intelligent movie about artistic process; in this case, the process of acting – or to be more specific, rehearsing and workshopping ideas. Actors are shown developing approaches to Macbeth under the cool eye of Cheek by Jowl director Declan Donnellan. This is the part of “acting” that the movie observes in detail; it doesn’t cover the other business of auditions, table reads, tech runs, dress runs and performing night after night. With its clear, daylit approach, it is comparable to Fiennes’s 2010 study of German artist Anselm Kiefer, Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow – but is very unlike Fiennes’s atypically hyperactive and flashier films about the movies,
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Culture file for readers following arts, entertainment, fashion, film, music, celebrity, and the business of culture. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-06-02T08:00:41+00:00.
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Source
Primary source: Acting review – Cheek by Jowl masterclass in how to strut and fret upon the Shakesperian stage via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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Source links
- Acting review – Cheek by Jowl masterclass in how to strut and fret upon the Shakesperian stageThe Guardian - 2026-06-02T08:00:41+00:00
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