Stratford-upon-Avon’s Guildhall has a wide and varied history: aside from serving as the town’s political and religious centre, during the lifetime of William Shakespeare the building also served as both a local theatre and the town’s grammar school, a tradition that has continued into the twenty-first century. This set the stage for a unique clash between strict education and theatrical escapism. At school, drama was a key part of the humanist curriculum, building character and confidence; but as more professional players from London were welcomed into the building, drama had the potential to become a chaotic disruption to schooling.
Join Dr. Will Green – Fellow of the School of Advanced Study, University of London and Research Associate at Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall, Stratford-upon-Avon – as he shares work from his ongoing public history project on England’s civic buildings and regional theatre in the age of Shakespeare. In this talk, Dr. Green explores how classical drama’s role in grammar school education collided with travelling players in the very building in which a young Shakespeare would have been educated – and first encountered professional theatre.
Discover how Shakespeare’s own schoolmasters, Simon Hunt and Thomas Jenkins, would have navigated this conflict between serious moral plays and a more modern style of drama, and how the tension between classroom discipline and theatrical freedom shaped the minds of the schoolboys who would have been watching from the wings.
This online talk is delivered in collaboration with Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall, the museum of the Grade I listed guildhall of Stratford-upon-Avon. The talk will be recorded, and everyone who buys a ticket will be sent a link to the video within 10 days of the event date. This ensures ticket buyers can view the talk even if they are unable to attend at the time of the live stream.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2003856019296?aff=oddtdtcreator
The talk will last 45 minutes to 1 hour, after which there will be ample time available for Q&A.