Bonus Episode 34: Guest Dr Agata Luksza discusses her book 'Polish Theatre Revisited' where she examines theatre fan culture in Warsaw in the late 19th century. Dr Agata Luksza is an assistant professor at the Institute of Polish Culture, University of Warsaw. She graduated with honors from the University of Warsaw in cultural studies and journalism and holds a PhD from the same university in cultural studies.. You can read more about Agata on her website: https://agataluksza.com/ And find 'Polish Theatre Revisited' here (and elsewhere, of course): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Polish-Theatre ..read more

Episode 116: As an introduction to the season on Shakespeare this episode gives a timeline of events in Shakespeare's life. The focus is on the best estimates for the dates of all his plays and the reasons for those estimates, but also includes the milestones of his life and other significant events of the time that occurred in England. Support to podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy ..read more

Episode 115: A dive back into Ancient Greek theatre with a look at 'The Frogs' by Aristophanes. A recap on the life and plays of Aristophanes. A summary of the plot of the play. Analysis of the main points raised by the play. A short word on a recent production of the play by 'Spymonkey' played at the Kiln Theatre, London in February and March 2024. Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.ko-fi.com/thoetp www.patreon.com/thoetp This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy ..read more

Episode 114: As an introduction to season six of the podcast in the first part of this episode I lay out the aims for the next season and the approach I will be taking to the monoliths of early English theatre tha tare Shakespeare and Jonson. In the second part of the Episode I give a quick recap of Season Five to get you and I back in the zone for all the detail that will follow on Shakespeare and Jonson. Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.ko-fi.com/thoetp www.patreon.com/thoetp This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https ..read more

A bonus episode where Peter Schmitz of the 'Adventures In Theatre History - Philadelphia' podcast takes us through an overview of the development of theatre in Philadelphia. Peter Schmitz is an actor, dialect coach, and teacher of Theater History who lives in the Philadelphia area. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, he got his BA in History from Yale University, and his MFA in Acting from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program. Over the past 35 years, he has performed with many American regional theaters, including the Yale Rep in New Haven CT, the Guthri ..read more

A short New Year message and about the timing for the start of season six of the podcast. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy ..read more

Episode 112 To close season five of the podcast I pick up three items I dropped in the previous narrative and then offer some concluding thoughts: Thomas Watson – the life and works of the possible co-author of ‘Arden of Faversham. Henry Chettle – the life and works of the prolific collaborator. Thomas Heywood – the life and works of a playwright now better remembered for his commentary on others rather than for his own work. Drawing some conclusions on: The public playhouses The players The State vs. the theatre The growth of education Pamphlets, prose, and poetry Christopher Marlowe The city ..read more

Episode 111 The true story behind 'Arden of Faversham' The plot outline of the play Is the domestic tragedy really tragedy? The main themes of the play The domestic eating of the play The low characters The role of destiny in the play Questions of authorship Other surviving domestic tragedies - 'A Warning for Faire Women' 'Two Tragedies' 'A Yorkshire Tragedy' Support the podcast at: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com www.ko-fi.com/thoetp www.patreon.com/thoetp This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy ..read more

Episode 110: The problems of the lack of evidence about conventions and acting style. How a player learned his craft. The rhetorical or performance style of acting. Theatre as a poetic form. The rhetorical style is overtaken by a more naturalistic style. Stage sets and costume. Thomas Hayward’s thoughts on a player’s skills. Hayward on players as scholars. The impact of Iambic Pentameter. Hayward on Alleyn and Perkins playing Barabas in ‘The Jew of Malta’. The convention of the soliloquy. The convention of the aside. The convention of eavesdropping. The convention of boy players and female rol ..read more

Episode 109: We don't know a lot about individual players of the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage, but there are three stars of the day that we have some information about. Richard Tarlton, the Queen’s favourite comic player. Will Kempe’s origins and early career. ‘A Knack to Know a Knave’ and ‘Fools of Gotham’. Did Kempe fall out with Shakespeare? ‘Kempe’s Jig’ and last days. Edward Alleyn’s family and early life. Touring with the Earl of Worcester’s Men. Return to London and success with the Admiral’s Men. Praise of Alleyn from Ben Johnson. Marriage and events in London while on tour. Semi-re ..read more