At Home in the World :::: Notes by Alexa Alice Joubin
...continue reading "“Shakespeare and Censorship,” Hay Festival, 2016"
My research on Shakespeare and intercultural global performances took me to London, where I was working on a book on how diasporic artists approach Shakespeare and how their works are received. One day, I rented a bike and rode along the Thames. One section was flooded due to high tide, and I rode with the ducks.
This section of beautiful Chelsea seems to be flooded often during high tide of the Thames. Ducks swam on the street.
Can we entertain the idea that The Taming of the Shrew can be performed and received as comedy in the post-Women’s March US? If so, would the laughter be empathetic and solidary rather than callous? The answer lies in physical theater which is uniquely poised to activate elements of farce in the play. Shrew is one of the Shakespearean comedies that tends to clash with modern sensibilities and is therefore generally considered challenging to stage. ...continue reading "Taming of the Shrew as Slapstick Comedy"