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.
Mary Baker and the legacy of Anne Hathaway's Cottage
This excerpt from a new book by Katherine West Scheil explores the 19th-century transformation of the Anne Hathaway Cottage into a tourist destination.
Quiz: Shakespeare's Macbeth? Or William Davenant's 17th-century adaptation?
Take this quiz to see if you can identify lines from Shakespeare’s Macbeth or the Restoration-era version as adapted and amended by Sir William Davenant.
After Sarah Bernhardt: Frances de la Tour's 1979 performance as Hamlet
Jonathan Croall writes about Frances de la Tour’s 1979 performance as Hamlet, the first woman to do so on the English stage since Sarah Bernhardt.
Drawing the Folger's Shakespeare bas-reliefs
Paul Glenshaw writes about drawing the Folger’s Shakespeare bas-reliefs, which were created by John Gregory and depict scenes from nine plays.
Summertime in the Folger collection: Sunshine, youth, and harvest
Slip into the Folger collection with me and connect with sweltering people from summers past in their quest to beat the heat or rhapsodize summer’s charms.
Play on! Q&A: Ellen McLaughlin on translating 'Pericles'
Ellen McLaughlin writes about translating ‘Pericles’ for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and what she learned about this less frequently produced play.
What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in August
This month might be your last chance to catch some of that sweet, sweet summertime Shakespeare before the weather starts to cool down and it’s time to head back to school. See what the Folger’s theater partners have onstage this…
Discovering Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play
Austin Tichenor of the Reduced Shakespeare Company writes about the creation of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged).
Leading ladies, missing characters, and singing witches: Three differences between Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' and William Davenant's adaptation
Adapted by William Davenant and first performed in 1664, the version of the Scottish play taking to the Folger stage in September was the most popular one well into the 18th century despite—or perhaps because of—the numerous departures from Shakespeare’s original…
Who decides what’s in a canon? Jeremy Lopez on English literary history
Lopez looks at which early modern plays were considered better than others (and why) and how the works selected to represent the era might change.
Play on! Q&A: Migdalia Cruz on translating 'Macbeth'
From her work translating ‘Macbeth’ for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Play on! project, Migdalia Cruz shares reflections about ambitions, loyalty, the witches, and the porter scene.
What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in July
Each month, we take a look at what’s onstage at our theater partners across the country. Find your region and see what shakin’ (like, Shake-speare—get it?) near you.