NapaShakes Dramaturg Dr. Philippa Kelly on the resonance of The Winter’s Tale to the plight of the world’s women today. The Winter’s Tale, written 400 years ago, may be Shakespeare’s play that speaks most directly to the plight of women in some parts of the world today. Just a few…
NapaShakes Dramaturg Dr. Philippa Kelly offers this poem to illuminate The Winter’s Tale, starring Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh and screening at the Cameo Cinema on January 17, 2016: The Winter’s Tale Polixenes – Leontes’ friend, With dear intent a path didst wend To far Sicilia, there to rest, With…
NapaShakes Dramaturg Dr. Philippa Kelly on the “Merry War” of Much Ado About Nothing “You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her: they never meet but there’s a skirmish of wit between them.” (Leonato, Much Ado About Nothing.) Much…
NapaShakes’ Dramaturg Philippa Kelly explains: ‘[I]t is far better to be a just man than an unjust prince.’ Erasmus, The Education of a Christian Prince (1518) Tragedy openeth the greatest wounds, and showeth forth the ulcers that are covered with tissue; [it] maketh kings fear to be tyrants, and tyrants…
