Pericles, Prince of Tyre is unusual among Shakespeare’s plays. The hero travels Odysseus-like from place to place on a fantastical quest to showcase honor, announce virtue, and dodge the fury of a perverse king. Pericles is poised for success; his name is Greek for “far-famed.” But for this hero, the readiness is not all. Despite… Continue Reading »
Images from Pericles at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Author James Shapiro’s new book The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 considers the period when the playwright wrote three of his greatest tragedies, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra. Dr. Shapiro is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and a member of the Folger Board of Governors. His previous micro-biography of… Continue Reading »
Queen Elizabeth has a long history of appearing on stage at the Folger. She was recently played by Holly Twyford in last season’s Mary Stuart, by Michael Learned in 2003’s Elizabeth the Queen, and by an un-credited baby doll in the last moments of Henry VIII in 2010. Shakespeare gives the infant queen an epic entrance in that… Continue Reading »
The 2015/16 season at Folger Theatre kicks off with a special engagement of texts&beheadings/ElizabethR, which heads into rehearsal next week and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to host the world premiere of this new American play (we have more than one this season!) and to use this site to tell you more about the play, its Queen, and their… Continue Reading »
