The History Of European Theatre

Macbeth Part 1: ‘Look Like the Innocent Flower, But Be the Serpent Under’t’ 29.06.2026 35min

Episode 222:We can’t say for sure that ‘Macbeth’ was Shakespeare's next offering after 'Anthony and Cleopatra' as precise dating of these early 17th century plays is next to impossible, but whatever the case, it certainly has a very different feel and focus from it’s near contemporises.  Although recounting historical events it is dominated by the presence and effect of the supernatural.  This proved a mix that audiences have flocked to ever since and it remains one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays, for tragedy ranking only behind ‘Hamlet’.The dating of the playThe text in the First Folio and adaptations by Thomas MiddletonThe sources for the playA brief Synopsis of the playMacbeth and Julius CaesarMacbeth’s ambitionThe importance of the soliloquy in the playMacbeth’s feelings of guiltThe reports of the play by Simon ForemanBanquo’s ghost as a manifestation of Macbeth’s guiltBlood as a symbol of guiltThe torment of sleeplessnessThe tensions between destiny and free willThe three witchesLink to ‘That Shakespeare Life’ episode featuring Prof. Laurie Johnson on the ‘weird sisters’:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/that-shakespeare-life/id1372846116?i=1000751203466Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony and Cleopatra: ‘Age Cannot Wither Her, Nor Custom Stale Her Infinite Variety’ 22.06.2026 35min

Episode 221:Last time I took you into the world of the court masque with the help of Kristen Macdermott who, I think you will agree, painted a very detailed picture of that very particular theatrical form and the way the Stuart court embraced it.  As we heard, masques were often written by playwrights and performed by actors who also wrote for and performed in the public playhouse, so it’s no surprise that a few plays feature masques.  We have already encountered short masques in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and ‘Timon of Athens’, with the best known example from ‘The Tempest’ still to come and Shakespeare’s next offering ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ would, you might think, have been another opportunity to include a masque featuring exotic characters to add to the glamorous setting.  In fact, Shakespeare chose not to include a masque specifically, but we can see that he uses the attributes of the masque throughout the play.Masque elements used in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’The dating of the playThe early print history of the playThe sources for the playThe different style of the play from it’s near neighboursA brief synopsis of the playHow the main characters and the political story and love story are balanced in the playThe hyperbolic language used in the playThe character of AntonyEquals and opposites in the play and how Antony deals with themThe character of OctaviusThe character of CleopatraThe death of CleopatraAntony and Cleopatra as a Stuart period playA short word on the history of criticism of the playThe later performance history of the play Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Masques of Difference: A Conversation with Kristen McDermott part 2 15.06.2026 46min

Episode 220: This is the second part of my conversation with Kristen McDermott about the court masque.  In this part we discuss two masques and the later history of the art form.Kristen McDermott is professor of English at Central Michigan University and co-author with Ari Berk of ‘William Shakespeare his life and times’ and the collection ‘Masques of Difference’, as well as numerous papers on Shakespeare and renaissance theatre.  I have put a link in the show notes to Kristen’s website where you can find further details of her work.  Kris is also a listener and supporter of the podcast, so I was particularly happy to welcome her as a contributor on the microphone as well.  I spoke to Kris over a zoom call from her home in Michigan.   Find more about Kris at: https://kristen-mcdermott.comLinks to ‘Masques of Difference’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Masques-Difference-Revels-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1?https://www.amazon.com/Masques-Difference-masques-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1?https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719057540/ Links to Greer Gilman books: https://smallbeerpress.com/books/2014/09/23/exit-pursued-by-a-bear/Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Origins and Development of Masques: A Conversation with Kristen McDermott part 1 08.06.2026 28min

