Photograph of the entrance to the Shakespeare Institute

We are delighted to make available as podcasts three plenary papers from the 35th International Shakespeare Conference, which took place at the Shakespeare Institute from August 5th-10th 2012 on the theme of ‘Working with Shakespeare.’

Dympna Callaghan, William Safire Professor in the Humanities at Syracuse University, spoke during a Monday dedicated to the subject of ‘Shakespeare and poetic work.’  Her paper is entitled ‘Shakespearean Lyric.’ [43.8 MB]

Kiernan Ryan, Professor of English Language and Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London, spoke on a Tuesday dedicated to ‘Shakespeare and theatrical work.’ His paper is entitled ‘Staging the Future: Shakespeare’s universal theatre.’ [428 MB]

Richard Wilson, currently Professor of English at Cardiff University but about to take up the Sir Peter Hall Chair in Shakespeare Studies at Kingston University, spoke on the last day of the conference, dedicated to ‘Shakespeare, work and play.’  His paper is entitled ‘Like an Olympian Wrestling: Shakespeare’s Olympic Game.’ [587 MB]

As well as featuring plenaries, seminars, and a performance of Macbeth by the Institute’s own Performance Research Group, the conference played host to an exclusive pre-release screening of a new cinematic adaptation of Henry IV parts 1 and 2.  Entitled H4, the film transfers the action of Shakespeare’s histories to black America.  The Institute was especially pleased to welcome some of the film’s creative team and its star Harry Lennix Jr – known to Shakespeareans for his performance as Aaron in Julie Taymor’s film of Titus Andronicus, and for his roles in 24, The Matrix Reloaded, State of Play and other major film and television productions – who participated in a lively discussion following the showing.