Not Hamlet: Meditations On The Frail Position Of Women In Drama (oberon Masters Series)
by Janet Suzman /
2012 / English / EPUB
311 KB Download
"A thoughtful and considered kick up the arse to conspiracy
theorists and to patriarchy" Michael Boyd, Artistic Director
RSC
"A thoughtful and considered kick up the arse to conspiracy
theorists and to patriarchy" Michael Boyd, Artistic Director
RSC
Cleopatra, La Pucelle, Ophelia, Shaw’s St. Joan and Ibsen’s Hedda
a handful of seminal roles for women in the classical canon.
Janet Suzman has played them all and directed some. Here she
examines their complexity and explores why only Cleopatra has an
independence that allows her to speak to modern women.
Cleopatra, La Pucelle, Ophelia, Shaw’s St. Joan and Ibsen’s Hedda
a handful of seminal roles for women in the classical canon.
Janet Suzman has played them all and directed some. Here she
examines their complexity and explores why only Cleopatra has an
independence that allows her to speak to modern women.
None of these, regrettably, matches up to a Hamlet, but as she is
grateful for the parts he did write, Suzman feels a
lightly-barbed attack on those who doubt Shakespeare’s authorship
is way overdue. She also takes issue with received ideas on
boy-actors playing mature women in Shakespeare’s company, and
reflects on how female characters in classical drama have not
been on a level with their male counterparts. Today, on TV, film
and the stage, this remains the case. Not Hamlet but Hamlette,
please.
None of these, regrettably, matches up to a Hamlet, but as she is
grateful for the parts he did write, Suzman feels a
lightly-barbed attack on those who doubt Shakespeare’s authorship
is way overdue. She also takes issue with received ideas on
boy-actors playing mature women in Shakespeare’s company, and
reflects on how female characters in classical drama have not
been on a level with their male counterparts. Today, on TV, film
and the stage, this remains the case. Not Hamlet but Hamlette,
please.