Episode 219:In this episode I take a look at the court masques of the Jacobean period.  To do this I’m very lucky to have the guidance of Kristen McDermott who edited and wrote an extensive introduction to a collection of Jonson’s Masques called Masques of Difference.  It is a volume that has been in print for an impressive twenty years and one that I found immensely useful in aiding my understanding of the court masque, an art form that can seem very obscure to us now.  In the first part of the conversation Kristen describes the development of the masque from it’s very early days through to its flowering in the court of James 1st largely under the care of Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones.  Next time Kris and I continue the conversation and discuss some of those ‘masques of difference’ and the later years of the court masque.Kristen McDermott is professor of English at Central Michigan University and co-author with Ari Berk of ‘William Shakespeare His Life and Times’ and the collection ‘Masques of Difference’, as well as numerous papers on Shakespeare and renaissance theatre. Find more about Kris at: https://kristen-mcdermott.comLinks to ‘Masques of Difference’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Masques-Difference-Revels-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1?https://www.amazon.com/Masques-Difference-masques-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1?https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719057540/Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

King Lear Part 2: ‘Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise’ 01.06.2026 34min

Episode 218:Last time I looked at the first part of ‘King Lear’ from the opening scene where Lear makes his disastrous decision to split his kingdom between his children, through to the renowned scene where the ex-king and his fool are caught in a raging storm on the moor and saved only by the loyalty of Kent.  On the way I looked at the deliciously evil Edmund, the poor judgement of his father Gloucester, and the scheming of Lear’s oldest daughter Goneril.  Now I will complete this look at the play and discuss it’s place as a very Jacobean play addressing the concerns of its time when King James was working hard at an attempt to unite his disparate kingdom. The role, character and purpose of the FoolThe mock trial sceneThe blinding of GloucesterThe character and cruelty of ReganEdgar and Gloucester on the cliffs at DoverHope before tragedy as Lear and Cordelia are reunitedA family dispute as the heart of the playWhy Lear resonates so strongly with audiencesThe sense of ‘no place’ in the playKing Lear as a message for King James The significance of the non-Christian setting of the playThe play as a tragedy and a history playA brief view of the later critical and performance history of the playA small selection of ‘King Lear’ on filmSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

King Lear Part 1: ‘How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth it is to Have a Thankless Child!’ 25.05.2026 33min

Episode 217:‘King Lear’, the play that is now often regarded as Shakespeare’s finest and deepest work is most often compared to the other two great tragedies of this period in Shakespeare’s writing, ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Othello’, and of course there are thematic comparisons that can be made with those plays, but it has to be pointed out that ‘King Lear’ is also a very different play in tone and structure.  Whether we rate ‘King Lear’ as Shakespeare’s best play or not it is a play that has deeply affected audiences and critics through the centuries and I can only imagine the mark it leaves on actors who take on the main roles.  Sadly, what we lack is much detail about initial reactions to the play.The early performance and publishing history of the playThe influences and sources for the playThe opening scene of the play and the abandonment of the natural orderThe questions of judgement and miscommunication in the playThe character of GonerilEdmund as one of Shakespeare’s truly evil charactersKent as the voice of reason and loyaltyLear and the Fool in the stormLear’s moral awakeningSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reading Shakespeare’s Mind: A Conversation with Steve Sohmer 18.05.2026 40min

Episode 216: For today’s guest episode I had the pleasure of talking to Steve Sohmer, author of a book titled ‘Reading Shakespeare’s Mind’.  In his book Steve examines how Shakespeare’s relationship with several contemporary authors is exposed in his plays.  This involves a very close reading of the text and an endlessly enquiring mind and it’s fascinating to read through Steve’s thought processes to understand the conclusions he has come to. As I was preparing for the recording, which you will notice was made before I got onto the recent episodes on the so called problem plays, I saw that Steve had an extensive biography before he got onto Shakespeare study, so rather than read through it here I thought I would open our conversation by getting Steve to tell me about his working experience.Publishers Website:https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/search-results/?Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reading-Shakespeares-Mind-Steve-Sohmer/dp/1526138077/ref=sr_1_1?Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Shakespeares-mind-Steve-Sohmer/dp/1526138077/ref=sr_1_1?Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timon of Athens: ‘Nothing Emboldens Sin So Much as Mercy’ 11.05.2026 34min

