This post is part of a series on theatrical words. For an introduction to the series, see Performing words: introduction to a new thread on theatre and language. How much do we think about stories when we read, perform, produce, watch or study early modern plays? How aware are we of the decisions being made by … Continue reading Performing words #5: story
Robert Greene
Banishment as a Romance Convention in Early English Drama (c. 1581-1591)
We're very pleased to host this guest post from Alexander Thom exploring the trope of banishment in early commercial drama. *** Regarding Shakespeare, James Joyce once wrote, “the note of banishment, banishment from the heart, banishment from home, sounds uninterruptedly”.[1] Certainly, Shakespeare’s plays are littered with conspicuous instances of banishment and a number of his … Continue reading Banishment as a Romance Convention in Early English Drama (c. 1581-1591)
Before Conference (and The Woman in the Moon)
Our conference is coming up later this month, and we’re looking forward to the range and diversity of papers, conversations, and performance work that will be descending upon South West London in what we’re all confident will be a rare weekend of British Bank Holiday sun. This short post reflects on some of the issues … Continue reading Before Conference (and The Woman in the Moon)
Generic excitement
Give ear, I pray you, and mark it attentively, for you shall hear the tenor of a strange and tragical comedy. Anthony Munday, Zelauto (1580) Genre: what is it, what does it mean, and how does it organise our experiences in the theatre, in a book or in our scholarship? These are questions about stories, … Continue reading Generic excitement
An Elizabethan Haunting: Antitheatricality and Playgoing
A haunted theatre these days is a perfect premise for a horror film. It is also, apparently, a backstage reality at a prominent West End venue, the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane—perhaps because it is the oldest surviving and functioning theatre construction in England. There are, of course, old superstitions about the Scottish Play and worries … Continue reading An Elizabethan Haunting: Antitheatricality and Playgoing
Before Shakespeare 