The History Of European Theatre

Philip Rowe

A podcast tracing the development of theatre from ancient Greece to the present day through the places and people who made theatre happen. More than just dates and lists of plays we'll learn about the social. political and historical context that fostered the creation of dramatic art.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1 day ago

    Macbeth Part 2: 'What’s Done Cannot Be Undone’

    Episode 223:  Last time, in the first part of my look at ‘Macbeth’, I took you through the plot of the play and discussed the themes of ambition and guilt in it, with a focus on the character of Macbeth himself.  I also looked at some of the language in the play and at the possibility that Thomas Middleton updated it for a revival in the 1610s or 1620s, and how he probably developed the scenes with the three witches at a time when devil plays and ideas about witches in the real world were very popular.  This is the text that we most likely have in the First Folio, which is the first printed version of the play. Please do listen to that episode first before embarking on this one.  Having spent some time on the character of Macbeth in the last episode I’m now going to pick up with a look at his wife.  The character and actions of Lady Macbeth References to equivocation in the play The trial of Henry Garnet and the use of equivocation The witches and the Macbeths as equivocators The impact of the Porter’s speech The Porter’s scene as a throwback to medieval cycle plays ‘On The Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth’ by Thomas De Quincey The critical history of the play The later performance history of the play The curse of ‘the Scottish play’ ‘Macbeth’ as a very Jacobean play  Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  2. 29 Jun

    Macbeth Part 1: ‘Look Like the Innocent Flower, But Be the Serpent Under’t’

    Episode 222: We can’t say for sure that ‘Macbeth’ was Shakespeare's next offering after 'Anthony and Cleopatra' as precise dating of these early 17th century plays is next to impossible, but whatever the case, it certainly has a very different feel and focus from it’s near contemporises.  Although recounting historical events it is dominated by the presence and effect of the supernatural.  This proved a mix that audiences have flocked to ever since and it remains one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays, for tragedy ranking only behind ‘Hamlet’. The dating of the play The text in the First Folio and adaptations by Thomas Middleton The sources for the play A brief Synopsis of the play Macbeth and Julius Caesar Macbeth’s ambition The importance of the soliloquy in the play Macbeth’s feelings of guilt The reports of the play by Simon Foreman Banquo’s ghost as a manifestation of Macbeth’s guilt Blood as a symbol of guilt The torment of sleeplessness The tensions between destiny and free will The three witches Link to ‘That Shakespeare Life’ episode featuring Prof. Laurie Johnson on the ‘weird sisters’: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/that-shakespeare-life/id1372846116?i=1000751203466 Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  3. 22 Jun

    Anthony and Cleopatra: ‘Age Cannot Wither Her, Nor Custom Stale Her Infinite Variety’

    Episode 221: Last time I took you into the world of the court masque with the help of Kristen Macdermott who, I think you will agree, painted a very detailed picture of that very particular theatrical form and the way the Stuart court embraced it.  As we heard, masques were often written by playwrights and performed by actors who also wrote for and performed in the public playhouse, so it’s no surprise that a few plays feature masques.  We have already encountered short masques in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and ‘Timon of Athens’, with the best known example from ‘The Tempest’ still to come and Shakespeare’s next offering ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ would, you might think, have been another opportunity to include a masque featuring exotic characters to add to the glamorous setting.  In fact, Shakespeare chose not to include a masque specifically, but we can see that he uses the attributes of the masque throughout the play. Masque elements used in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ The dating of the play The early print history of the play The sources for the play The different style of the play from it’s near neighbours A brief synopsis of the play How the main characters and the political story and love story are balanced in the play The hyperbolic language used in the play The character of Antony Equals and opposites in the play and how Antony deals with them The character of Octavius The character of Cleopatra The death of Cleopatra Antony and Cleopatra as a Stuart period play A short word on the history of criticism of 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 You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  4. 15 Jun

    Masques of Difference: A Conversation with Kristen McDermott part 2

    Episode 220:  This is the second part of my conversation with Kristen McDermott about the court masque.  In this part we discuss two masques and the later history of the art form. Kristen McDermott is professor of English at Central Michigan University and co-author with Ari Berk of ‘William Shakespeare his life and times’ and the collection ‘Masques of Difference’, as well as numerous papers on Shakespeare and renaissance theatre.  I have put a link in the show notes to Kristen’s website where you can find further details of her work.  Kris is also a listener and supporter of the podcast, so I was particularly happy to welcome her as a contributor on the microphone as well.  I spoke to Kris over a zoom call from her home in Michigan.    Find more about Kris at: https://kristen-mcdermott.com Links to ‘Masques of Difference’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Masques-Difference-Revels-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1? https://www.amazon.com/Masques-Difference-masques-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1? https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719057540/   Links to Greer Gilman books: https://smallbeerpress.com/books/2014/09/23/exit-pursued-by-a-bear/ Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min