Episode 215:Last time Ben Jonson regained his stride in the public theatre with his comedy ‘Volpone’, an at moments sparkling satire of greed and avarice.   Just about the only parallel I can draw between this and Shakespeare’s next offering, ‘Timon of Athens’, is that the study of greed appears in both, but they are very different plays in tone, character and intent.  Shakespeare not only continued in his recent sombre mood but deepened it significantly with this play.  When reading around the play in preparation for this episode on more than one occasion I saw the play cited as Shakespeare’s least popular play, it is certainly one that is rarely performed and there are many questions about the ‘whys and hows’ of its creation, so buckle up, this might well be more than a little challenging.The early performance and print history of the playThe source material for the playThe possible co-authorship of the playA brief synopsis of the plotThe structure of the playThe character of TimonIssues with explaining Timon’s behaviourTimon’s railing against Athens and mankindTimon’s discovery of buried goldTimon’s deathThe character of AlcibiadesThe play as a satire of wealth rather than a tragedyThe later performance historySome of the critical assessments of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much Ado About Numbers: A Conversation With Rob Eastaway 04.05.2026 32min

Episode 214:For today’s guest episode I was pleased to get the chance to talk to Rob Eastaway, author of a book all about Shakespeare and his relationship to numbers and mathematics. Rob’s book ‘Much Ado About Numbers’ is a very entertaining read, whatever your level of understanding maths might be and quite an eye opener when considering how much maths permeates into Shakespeare’s plays. This is not just about hard numbers and number crunching, but touches to the Elizabethan attitude towards descriptive scales, astrology, astronomy, music and optics. Rob does a great job in the book of condensing these very broad and often technical subjects into a book that is a mixture of popular science, mathematics, history and, of course, literature, so it was great to chat to Rob about just some of those concepts.Rob Eastaway is author of several bestselling books connecting maths with everyday life, including "Why do Buses Come in Threes?" and "How Many Socks Make a Pair?". His first book "What is a googly?", an introduction to cricket, was famously presented by British Prime Minister John Major to President Bush (snr) at Camp David in 1992, and was published in the USA under the title "Cricket Explained". With Mike Askew, he wrote "Maths for Mums & Dads", a book that helps parents to understand the new methods being used to teach maths, and offers ideas for how to make maths more engaging and fun at home. An American edition was published in 2010 entitled "Old Dogs, New Math". Rob appears regularly on radio in the UK and is a regular speaker. An activity that has taken him to the Usa and Australia. He was President of the Mathematical Association from 2007-8.Links to 'Much Ado About Numbers:Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Much-Ado-About-Numbers-Eastaway/dp/1805460293/ref=sr_1_1?Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Much-Ado-About-Numbers-Shakespeares/dp/B0CWD3SNXP/ref=sr_1_1?Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Volpone: ‘What a Rare Punishment is Avarice to Itself’ 27.04.2026 34min

Episode 213:In the spring of 1606, a new Ben Jonson play premiered, not on this occasion at the Blackfriars theatre performed by one of the child companies, but at the Globe and performed by the King’s Men.  The reasons for why Jonson sold his play to the King’s Men are not completely clear.  Having a play performed by the Kings Men was, of course, prestigious in itself, and some of his early plays had been performed by the Lord Chamberlin’s Men, but up to this point for his most recent plays Johnson had seemed to prefer using the child companies.  It may be that the Children of the Queens Revels were wary of another Jonson play after the problems that ‘Eastward Ho’ had caused for the playwrights, or perhaps Johnson himself felt it would be wise to distance himself from that association and switching to the adult company was a way of doing that. Perhaps Jonson had seen the writing on the wall for the Children of the Queens Revels after they had got into trouble for a production of a play by John Day called ‘The Isle of Gulls’.  The dating and first performance of the playThe slow demise of the Children of the Queen’s RevelsEarly performances of the playA brief synopsis of the playThe prologue and the argumentThe city comedy elements in the playWhat the setting of the play meant to the English audienceThe methods by which Jonson created the Venetian settingThe purpose of the subplot featuring three English touristsThe beast fable elements in the playDeception and the influence of the gunpowder plot on the playThe satire of greed as the driving theme of the playClass conflict in the play and it’s moralistic endingThe later performance history of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Collecting Thomas Kyd: A Conversation with Darren Freebury-Jones 20.04.2026 43min

