The History Of European Theatre

Episode 206

Last time I discussed the dating and sources for Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Othello’, the early performance history, and some points about the structure and poetry in the play. Then I took you through the first part of the play, up to the point where Iago had managed to sow seeds of doubt into Othello’s mind about the constancy of women and get his professional rival Michael Cassio so drunk and fired up that he got involved in a brawl with the town governor and is demoted. In doing so I looked at the characters of Iago, Brabantio and Cassio, so on this occasion listening to that episode is essential before starting on this one. If you need to do that as soon as you are back, I will be picking up from exactly where I left off last time.

The character and expected role of Emelia
The relationship of Emelia and Desdemona
The character of Bianca and the Venetian courtesan
How Bianca contrasts with Desdemona
Conflicting views of the character of Desdemona
The character of Othello
The play as a tragedy of Greek proportions
The disintegration of Othello from strong leader to murderer
Othello as a social disruptor
The ‘noble savage’ Vs the veneer of sophistication
The role of resentment and honour in the play
Later performances of the play
Some very selected criticism of the play

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www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
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Episode 205:

Last time Ben Jonson’s retelling of a slice of Roman Imperial history failed to impress at the Globe theatre. As an actor in that play Shakespeare had first-hand experience of the way the audience in the theatre could turn on the poet and the players alike, but it is difficult to think that his confidence in his own work was much dented by the experience. His next play ‘The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice’ is, I would say, brim full of the confidence of an experienced playwright who knew that his play would both entertain on several levels and provoke much thought in the audience.

The dating and first performance of the play
The early publication history of the play
Details from a performance in 1610
The source material for the play
The structure of the play
The significance of Venice and Cyprus
The structural balances in the play
The poetry and imagery in the play
The use of language as a dramatic technique
The urgency of the opening of the play
The character of Iago and how he manipulates his victims
The character of Brabantio
What the Elizabethan audience might have thought of a ‘moor’
Queen Elizabeth’s attitude to immigrants from Africa
How Shakespeare handled the racial aspects of the play
The character of Micheal Cassio

Support the podcast at:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
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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/@BeyondShakespeare

Support the podcast at:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.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 been
The early performance history of ‘Sejanus His Fall’
The possible co-author of the play
The early reception of the play
The background to the poor reception of the play
A synopsis of the play
The ban on satires and histories
The translations of Tacitus and complications with Essex
How John Heyward’s problems with censorship influence the play
The play as a commentary on Elizabethan society
Questions of the control of power in the play
Questions of the application of justice in the play
The motivations of Sejanus
The aesthetic issues with the play
How Jonson mixed comedy and tragedy in the play
The influence of Marlowe on the verse in the play
Jonson censured for the play
The later performance history of the play

Support the podcast at:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.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/@Shakespeareandfriends

Link to A Bawdy Twelfth Night UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Encyclopedia-Dramaturgical-Shakespearean-Encyclopedias-Handbooks/dp/B0BT2DZGTK/ref=sr_1_1

Link to A Bawdy Twelfth Night USA: https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Dramaturgical-Shakespearean-Encyclopedias-Handbooks/dp/B0BT2DZGTK/ref=sr_1_1

Link to Midsummer Nights Dream UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Midsummer-Nights-Illustrated-Handbook-Encyclopedia/dp/B09PKSTL1S

Link to Midsummer Nights Dream USA: https://www.amazon.com/Midsummer-Nights-Illustrated-Handbook-Encyclopedia/dp/B09PKSTL1S

Link to Marquee TV RSC Production: https://marquee.tv/videos/royal-shakespeare-troilus-cressida

Support the podcast at:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.