Shakespeare Anyone?
Books & Literature
About
Shakespeare Anyone? is co-hosted by Elyse Sharp and Kourtney Smith, two professional actors and hobbyist Shakespeare scholars. Join us as we explore Shakepeare's plays through as many lenses as we can by looking at the text and how the text is viewed through modern lenses of feminism, racism, classism, colonialism, nationalism… all the-isms. We will discuss how his plays shaped both the past and present, and look at how his work was performed throughout various periods of time–all while trying our best to approach his works without giving in to bardolatry. We examine one play at a time for an extended window of time, interspersed with mini-episodes about Shakespeare's time for context. Episodes are released every other week.
Episodes
- Mini: Shakespeare and Stephen King with Caroline Bicks, author of Monsters in the Archives
Caroline Bicks, author of "Monsters in the Archive: My Year of Fear with Stephen King," joins the podcast to discuss the surprising similarities she discovered between Shakespeare's writing and Stephen King's most famous works. Her book ex…
- Julius Caesar: How Often Did Shakespeare Think About the Roman Empire?
This episode explores the influence of ancient Rome on early modern England and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, examining how Roman history and literature were consumed and reimagined during that period. It delves into the educational context…
- Mini: Ecological Shakespeare with Katherine Steele Brokaw
In this episode, Katherine Steele Brokaw discusses how Shakespeare can be used to create conversations around ecological issues. She talks about utilizing his plays to address current ecological concerns and how to incorporate ecological p…
- Julius Caesar: A People's History Meets Shakespeare's Play
This episode discusses Michael Parenti's "The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome" and Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." It compares Parenti's reframing of the assassination narrative with Shakespeare's depictio…
- Mini: Essex's Rebellion: The Plot Against Elizabeth I
This episode discusses Robert Devereaux, the Earl of Essex, and his rebellion against Elizabeth I. It covers who Essex was, his relationship with Elizabeth, and the events that led to his march on London. The episode also explores the conn…
- Julius Caesar: The "Falling Sickness" and Shakespeare's Understanding of Epilepsy
This episode examines how Shakespeare portrays Julius Caesar's "falling sickness," often interpreted as epilepsy. It discusses the play as a disability narrative, early modern anxieties about invisible disabilities, and the accuracy of Sha…
- Mini: Astrology in Shakespeare's Time
This episode explores early modern concepts of fate, stars, and the practice of astrology during Shakespeare's era. It discusses the distinctions between natural and judicial astrology and its impact on plays from that period.
- Julius Caesar: Honor and Virtue of Brutus & Portia in Shakespeare's Play
This episode explores the concepts of honor and virtue in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," examining the characters of Brutus and Portia. It discusses how Shakespeare depicts masculine honor and feminine virtue, and how interpretations of Po…
- Julius Caesar: Stuff to Chew On
This episode of "Shakespeare Anyone?" explores the themes, motifs, and production history of "Julius Caesar." It serves as an introduction for deeper discussions in future episodes.
- Julius Caesar: Synopsis
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? begins a series on William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. It offers a detailed, scene-by-scene synopsis of the play, breaking down the action for listeners.
- Bonus: Twelfth Night Wrap-up Redux
This episode revisits discussions on various productions of the play Twelfth Night. The hosts discuss their thoughts on the 1996 film, She's the Man, The Globe's 2012 production, and National Theatre's 2017 production.
- Bonus: Revisiting Henry V and The Tempest
This episode of "Shakespeare Anyone?" revisits the plays "Henry V" and "The Tempest". The hosts discuss how their understanding of these plays has evolved and what they would like to see in future productions or research related to them.
- Mini: Shakespeare in the Borderlands with Dr. Katherine Gillen and Ruben Ramirez of Borderlands Shakespeare Colectiva
This episode features Dr. Katherine Gillen and Ruben Ramirez of the Borderlands Shakespeare Colectiva. They discuss how artists, activists, and scholars in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands engage with Shakespeare, focusing on plays that adapt o…
- The Tempest: Wrap-Up
This episode concludes an exploration of Shakespeare's The Tempest, examining three distinct interpretations. The hosts discuss Julie Taymor's 2010 film, The Globe's 2013 stage production, and the Donmar Warehouse's 2016 production.
- Mini: Interview with Ana Davis on My Keen Knife, a Young Adult Dark Fantasy Retelling of Macbeth
Ana Davis discusses her debut novel, My Keen Knife, a dark fantasy retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth. She shares her inspirations, writing process, and the influence of her background on the novel's world and plot.