  5. 8 Jun

    The Origins and Development of Masques: A Conversation with Kristen McDermott part 1

    Episode 219: In this episode I take a look at the court masques of the Jacobean period.  To do this I’m very lucky to have the guidance of Kristen McDermott who edited and wrote an extensive introduction to a collection of Jonson’s Masques called Masques of Difference.  It is a volume that has been in print for an impressive twenty years and one that I found immensely useful in aiding my understanding of the court masque, an art form that can seem very obscure to us now.  In the first part of the conversation Kristen describes the development of the masque from it’s very early days through to its flowering in the court of James 1st largely under the care of Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones.  Next time Kris and I continue the conversation and discuss some of those ‘masques of difference’ and the later years of the court masque. Kristen McDermott is professor of English at Central Michigan University and co-author with Ari Berk of ‘William Shakespeare His Life and Times’ and the collection ‘Masques of Difference’, as well as numerous papers on Shakespeare and renaissance theatre.  Find more about Kris at: https://kristen-mcdermott.com Links to ‘Masques of Difference’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Masques-Difference-Revels-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1? https://www.amazon.com/Masques-Difference-masques-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1? https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719057540/ Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  6. 1 Jun

    King Lear Part 2: ‘Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise’

    Episode 218: Last time I looked at the first part of ‘King Lear’ from the opening scene where Lear makes his disastrous decision to split his kingdom between his children, through to the renowned scene where the ex-king and his fool are caught in a raging storm on the moor and saved only by the loyalty of Kent.  On the way I looked at the deliciously evil Edmund, the poor judgement of his father Gloucester, and the scheming of Lear’s oldest daughter Goneril.  Now I will complete this look at the play and discuss it’s place as a very Jacobean play addressing the concerns of its time when King James was working hard at an attempt to unite his disparate kingdom.  The role, character and purpose of the Fool The mock trial scene The blinding of Gloucester The character and cruelty of Regan Edgar and Gloucester on the cliffs at Dover Hope before tragedy as Lear and Cordelia are reunited A family dispute as the heart of the play Why Lear resonates so strongly with audiences The sense of ‘no place’ in the play King Lear as a message for King James  The significance of the non-Christian setting of the play The play as a tragedy and a history play A brief view of the later critical and performance history of the play A small selection of ‘King Lear’ on film Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min

  7. 25 May

    King Lear Part 1: ‘How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth it is to Have a Thankless Child!’

    Episode 217: ‘King Lear’, the play that is now often regarded as Shakespeare’s finest and deepest work is most often compared to the other two great tragedies of this period in Shakespeare’s writing, ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Othello’, and of course there are thematic comparisons that can be made with those plays, but it has to be pointed out that ‘King Lear’ is also a very different play in tone and structure.  Whether we rate ‘King Lear’ as Shakespeare’s best play or not it is a play that has deeply affected audiences and critics through the centuries and I can only imagine the mark it leaves on actors who take on the main roles.  Sadly, what we lack is much detail about initial reactions to the play. The early performance and publishing history of the play The influences and sources for the play The opening scene of the play and the abandonment of the natural order The questions of judgement and miscommunication in the play The character of Goneril Edmund as one of Shakespeare’s truly evil characters Kent as the voice of reason and loyalty Lear and the Fool in the storm Lear’s moral awakening Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min

  8. 18 May

    Reading Shakespeare’s Mind: A Conversation with Steve Sohmer

    Episode 216:   For today’s guest episode I had the pleasure of talking to Steve Sohmer, author of a book titled ‘Reading Shakespeare’s Mind’.  In his book Steve examines how Shakespeare’s relationship with several contemporary authors is exposed in his plays.  This involves a very close reading of the text and an endlessly enquiring mind and it’s fascinating to read through Steve’s thought processes to understand the conclusions he has come to. As I was preparing for the recording, which you will notice was made before I got onto the recent episodes on the so called problem plays, I saw that Steve had an extensive biography before he got onto Shakespeare study, so rather than read through it here I thought I would open our conversation by getting Steve to tell me about his working experience. Publishers Website:https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/search-results/? Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reading-Shakespeares-Mind-Steve-Sohmer/dp/1526138077/ref=sr_1_1? Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Shakespeares-mind-Steve-Sohmer/dp/1526138077/ref=sr_1_1? Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
See All (263)

Trailers

About

A podcast tracing the development of theatre from ancient Greece to the present day through the places and people who made theatre happen. More than just dates and lists of plays we'll learn about the social. political and historical context that fostered the creation of dramatic art.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

You Might Also Like