Episode 212:For today’s guest episode it is a warm welcome back to the podcast for Darren Freebury Jones.  On this occasion Darren is here to discuss Thomas Kyd and the works that have been attributed to him in a new two-volume edition of his collected works, for which Darren is the associate editor.  It is always a pleasure to talk to Darren and as a friend of the podcast he needs only the briefest of introductions:Dr Darren Freebury-Jones is author of several works on early modern theatre including: ‘Reading Robert Greene: Recovering Shakespeare’s Rival’, ‘Shakespeare’s Tutor: The Influence of Thomas Kyd’ and his latest work ‘Shakespeare’s Borrowed Feathers’, has now just been published in a paperback edition.In addition to these works and his role as Associate Editor for the first critical edition of The Collected Works of Thomas Kyd since 1901 he has also investigated the boundaries of John Marston’s dramatic corpus as part of the Oxford Marston project and is General Editor for ‘The Collected Plays of Robert Greene’ published by Edinburgh University Press.  His findings on the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries have been discussed in national newspapers in the UK and on BBC Radio.  His debut poetry collection, ‘Rambling’ was published by Broken Sleep Books in 2024.  In 2023 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of his contributions to historical scholarship. Links to 'The Collected Thomas Kyd' and 'Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers'https://boydellandbrewer.com/book/the-collected-works-of-thomas-kyd-2-volume-set-9781843846994/?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shakespeares-Borrowed-Feathers-Playwrights-Greatest/dp/152617734X/ref=sr_1_1?https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeares-borrowed-feathers-playwrights-greatest/dp/152617734X/ref=sr_1_1?https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177346/Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All’s Well That Ends Well: ‘The Web of Our Life is of a Mingled Yarn’ 13.04.2026 33min

Episode 211:Through the last few episodes on Shakespeare’s plays, we seem to have seen a playwright in a serious mood, even when he was writing comedies. ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Measure For Measure’ are often referred to as having an autumnal tone, something serious underlying the comedy and of course we also have the even darker worlds of the tragedies of ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Othello’.  The next play we come to from Shakespeare fits well into this group, but I choose my words carefully there because I can’t say for sure that ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ was his ‘next’ play after ‘Measure For Measure’ as the dating of this comedy is difficult.The dating of the playThe sources for the playA brief summary of the plotHow Shakespeare subverts the original folk tale into a comedyIrony in the playThe two sides of the character of HelenWhat does Helen see in Bertram?The role reversal between Helen and BertramThe character of BertramThe bed trickThe character of ParolasSome examples of criticism of the playThe performance history of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s in a Name? A Conversation with Susan Amussen 06.04.2026 40min

Episode 210:In her new book ‘What’s in a name? How historians know Shakespeare was Shakespeare’ Susan Ammunsen sets out to show how that in early modern England it was entirely possible that a glover’s son could transform into a successful actor and playwright.  She does so by detailing a society that was in a moment of flux and opportunity in many aspects of life.  It is a compelling read, so I was very pleased to invite Susan onto the podcast to discuss her work.Susan D. Amussen is Distinguished Professor of History at the University of California, Merced, whose work focuses on the intersections of gender and other structures of power in early modern England and its empire. She is author of numerous books and articles, including ‘Caribbean Exchanges: Slavery and the Transformation of English Society’; ‘Turning the World Upside Down’ and, with David Underdown, ‘Gender, Culture and Politics in Early Modern England’ ‘What’s in a name’ was published on March 24th, 2026, by Manchester University Press.I spoke to Susan over a Zoom call from her home in CaliforniaManchester University Press: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526191908/Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whats-Name-Historians-Know-Shakespeare/dp/1526191903/ref=sr_1_2?Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Whats-name-historians-know-Shakespeare/dp/1526191903/ref=sr_1_3?Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eastward Ho: ‘He That Rises with Ease, Alas, Falls as Easily’ 30.03.2026 36min

