Shakespeare and Gender in Practice

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Description

Cross-gender performance was an integral part of Shakespearean theatre: from boys portraying his female characters, to those characters disguising themselves as men within the story. This book examines contemporary trends in staging cross-gender performances of Shakespeare in the UK and USA. Terri Power surveys the field of gender in performance through an intersectional feminist and queer theoretical lens. In depth discussions of key productions reveal processes adapted by companies for their performances. The book also looks at how contemporary performance responds to new cultural politics of gender and creates a critical language for understanding that within Shakespeare. This book features: -First-hand interviews with professional artists -Case studies of individual performances -A practical workshop section with innovative exercises

Author Bio

Terri Power is the Course Director for the MA in Performing Shakespeare at Bath Spa University, Director and Education and Outreach Manager for the Bristol Shakespeare Festival, and serves as a Specialist Performance Advisor for the Global Virtual Theatre Project. She has published and presented several papers on Shakespeare in practice in academic journals and at international conferences. She is also a professional actor on stage and screen and has worked with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the RSC, Universal Studios and Disney, among other companies. She has written, produced and directed performance work including Drag King Richard III and Lear 1864: Trail of Tears.