The Half - Photographs of Actors Preparing for the Stage

For twenty-five years actors have given Simon Annand unprecedented access to photograph them in the intimacy of their dressing-rooms during the 30 minutes before curtain-up - 'the half'

This magnificent book contains over 300 images, a dazzling gallery of actors - including Anthony Hopkins, Cate Blanchett, Daniel Day Lewis, Judi Dench, John Gielgud, Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent, Jeremy Irons, Glenda Jackson, Jude Law, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Martin Sheen, Felicity Kendal, Kevin Spacey and Ralph Fiennes

Simon Annand's exploration of this usually off-limits journey, a meditation on the mystery of the final stage of an actor's journey from dressing room to stage, makes for compelling viewing and offers us a spellbinding glimpse into the heart of the acting process

With an introduction by Michael Kustow