Haunting History Onstage
Shakespeare in the USA and Canada

Marathons through Shakespeare's history plays are feats of endurance for the repertory companies performing them and the audiences attending them.

Regina Buccola (Author)

9781108714846, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 15 August 2019

75 pages, 4 b/w illus.
17.6 x 12.7 x 0.6 cm, 0.13 kg

In 2016, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Stratford Festival of Canada mounted marathons through Shakespearean history to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare with Tug of War and Breath of Kings. Both productions invited parallels to contemporary political events in their promotion and design, just as the original performances of these works in the Shakespearean era used past events to comment on present realities. Endurathons for cast and audience alike, Tug of War and Breath of Kings used double-casting, stylized treatments of violence and 'firsts' for each company to sweeten the bitter pill of these historical narratives.

Here and now, now and then
1. Marathon theater
2. On your marks
3. Get set
4. Go
5 Color commentary
6. Record setting
7. Hydration station
8. Finish line
References.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: plays & playwrights [DSG], Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800 [DSBD], Literary studies: classical, early & medieval [DSBB]