The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 22.0224 Wednesday, 7 September 2011
From: Eddie Baart <
Date: September 7, 2011 6:36:40 AM EDT
Subject: Conference July 2012
The Eighth Triennial Congress and Conference of the Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa
3-5 JULY 2012
Rhodes University, Grahamstown
Eastern Province, South Africa
It is with pleasure that we invite you to participate in our forthcoming Conference.
Theme: Staging Shakespeare – Direction, Design and Reception:
This conference looks at Shakespeare in the theatre, with particular attention to the contemporary and historical challenges of staging his plays. Accounts by directors, theatre practitioners, and theatre historians are particularly welcome. We are very pleased that the following have agreed to give plenary lectures:
Robert Gordon. Professor of Drama and Director of the Pinter Centre for Research in Writing and Performance of Goldsmith College, University of London
Dame Janet Suzman, the famous Shakespearean actress and author of Acting with Shakespeare
Scott Newstok, Professor at Rhodes College, Tennessee. Author of many books and articles on Shakespeare
CALL FOR PAPERS
Papers of 25 minutes duration are invited on the following or related topics:
- Shakespeare on stage: contemporary approaches
- Visualising the Shakespearean stage: stark or sumptuous?
- Staging Shakespeare’s text: what price language?
- Beyond Words: Shakespeare and Physical Theatre
- Styling Shakespeare for film
- Staging my country’s Shakespeare
- The influence of Victorian Shakespeare on stage and in literature
- Tweaking Shakespeare - the director’s ‘Aye’: feminist/proletarian/(anti-) sexist/religious/eco-critical productions
- Shakespearean music and choreography
- Touring Shakespeare
- Shakespeare on the South African stage
- Shakespeare between cultures: reaching the multivalent audience
- Indigenising Shakespeare on stage
- Staging Shakespeare in translation.
Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be sent to the conference coordinator, Warren Snowball (
For further information and to answer any queries, please contact the conference secretary, Eddie Baart:
PROVISIONAL PROGRAM
Monday 2nd July Transport from Port Elizabeth airport and settling into accommodation
Evening - Welcoming cocktail party given by Rhodes University
Tuesday 3rd July Registration, Congress Business Meeting, Presentation of papers
Evening free for delegates to sample the National Arts Festival
Wednesday 4th July Presentation of papers,
Afternoon game drive and conference dinner
Thursday 5th July Presentation of papers,
Evening - specially commissioned performance of a Shakespeare play.
Registration: A website for registration for the conference is under construction.
Accommodation: As the National Arts Festival is running at the same time, accommodation in Grahamstown will be at a premium. Delegates may stay in a residence of Rhodes University at a reasonable cost, Accommodation is in single rooms with communal toilet facilities. Breakfast is provided. The Conference proceedings are held on the Rhodes campus, within easy walking distance of the residences.
The National Festival of the Arts is running in Grahamstown from 28th June to 8th July with hundreds of shows in the Main Program and on the Fringe. Delegates to the Shakespeare Conference may wish to extend their stay to sample the Festival. There are also many famous game parks close to the town (Shamwari, Kwandwe, Pumba ....) which provide one-day game drives.
For more information on Rhodes University refer to http://www.ru.ac.za/conferences
For more information on the Eastern Cape refer to http://www.sa-venues.com/eastcape.htm
Emeritus Professor Eddie Baart
Administrative Secretary
Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa
phone: 046 603 7288