Books in the The RSC Shakespeare series

A fresh new edition of Shakespeare's exuberant early comedy, developed by and for the RSC, includes new interviews with acclaimed directors David Thacker and Edward Hall, looks at specific productions in the play's history, and an illuminating introduction to the play by acclaimed scholar Jonathan Bate.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's great drama of ambition, desire and guilt. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Macbeth in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors - Rupert Goold, Gregory Doran and Trevor Nunn - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare's career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's great comedy of love, folly and mistaken identity. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Twelfth Night in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors - Sam Mendes, Declan Donnellan and Neil Bartlett - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare's career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of one of Shakespeare's last plays. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Winter's Tale in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with directors Dominic Cooke, Adrian Noble and Gregory Doran - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare's career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

Jonathan Bate is a passionate advocate of Shakespeare and his introductions are full of striking and convincing observations ... footnotes at the bottom of each page gloss unfamiliar items of vocabulary, paraphrase tricky meanings and uncover bawdy puns. There is a universe to be found in these annotations: the Renaissance world of power and fate, sex and death, language and philosophy.' - The Times Educational Supplement From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's enduringly popular comedyTHIS EDITION INCLUDES: * An illuminating introduction to The Merry Wives of Windsor by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate* The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play* An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productionsThe most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merry Wives of Windsor in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors and an actor - Bill Alexander, Rachel Kavanaugh and Simon Callow - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare plays offer an accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's bittersweet comedy of courtship and ethnic tensionTHIS EDITION INCLUDES:* An introduction to The Merchant of Venice by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate* The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play* An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productions The most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merchant of Venice in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors and two actors - Darko Tresnjak, David Thacker<, Anthony Sher and Henry Goodman - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's much-loved sonnets and poems. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Shakespeare's Sonnets and Other Poems, providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. Ideal for students and lovers of Shakespeare everywhere, the RSC editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragic history of a ruler losing his grip on power. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an acclaimed actress/director - Michael Boyd, Claus Peymann and Fiona Shaw - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare's career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

Developed by and for the RSC, this new edition of Shakespeare's classic tragedy includes an introduction from Jonathan Bate, interviews with directors Trevor Nunn and Michael Attenborough and actor Anthony Sher, and suggestions for further reading, to offer new perspectives on one of Shakespeare's best-loved plays.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's much-loved comedy of the battle between the sexesTHIS EDITION INCLUDES: * An illuminating introduction to Much Ado About Nothing by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate* The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play* An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productionsThe most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of Much Ado About Nothing in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors and an actor - Nicholas Hytner, Marianne Elliott and Harriet Walter - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer an accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's great exploration of patriotism and warTHIS EDITION INCLUDES:* An introduction to Henry V by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate* The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play* An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productions The most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry V in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with four leading directors - Kenneth Branagh, Nicholas Hytner, Michael Boyd and Ed Hall - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death.Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer an accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's tragi-comedy of youth and age, introducing the immortal Sir John FalstaffTHIS EDITION INCLUDES: * An illuminating introduction to Henry IV Part I by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate* The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play* An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productionsThe most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part I in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors and an actor- Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer an accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

Jonathan Bate writes with as much elegance as insight about the making of theatre and the creation of the plays.'- Richard Eyre, Sunday Telegraph From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's gripping political and personal tragedyTHIS EDITION INCLUDES: * An illuminating introduction to Coriolanus by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate* The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page* A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play* An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre* A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productionsThe most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of Coriolanus in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors - Gregory Doran and David Farr - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare plays offer an accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

This new edition of Shakespeare's controversial comedy, developed by and for the RSC, includes new interviews with acclaimed directors Gregory Doran and Phyllida Lloyd and the actress Michelle Gomez, looks at specific productions in the play's history, and a completely new introduction by acclaimed scholar Jonathan Bate.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company, this fresh new edition of Shakespeare's most loved comedy presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night's Dream in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with three leading Directors - Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's touching fable of loss and reunion.