- The Tempest: Grimoires, Alchemy, and the Making of Prospero's Art
This episode explores Prospero's magic in Shakespeare's "The Tempest," linking it to early modern grimoire traditions and examining how the play mirrors the alchemical process. It discusses how the play combines elements of science, faith,…
- Mini: Shakespeare for Young Audiences with ML Roberts, Sean Patrick Nill, and Elyse Sharp of B Street Theatre's NEVER FEAR, SHAKESPEARE
This episode features ML Roberts, Sean Patrick Nill, and Elyse Sharp, who discuss the play NEVER FEAR, SHAKESPEARE. This production is a new Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) play premiering at Sacramento's B Street Theatre. They talk abou…
- The Tempest: Caliban's Legacy of Race, Class, and Colonialism
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? discusses Caliban's role in The Tempest. It examines how his character has been interpreted through race, class, and colonialism, and traces Caliban's performance history.
- Mini: Court Masques and How They Shaped Shakespeare's Plays
This episode explores the historical context and evolution of Court Masques and their influence on Shakespeare's plays, specifically "As You Like It" and "The Tempest." It discusses how masques, a form of entertainment in Tudor and Stuart…
- The Tempest: Patriarchy, Gender, and Power in Shakespeare's Play
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? discusses William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, focusing on themes of patriarchy, gender, and power. It analyzes Prospero's control over other characters and examines how gender-flipped productions res…
- Mini: Making Shakespeare Accessible with Mike and Steph Crugnola of Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project
This episode features Mike and Steph Crugnola of Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project, who discuss their mission to make Shakespeare more accessible for both audiences and artists. They explore the company's flexible production models and ho…
- The Tempest: Travel Narratives, Cultural Encounters, and Shakespeare's Inspirations
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? discusses how early modern travel narratives might have influenced Shakespeare's play The Tempest. It examines lesser-known travel accounts focusing on cultural encounters and the 1609 Sea Venture shipwr…
- The Tempest: Stuff to Chew On
This episode provides an overview of Shakespeare's play, The Tempest. It covers basic facts, historical context, and an introduction to the major themes and motifs of the play.
- The Tempest: Synopsis
This episode provides a detailed summary of the plot of Shakespeare's The Tempest, breaking down the action of the play scene by scene. It is part of the Shakespeare Anyone? podcast series.
- Bonus Episode: Interview with Kent Lehnhof on Voice and Ethics in Shakespeare's Late Plays
In this bonus episode, Dr. Kent Lehnhof discusses his book, "Voice and Ethics in Shakespeare's Late Plays." He explores how Shakespeare uses the concept of human voice in his late plays, including "The Tempest" and "King Lear."
- King Henry V: Wrap Up
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? discusses three productions of Shakespeare's King Henry V: Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film, the 2022 Donmar Warehouse production with Kit Harington, and the 2012 Shakespeare's Globe production with Jamie Par…
- Mini: Interview with Julie Hammonds on Blue Mountain Rose—A Shakespearean Tale of Theater, Family, and Resilience
In this episode, author Julie Hammonds discusses her debut novel, Blue Mountain Rose: A Novel in Five Acts. The conversation explores how Shakespeare's works influenced the novel's structure and themes, the challenges of portraying the beh…
- King Henry V: European Foreigners and Immigrants in Shakespeare's Time
This episode discusses European foreigners and immigrants in Shakespeare's time, focusing on English relationships with immigrants from other European countries and the influence of these interactions on Shakespeare's King Henry V. It exam…
- Mini: Shakespeare in Love [Unlocked from the Patreon Vault]
This episode, originally released in February 2023, discusses the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love. The film, written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard and directed by John Madden, depicts a fictional love affair between William Shakespeare and…
- King Henry V: The Common and Working People of Shakespeare's Time
This episode explores the lives of common and working people during Shakespeare's time. It discusses their representation in Shakespeare's plays, including specific occupations in King Henry V, and other roles held by lower ranks of societ…
- Mini: Henry and Emily Folger and the Search for Shakespeare's First Folio
This episode explores the lives of Henry and Emily Folger, their search for copies of the First Folio, and how their collection changed the modern understanding of Shakespeare and the early modern period.
