Description:
In this engaging and lively book, Elizabeth Shafer captures a sense of the creative world of women directing Shakespeare. She explores the works of such prestigious directors as Joan Littlewood, actress and director Dame Judi Dench, Gale Edwards, and Jude Kelley, and she looks at a variety of productions directed by women. In interviews with the author, the directors discuss their craft, their critics, and the innovative approaches they have brought to performances of Shakespeare's plays. These thoughtful reflections on the art of directing and the challenges facing women directors will be illuminating reading for anyone interested in the world of the theater and Shakespeare.
Brief description: Elizabeth Schafer is Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her publications include MsDirecting Shakespeare: Women Direct Shakespeare, performance histories of The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night, and a biography of theatre manager, Lilian Baylis. She has edited The City Wit and The Northern Lass for the forthcoming Oxford University Press complete edition of Richard Brome's plays. Recent publications include Theatre & Christianity, and Shakespeare and Eco-Performance History: 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'.
Review Quotes:
"Schafer's good-natured conviction that Shakespeare is there for the taking is infectious...the productions she describes...make you want to go back to the theater." --Times Literary Supplement
"...a valuable book, highlighting directors and performance options that are invigorating..." --NWSA Journal