Shakespeare Anyone?

Over this past year, we quietly went back to where we began this podcast and worked on revising our Intro Series, "Stuff You Should Know." We updated the original episodes quietly in September. When we started thinking about what we wanted to release for the end of 2024, we feel like nothing encapsulates how we've grown as podcasters and scholars over the past four years better than these revised...

It's time for our annual bonus episode! Join us as we revisit the Shakespeare plays we covered this year. We've gone back and re-read both  Romeo and Juliet and  Much Ado About Nothing , and we will discuss what has changed in our readings of these plays after completing our research as well as what we would like to see more (or less) of in future productions or research relating to these two play...

Each year, in recognition of the National Day of Mourning/Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, we examine how British colonialism is irrevocably intertwined with Shakespeare through close reading of Jyotsna Singh's  Shakespeare and Postcolonial Theory . In this week's episode, we will explore how Shakespeare's plays can be interpreted and performed in a postcolonial society. This practice in...

In today's episode, we will be finishing up our exploration of Shakespeare's  Much Ado About Nothing by watching and discussing three productions.  First, we will discuss Kenneth Branagh's 1993 film version, starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. Then we will take a look at the 2019 Public Theatre's Shakespeare in Park production directed by Kenny Leon and starring Danielle Brooks and Grantha...

In today's episode, we are exploring the life of Shakespeare's contemporary, Aemilia Bassano Lanyer (whose name is also spelled as Emilia Lanier), who was one of the first women in England to publish her writing and is the author of the first published book of poetry by an English woman.  First, we will explore Aemilia's early life before discussing her groundbreaking volume of poetry, Salve Deus...

In today's episode, we are exploring the historical and theatrical context for bastard characters in Shakespeare's plays and other plays of the early modern period. We'll explore the cultural norms that existed for illegitimate children during the Elizabethan and Jacobean and the legal, financial, and social prejudices they and their parents experienced. We will also discuss how the experience of...

In today's episode, we are joined by Shakespeare scholar, Darren Freebury-Jones, to discuss his soon-to-be-released book,  Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers , which explores how Shakespeare was influenced by his fellow contemporary dramatists like John Lyly, Ben Johnson, and Christopher Marlowe, and how he also influenced their work.  We'll discuss Darren's research process and the methods he used t...

In today's episode, we are exploring how Shakespeare was influenced by  The Book of the Courtier by Baldassare Castiglione as he was writing  Much Ado About Nothing . We'll discuss how close reading of both Shakespeare's play and Castiglione's Renaissance etiquette book uncovers layers of intertextuality and references to The Courtier in Shakespeare's writing. First, we'll discuss some parallels b...

Today's episode is another part of our series on Shakespeare's Language Framework, or how Shakespeare's use of language can inform our understanding of his works. In today's episode, we are going to explore a device Shakespeare uses throughout his plays (but very notably in the comedies and histories): malapropisms.  We will start by defining the term malapropism, then we will explore a linguistic...

In today's episode, we are investigating Shakespeare's comic constable in  Much Ado About Nothing , Dogberry, and why this character is portrayed as a clown. We'll look at a survey of historical records from Shakespeare's time to determine if early modern constables were truly as ineffective as Dogberry appears to be and if there is a contextual reason that Shakespeare's audience would want to see...

In today's episode, we are joined by friend-of-the-pod, Dr. Danielle Rosvally to discuss her new book,  Theatres of Value: Buying and Selling Shakespeare in Nineteenth-Century New York City , and how Shakespeare had value for New Yorkers in the 1800s, and how Shakespeare came to be so prominent in American culture. About Danielle Rosvally: Danielle Rosvally is an assistant professor of theatre at...

In our first deep dive episode into the world of Shakespeare's  Much Ado About Nothing , we are examining early modern gender norms and how they influence the world of Messina and Leonato's household in Shakespeare's play. Join us as we discuss the spectrum of womanhood represented by Hero and Beatrice and examine the early modern anxieties that fuelled representations of cuckoldry on stage (and w...

To kick off our series on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing , we are (as always) starting with an overview of basic facts about the play and an introduction to the major themes and motifs of the play.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or...

It's time for our next play, and we are so excited to dive into the world of Shakespeare's  Much Ado About Nothing . As always, we will start off with a detailed plot summary, breaking down the action of the play scene by scene. Let's dive in! Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram a...

In today's episode, we are joined by Ricky Dukes, Artistic Director of the Lazarus Theatre Company, to discuss the work of the Lazarus Theatre Company, why classical plays, including Shakespeare, are still relevant for audiences today, and the upcoming (and timely) Lazarus Theatre Company production of  Julius Caesar.  About Ricky Dukes Ricky is a working-class, award-winning Director, Practitione...

It's hard to believe it is finally here, but we are wrapping up our  Romeo and Juliet series this week by watching and discussing two productions. First, we will discuss Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film  William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet , starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the title roles. Then, we will move into the National Theatre at Home production of  Romeo and Juliet directed by Simo...

In today's episode, we are joined in discussion with Kelly Hunter, MBE, to discuss her work producting Shakespeare for autistic audiences. We will discuss Kelly's professional journey that led her from working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and on the West End to founding The Flute Theatre and developing the Hunter Heartbeat Method in collaboration with autistic individu...

In today's episode, we are exploring the historical context for the family feud and violence between the Capulets and Montagues in William Shakespeare's  Romeo and Juliet . We'll briefly revisit the history of medieval bloodfeuds that we examined in our episodes on  Macbeth , then we will dive into the pratices of vendettas and dueling in the Italian renaissance and how this form of violence was i...

In today's episode, we are exploring the life and works of one of Shakespeare's contemporaries: Ben Jonson. Often called "Shakespeare's rival," Ben Jonson was an early modern actor turned playwright who came from humble beginnings to achieve success on the London stages. We'll dive into the parallels between Shakespeare and Jonson's lives, and we'll discuss how Jonson may be the person who we shou...

In today's episode, we will be discussing what is was like to be a teenager in Shakespeare's time, and how we can see early modern teenagerdom represented in Shakespeare's  Romeo & Juliet. We will build on our previous explorations of the early modern understanding of age and youth from our episodes on girlhood and manhood, then dive into the lived experiences of early modern teens and young adult...

In today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt to discuss how fight choreographers approach staging moments of violence in theatre, specifically in Shakespeare's plays. We will discuss how they collaborate with directors and actors to safely depict violence on stage, the state of the fight direction community, and how anyone can learn more about safe, consent-based...

In today's episode, we will be diving into the culture of courtship and marriage in early modern England. We will take a look at how the cultural norms and concerns surrounding marriage were shifting and changing in Shakespeare's time and how we can see this represented in  Romeo and Juliet.  We will also discuss how, at least in some parts of England and for certain classes, young people were abl...

In today's episode, we will be continuing our series on Shakespeare's Language Framework and our Shakespeare's Sources by taking a closer look at Petrarch. First, we will dive into the biography of Francesco Petrarca, more commonly known as Petrarch in English, the 14th century poet who had a huge influence on European humanism, the Renaissance, and poetry. Then, we will explore Petrarch's influen...

In today's episode, we're diving deep into the world of early modern masculinity, patriarchy, and honor as we dissect Shakespeare's iconic play, Romeo and Juliet. Our discussion begins with the examination of the expectations placed upon men during the early modern period and how those pressures are reflected in Shakespeare's play – the embodiment of honor, the nuances of patriarchy, and the vario...

To kick off our series on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet , we are (as always) starting with an overview of basic facts about the play and an introduction to the major themes and motifs of the play.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit...