Shakespeare in the Spanish Theatre

Keith Gregor is Senior Lecturer at the University of Murcia in Spain. He has published widely on Shakespeare in performance and Spanish drama and theatre practice. Since 1999 he has worked on a research project on the reception of Shakespeare in Spain (www.um.es/shakespeare).

• 1. Setting the Scene; 2. The Othello Years; 3. Revaluing the Classics; 4. Shakespeare fin de siglo; 5. Reform and Counter-reform; 6. Nationalizing the Classics; 7. Freeing up the Stage; 8. Shakespeare on the Periphery; Conclusion: Current and Future Directions; Bibliography; Appendix I: Chronological list of major productions, political and cultural events; Index.

"How, in a country like Spain, boasting a stage tradition including theatrical giants like Tirso de Molina, Lope de Vega and Calderon, could Shakespeare steal the limelight in the late 18th century and hold on to it to the present day? Gregor admirably maps the history of this Spanish brand of Shakespearemania in Madrid and the provinces. His im­pressive account of the shift from a traditional to an ever more experimental Shakespeare involves translations and productions, as well as playhouse architecture and audience tastes. Significantly, this ‘addiction' was a European affair, fed mainly by English, French and German traditions, by Napoleonic and fascist cultures as much as the RSC and the BBC." - Professor Ton Hoenselaars, Utrecht University, The Netherlands