Playing to the Gods

De: Peter Rader

Narrado por: Amanda Carlin

The riveting story of the rivalry between the two most renowned actresses of the 19th century: legendary Sarah Bernhardt, whose eccentricity on and off the stage made her the original diva, and mystical Eleonora Duse, who broke all the rules to popularize the natural style of acting we celebrate today.

Audiences across Europe and the Americas clamored to see the divine Sarah Bernhardt swoon - and she gave them their money’s worth. The world’s first superstar, she traveled with a chimpanzee named Darwin and a pet alligator that drank champagne, shamelessly supplementing her income by endorsing everything from aperitifs to beef bouillon, and spreading rumors that she slept in a coffin to better understand the macabre heroines she played.

Eleonora Duse shied away from the spotlight. Born to a penniless family of itinerant troubadours, she disappeared into the characters she portrayed - channeling their spirits, she claimed. Her new, empathetic style of acting revolutionized the theater - and earned her the ire of Sarah Bernhardt in what would become the most tumultuous theatrical showdown of the 19th century. Bernhardt and Duse seduced each other’s lovers, stole one another’s favorite playwrights, and took to the world’s stages to outperform their rival in her most iconic roles.

A scandalous, enormously entertaining history full of high drama and low blows, Playing to the Gods is the pause-resisting account of the feud that changed theater forever.

©2018 Peter Rader (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Essential reading for anyone who claims to love the theatre!

Required reading for any student/lover of theatre. A great piece of extraordinary history that gives context to what anyone thinks they know about these game changers. Insightfully told, beautifully, lovingly researched and read. So grateful to have experienced this book on audible!

Intriguing Acting Pioneers

Riveting, moving story of the two women who elevated theater and devised the acting standards of the day and beyond. Their rivalry and intersections with historic events and people are fascinating. Beautifully written, superbly read!

AI narrator ? A rip.

Fake voice, totally lacking engagement.
Did I miss something in the promo? Huh? 2 more words, required.

The narration sounds like a computer voice - AI?

It’s impossible to listen to this book. What a waste of money for the audio. I can’t understand the narrator. She speaks in robotic rhythm. It’s maddening.