The Shakespeare & Beyond blog features a wide range of Shakespeare-related topics: the early modern period in which he lived, the ways his plays have been interpreted and staged over the past four centuries, the enduring power of his characters and language, and more.
Shakespeare & Beyond
Shakespeare & Beyond also explores the topics that shape our experience of Shakespeare today: trends in performance, the latest discoveries and scholarship, news stories, pop culture, interesting books, new movies, the rich context of theater and literary history, and more. As the word “beyond” suggests, from time to time Shakespeare & Beyond also covers topics that are not directly linked to Shakespeare.
Questions or comments? You can reach us at shakespeareandbeyond@folger.edu.
John, Paul, Pyramus, and Thisbe: The Beatles performing Shakespeare
Did you know that the Beatles once performed the “Pyramus and Thisbe” scene from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”? Although they mainly stick to Shakespeare’s script, the moments when they play with the text stand out.
Bottom's dream - Excerpt: 'Reading Shakespeare Reading Me' by Leonard Barkan
This excerpt from Leonard Barkan’s new book “Reading Shakespeare Reading Me” explores Bottom’s awakening and recollection of his enchantment as a donkey in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Look at our Bottoms
Folger has so many great Bottoms, you could even call us the Big Bottom Library. The BBL!
Nicholas Rowe, early Shakespeare biographer
Nicholas Rowe is often referred to as William Shakespeare’s first biographer because his 1709 edition of Shakespeare’s works included an introduction with details about Shakespeare’s life. However, some of those details don’t appear to have much basis in the historical…
Juliet, an artful Italian diva - Excerpt: "The Diva's Gift to the Shakespearean Stage" by Pamela Allen Brown
In her new book “The Diva’s Gift to the Shakespearean Stage,” Pamela Allen Brown explores the considerable impact of Italian divas on Shakespeare and other English playwrights. This excerpt looks at the character of Juliet.
Nathan the Wise: An 18th-century German counterpoint to Shakespeare’s Shylock
“Nathan the Wise” and “The Merchant of Venice” are very different works, though religious tension is a subject in each, as is the potential for love and loss, wealth and poverty, bloodshed and peace. But it is the character of…
Excerpt: 'Index, A History of the' by Dennis Duncan
While doing research in the Folger collection, Dennis Duncan encountered hundreds of indexes created by early modern readers. In this excerpt from his newly published book, “Index, A History of the,” Duncan describes the fascinating variety of reader indexes he…
What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in March
Take a look at what the Folger’s theater partners have on stage this March, including a long-awaited ‘Hamlet’ in Cincinnati, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in Atlanta, and ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ with John Douglas Thompson, coming to Washington, DC.
Actors taking on tyrants: Ernst Lubitsch’s 'To Be or Not to Be'
A Polish acting troupe outwits the Nazis using Shakespeare codes and theatrical smarts in Ernst Lubitsch’s 1942 film “To Be or Not to Be,” an audacious comedy filmed as Hitler was devastating Europe. Almost the definition of a joke told…
Recipes for dealing with the plague in Shakespeare’s England
Recipes for plague-curing potions like “Doctor Burges’s remedy” are often found in household recipe books of Shakespeare’s time. Folger fellow Yann Ryan writes about the circulation of information and misinformation through these recipes.
Quiz: Shakespeare characters that share the same name
Take the quiz to see if you can identify some of the Shakespeare characters who share names with characters in other plays.
The sanitized Shakespeare of Mary Lamb and Henrietta Bowdler - Excerpt: 'Shakespeare's Lady Editors' by Molly Yarn
As anyone who has read Shakespeare’s plays can attest, their content is not always very appropriate for children: brutal murders, bawdy jokes, incest, etc. Editions of Shakespeare’s plays that have been designed specifically for children often omit or smooth over…