Episode 209: After the failure of ‘Sejanus His Fall’ Jonson’s next play was a collaboration with John Marston and George Chapman, a new play for the Blackfriars’s theatre and it’s resident company of boy actors.  Jonson maybe needed the collaboration to restore his confidence in his writing, although from what we know of his character perhaps more likely it was the hope of a decent payday that spurred him on.  Returning to comedy must have been part of the attraction.  Whatever the case the three playwrights managed to produce a comedy that was funny, thoughtful, moralistic and yet still controversial.  The exact reasons for that controversy and the strength of reaction to the play from king James is now obscure to us, but at the time nearly cost the playwrights not only their liberty, but their ears as well.The three authors of the play – who wrote what?The first performance and printing of the playA synopsis of the plotThe play as a response to ‘Westward Ho!’The PrologueThe comparison of good and bad work ethicsThe child acting companies and how their plays were receivedCombining three types of play on ‘Eastward Ho’The city comedyThe citizen comedyThe morality taleThree journeys in the play            The voyage to Virginia            Gertrude’s journey            Golding’s rise in the cityReference to the Roanoke settlement and the view of the New WorldThe fate of the adventurers after the shipwreckThe influence of the city of London and alchemyThe pairing of characters for dramatic effectThe theatrical nature of the play and Quicksilver’s redemptionThe consequences of the play for the playwrightsThe later performance history of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consent and Other Big Questions in ‘Measure for Measure’: A Conversation with Roberta Barker 23.03.2026 44min

Episode 207:It was just about this time last year I talked to Roberta Barker about her work on the boy actors of the Elizabethan period and she mentioned at the time that she was then working on a new edition of ‘Measure for Measure’ for Cambridge University Press and I’m pleased to say that she agreed to carve some time out of her busy schedule to discuss the play with us today.  Having been immersed in the play for a long time there is no one better placed at the moment than Roberta to discuss the play so I was particularly pleased when she agreed to come back onto the podcast at this point.Roberta Barker is a member of the Joint Faculty of King’s College, London, where she is Professor of Theatre teaching in the Foundation Year and Early Modern Studies programs, and Dalhousie University, Halifax Nova Scotia, where she teaches Theatre in the Fountain School of Performing Arts. Her research interests centre upon the relationship between performance and the social construction of identity and has explored such topics as the representation of gender and class in early modern tragedy, the early modern careers and modern afterlives of Shakespeare’s boy players, and the role played by the performance of illness on the nineteenth-century stage in the evolution of realist style.  She is also a theatre and opera director.Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast Announcement - Advertisements 16.03.2026 3min

Hello everyoneI’m interrupting your day for a small announcement about the podcast.  If you have listened to any episodes recently you will have noticed that advertisements are now playing at the start, middle and end each episode.  Placing advertisements in the podcast is a way of helping to recoup the costs of putting the podcast out for free, which is why I took the plunge and decided to go down this path.  For those of you who support the podcast on Patreon on either of the paid levels of membership from next Monday’s episode I will be adding all new episodes without adverts to your Patreon feed, so that you can listen to them there.  The episode that comes out on a Monday morning UK time will be released on Patreon on the Sunday before.  For those of you on the top tier membership on Patreon these episodes will come on the same feed from which you currently get the extra episodes, so no need for you to make any changes.If you are currently not a supporter on Patreon and you like the uninterrupted podcast experience, then now would be a great time to join us there and it will only cost you £1 a month.  If you want to investigate that, or joining at the higher membership level and receiving two additional theatre related audio podcasts a month for an even deeper dive into theatre history then follow the link in the show notes or just go to patreon.com and search for ‘the history of European theatre’.A bit thank-you to everyone who already supports the podcast on Patreon and also thanks to all of you who listen every week as we make our way through the long history of theatre.As ever if you want to contact me about this change, or anything to do with the podcast you can reach me by email at thoetp@gmail.com, or through the website where you can leave me a voice message by clicking on the microphone icon or you can write to me on the contact page.  That’s all at www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comLink: www.patreon.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Measure For Measure: ‘Some Rise by Sin, and Some by Virtue Fall’ 16.03.2026 35min

