And Furthermore

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"I can hardly believe that it is more than half a century since I first stepped on to the stage of the Old Vic Theatre and into a way of life that has brought me the most rewarding professional relationships and friendships. I cannot imagine now ever doing anything else with my life except acting…" – Judi Dench From London's glittering West End to Broadway's bright lights, from her Academy Award-winning role as Elizabeth I inShakespeare in Loveto "M" in the James Bond films,Judi Dench has treated audiences to some of the greatest performances of our time. She made her professional acting debut in 1957 with England's Old Vic theatre company playing Ophelia inHamlet ,Katherine inHenry V(her New York debut), and then, Juliet. In 1961, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company playing Anya inThe Cherry Orchardwith John Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft. In 1968, she went beyond the classical stage to become a sensation as Sally Bowles inCabaret,adding musical comedy to her repertoire. Over the years, Dench has given indelible performances in the classics as well as some of the greatest plays and musicals of the twentieth century including Noël Coward'sHay Fever,Stephen Sondheim'sA Little Night Music,Kaufman and Hart'sThe Royal Familyand David Hare'sAmy's View(for which she won the Tony Award). Recently, she made a triumphant return toA Midsummer Night's Dreamas Titania, a role she first played in 1962, now played as a theatre-besotted Queen Elizabeth I. Her film career has been filled with piercing performances of unforgettable women: Queen Victoria inMrs. Brown, the terrifying schoolteacher Barbara Covett inNotes on a Scandaland the writer Iris Murdoch inIris.And, for the BBC, Dench created another unforgettable woman when she brought her great comic timing and deeply felt emotions to the role of Jean Pargetter in the long-running hit BBC seriesAs Time Goes By. And Furthermoreis, however, more than the story of a great actress's career. It is also the story of Judi Dench's life: her early days as a child in a family that was in love with the theatre; her marriage to actor Michael Williams; the joy she takes in her daughter, the actress Finty Williams, and her grandson, Sammy. Filled with Dench's impish sense of humor, diamond-sharp intelligence and photos from her personal archives,And Furthermoreisthebook every fan of the great Judi Dench will cherish.