This is a self-help manual for actors who want to train and develop their voice. Opening with advice on how to use the book and how to prepare our bodies, the author then takes us step-by-step through the constituent elements that make up the voice and the sounds we make with it. Each chapter starts with a brief introduction, then sets out the sequence of relevant exercises, accompanied by simple diagrams, and ends with a summary of what has been learned.

Barbara Houseman has worked with the Royal Court, the RSC (where she was Resident Voice and Text Coach), and the Young Vic (where she was Associate Director). She has worked one-to-one with several well-known actors and alongside many well-known directors.