Episode 207 Whereas the larger-than-life characters in ‘Othello’ left us with no moral ambiguities, but plenty of questions about the nature of the outsider and society’s attitude towards those who are different.  Shakespeare’s next offering, ‘Measure for Measure’ was a very different piece with few of those certainties.The dating and earliest performance of the playThe early print history of the playChanges made by Thomas MiddletonThe source material for the playA brief synopsis of the playComedy of Tragicomedy?Issues with the structure of the playJustice and mercyThe premise of the play examinedHow the characters avoid easy categorisationThe role of the dukeThe role of IsabellaThe role of AngeloThe role of LucioThe ending of the play and Isabella’s response to the dukeThe mixed critical response to the playThe later performance history of the playMeasure for Measure on filmSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Othello part 2: ‘Farewell the Tranquil Mind, Farewell Content’ 09.03.2026 37min

Episode 206Last time I discussed the dating and sources for Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Othello’, the early performance history, and some points about the structure and poetry in the play.  Then I took you through the first part of the play, up to the point where Iago had managed to sow seeds of doubt into Othello’s mind about the constancy of women and get his professional rival Michael Cassio so drunk and fired up that he got involved in a brawl with the town governor and is demoted.  In doing so I looked at the characters of Iago, Brabantio and Cassio, so on this occasion listening to that episode is essential before starting on this one.  If you need to do that as soon as you are back, I will be picking up from exactly where I left off last time.The character and expected role of EmeliaThe relationship of Emelia and DesdemonaThe character of Bianca and the Venetian courtesanHow Bianca contrasts with DesdemonaConflicting views of the character of DesdemonaThe character of OthelloThe play as a tragedy of Greek proportionsThe disintegration of Othello from strong leader to murdererOthello as a social disruptorThe ‘noble savage’ Vs the veneer of sophisticationThe role of resentment and honour in the playLater performances of the playSome very selected criticism of the playSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Othello part 1: ‘O, Beware, my Lord, of Jealousy’ 02.03.2026 36min

Episode 205:Last time Ben Jonson’s retelling of a slice of Roman Imperial history failed to impress at the Globe theatre.  As an actor in that play Shakespeare had first-hand experience of the way the audience in the theatre could turn on the poet and the players alike, but it is difficult to think that his confidence in his own work was much dented by the experience.  His next play ‘The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice’ is, I would say, brim full of the confidence of an experienced playwright who knew that his play would both entertain on several levels and provoke much thought in the audience.The dating and first performance of the playThe early publication history of the playDetails from a performance in 1610The source material for the playThe structure of the playThe significance of Venice and CyprusThe structural balances in the playThe poetry and imagery in the playThe use of language as a dramatic techniqueThe urgency of the opening of the playThe character of Iago and how he manipulates his victimsThe character of BrabantioWhat the Elizabethan audience might have thought of a ‘moor’Queen Elizabeth’s attitude to immigrants from AfricaHow Shakespeare handled the racial aspects of the playThe character of Micheal CassioSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beyond Shakespeare: A Conversation with Robert Crighton 09.02.2026 44min

Episode 204:For today’s guest episode we welcome Robert Crighton to the podcast.  Robert is the guiding light behind ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ a project that aims to shine a light on very early theatre through to Early Modern theatre.  As the name ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ suggests Robert is keen to look at plays not written by Shakespeare and indeed, as you will hear, much of Robert’s work looks at works written long before Shakespeare was around.  I first came across ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ through the online readings of early modern plays that Robert has produced as a means of working towards full audio and staged productions.  It was a very useful point of reference for me when I was looking as those early Jonson plays where there is little chance of seeing a performance.Beyond Shakespeare:Link to Website: https://beyondshakespeare.org/Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondShakespeareSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.