The History Of European Theatre

Episode 204:For today’s guest episode we welcome Robert Crighton to the podcast.  Robert is the guiding light behind ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ a project that aims to shine a light on very early theatre through to Early Modern theatre.  As the name ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ suggests Robert is keen to look at plays not written by Shakespeare and indeed, as you will hear, much of Robert’s work looks at works written long before Shakespeare was around.  I first came across ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ through the online readings of early modern plays that Robert has produced as a means of working towards full audio and staged productions.  It was a very useful point of reference for me when I was looking as those early Jonson plays where there is little chance of seeing a performance.Beyond Shakespeare:Link to Website: https://beyondshakespeare.org/Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondShakespeareSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 203: We now stay in the world of the Elizabethan interpretation of classical history and myth with Ben Jonson’s next play ‘Sejanus His Fall’.  Rooted more firmly in history than myth Jonson’s play uses the story of a power struggle motivated by personal ambition to look at the nature of power, justice and politics.  This was quite evidently dangerous ground for a playwright already known for his clashes with the authorities, but it was not just that commentary of contemporary politics that got Jonson into trouble with this play. A brief word on the unfinished tragedy ‘Mortimer His Fall’The ‘argument’ of the play and some thoughts on what the play might have beenThe early performance history of ‘Sejanus His Fall’The possible co-author of the playThe early reception of the playThe background to the poor reception of the playA synopsis of the playThe ban on satires and historiesThe translations of Tacitus and complications with EssexHow John Heyward’s problems with censorship influence the playThe play as a commentary on Elizabethan societyQuestions of the control of power in the playQuestions of the application of justice in the playThe motivations of SejanusThe aesthetic issues with the playHow Jonson mixed comedy and tragedy in the playThe influence of Marlowe on the verse in the playJonson censured for the playThe later performance history of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 202:For today’s guest episode it is a very warm welcome back to Racheal Aanstad.  You will remember that Racheal and I have discussed Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the podcast and now she returns to discuss ‘Troilus and Cressida’. As you will hear Racheal was able to bring thoughts about the history of the play and it’s sources, particularly Homer’s Iliad, which, I think, really enhances our understanding of this challenging play.Rachel Aanstad is a writer, artist, historian, and Shakespeare nerd with an MFA in theatre. She is the former Artistic Director of the Rose City Shakespeare Company and the author of A Bawdy Twelfth Night or What You Will Encyclopaedia & Dramaturgical Handbook and A Midsummer Night’s Dream Illustrated Handbook and Encyclopaedia. She lives in the Pacific Northwest from where I spoke to her over a zoom call.Link to Shakespeare and Friends on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShakespeareandfriendsLink to A Bawdy Twelfth Night UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Encyclopedia-Dramaturgical-Shakespearean-Encyclopedias-Handbooks/dp/B0BT2DZGTK/ref=sr_1_1Link to A Bawdy Twelfth Night USA: https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Dramaturgical-Shakespearean-Encyclopedias-Handbooks/dp/B0BT2DZGTK/ref=sr_1_1Link to Midsummer Nights Dream UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Midsummer-Nights-Illustrated-Handbook-Encyclopedia/dp/B09PKSTL1SLink to Midsummer Nights Dream USA: https://www.amazon.com/Midsummer-Nights-Illustrated-Handbook-Encyclopedia/dp/B09PKSTL1SLink to Marquee TV RSC Production: https://marquee.tv/videos/royal-shakespeare-troilus-cressidaSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 201‘Troilus and Cressida’, is a challenging piece by pretty much everybody’s estimation.  Although it is no surprise that Shakespeare looked to the Homeric tales for his next inspiration which part of that story he chose to dramatize perhaps is and what he chose to do with it has perplexed commentators ever since.  Ambiguous is the word most often used, but ultimately opinions range through ‘failure’ to ‘misunderstood’ to ‘modernistic’, and just about everything else in-between.  The early print history and dating of the playThe confusion caused by the two quarto versions and the First Folio versionThe source material for the playA brief synopsis of the play‘Troilus and Cressida’ as a ‘problem play’The PrologueThe play as an ensemble pieceThe ignoble nature of the characters in the playCassandra as the voice of truthTroilus and his view of CressidaIs there a parallel with Romeo and Juliet?The portrayal of Achilles and HectorUlysses and the ‘great chain of being’ argumentWas the play written for the Inns of Court?Pandarus and the bitter ending to the play explainedThe critical reception of the playThe performance history of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 200For today’s guest episode it is a welcome return to the podcast for Stephen Unwin.  I spoke to Stephen earlier in this Shakespeare and Jonson season to discuss his book ‘Poor Naked Wretches’ which examines the way Shakespeare portrayed working people and their significance in the plays.  For his next published work Stephen has produced a work that examines Berthold Brecht’s lifelong obsession with Shakespeare and which makes the case for reading the two playwrights together.  This is part of the Arden Performance Companion series so is slanted towards practical suggestions about how performance of Shakespeare can be achieved through Brechtian techniques.Link to Stephen’s website: www.stephenunwin.ukLink to online retailers for ‘Shakespeare and Brecht’:Bloomsbury UK: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/shakespeare-and-brecht-9781350419612/Bloomsbury US: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/shakespeare-and-brecht-9781350419636/Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shakespeare-Brecht-Practical-Performance-Companions/dp/1350419613/ref=asc_df_1350419613Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Brecht-Practical-Performance-Companions/dp/1350419613/ref=sr_1_1Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.