The Politics of Performing Shakespeare for Young People: Standing up to Shakespeare

by Jan Wozniak

Overview

This book examines performance projects of Shakespeare's plays for young people in terms of their value for their young audiences. Using interviews with theatre workers and workshops with young people, the book argues that it is by trusting young people's experience of performances, rather than promoting a range of pre-determined textual understandings of the plays, that they might gain most benefit. It argues that by privileging the meanings young people make of Shakespeare, new and exciting interpretations of his work might be found.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781474234849
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/24/2016
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

Jan Wozinak lectures in the Department of English, University of Leeds, UK

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: “You can forget it mate”! Young Audiences, Democracy and Shakespeare
Chapter 2: Catching up to Shakespeare? The Maturing Audience in Shakespeare for Young People
Chapter 3: An Unworthy Scaffold? “Poor” Theatre and Shakespeare for Young People
Chapter 4: “No feeling of his business”? Negotiating Shakespeare as literature and theatre for young people
Conclusion: Shakespeare is not a school
Bibliography
Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

Wozniak’s book is welcome and helps fill a vacuum of fresh reflection within the world of theatre for young people … Beautifully researched, extensively noted, and indexed, The Politics of Performing Shakespeare for Young People is a sophisticated argument for innovating Shakespeare performances in ways that engage youth and honor their intellectual autonomy. Wozinak’s optimism about Shakespeare’s future in young British lives is encouraging.” –Theatre Topics

From the Publisher