- King Henry V: Military Life in Shakespeare's England
This episode explores the realities of military life in early modern and medieval England and how they are reflected in Shakespeare's King Henry V. It discusses historical misrepresentations of the English military and the rules of war dur…
- Mini: English Nobility and Titles in Shakespeare's Time
This episode discusses early modern English nobility and titles, focusing on ranks from the Crown to the landed gentry. It connects these social structures to Shakespeare's plays, which often feature monarchs and royal lineages.
- King Henry V: Historical Figures vs Shakespeare's Fictional Characters
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? explores the historical record to understand the difference between facts and myths in Shakespeare's King Henry V. It discusses historical figures presented in the play and how Shakespeare embellished or…
- King Henry V: Stuff to Chew On
This episode provides an overview of Shakespeare's King Henry V. It covers basic facts about the play, major themes, and motifs, as well as the location of the Battle of Agincourt.
- King Henry V: Synopsis
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? provides a detailed, scene-by-scene plot summary of King Henry V. It breaks down the action of the play to explain the story.
- [Re-issue] Stuff You Should Know Part 3: William Shakespeare (Revised)
This episode, a revised re-issue, discusses the life of William Shakespeare. It covers his early life in Stratford-upon-Avon, his education, theories about his activities before London, and his career as an actor and playwright, family, an…
- [Re-issue] Stuff You Should Know Part 2: Elizabethan and Jacobean England & Theatre (Revised)
This episode, part of the "Stuff You Should Know" series, provides an overview of early modern England during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. It covers aspects of society, the history of public theatre, and how these factors influenced…
- [Re-issue] Stuff You Should Know Part 1: The Monarchy & English Renaissance (Revised)
This episode, part of the "Stuff You Should Know" series, provides an overview of the English monarchy and the English Renaissance. It covers the history of the monarchy through the early modern period and discusses how the English Renaiss…
- Bonus: Revisiting Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing
This bonus episode revisits Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing. The hosts discuss how their readings of these plays have changed after research and what they would like to see in future productions or research.
- Mini: Intercultural and Global Shakespeare in a Postcolonial World
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? examines how British colonialism is intertwined with Shakespeare through Jyotsna Singh's Shakespeare and Postcolonial Theory. It explores the interpretation and performance of Shakespeare's plays in a po…
- Much Ado About Nothing: Wrap Up
This episode concludes an exploration of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" by discussing three productions: Kenneth Branagh's 1993 film, the 2019 Public Theatre production, and the 2011 Wyndham's Theatre production.
- Mini: Aemilia Bassano Lanyer, the Proto-Feminist Poet of Shakespeare's Time
This episode explores the life of Aemilia Bassano Lanyer, a contemporary of Shakespeare and one of England's first published female poets. It discusses her early life, her poetry volume Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, and her possible connection…
- Much Ado About Nothing: Shakespeare's Bastards and Illegitimacy in Shakespeare's Time
This episode explores the historical and theatrical context for bastard characters in Shakespeare's plays and other plays of the early modern period. It discusses cultural norms, legal, financial, and social prejudices, and the intersectio…
- Mini: Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers with Darren Freebury-Jones
In this episode, Dr. Darren Freebury-Jones discusses his book, "Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers." He explores how Shakespeare was influenced by contemporary dramatists and how he also influenced their work.
- Much Ado About Nothing: Shakespeare and The Book of the Courtier
This episode explores the influence of Baldassare Castiglione\'s The Book of the Courtier on Shakespeare\'s Much Ado About Nothing. It discusses parallels between the two works, focusing on themes of joking and laughter, the portrayal of R…
- Mini: Shakespeare's Language Framework: Malapropisms
This episode focuses on malapropisms in Shakespeare's works as part of the Shakespeare's Language Framework series. It defines malapropism, examines a linguistic study on their construction, and discusses whether early modern audiences und…
- Much Ado About Nothing: Shakespeare and the Comic Constable, or, Dogberry: Fact vs Fiction
This episode examines Dogberry, the comic constable in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, by comparing his portrayal to historical records of early modern constables. It discusses the role of constables in Shakespeare's time and how thi…
- Mini: Theatres of Value with Dr. Danielle Rosvally
Dr. Danielle Rosvally discusses her book, "Theatres of Value: Buying and Selling Shakespeare in Nineteenth-Century New York City." The episode explores how Shakespeare gained prominence in American culture during the 1800s and his value to…
- Much Ado About Nothing: Gender Roles and Norms in Shakespeare's Time
This episode of Shakespeare Anyone? delves into gender roles and norms in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," examining early modern anxieties, representations of women, and the silent wife trope. It also discusses how modern theatrema…