Early Modern Liveness

Abstract

What does it mean for early modern theatre to be ‘live’? And how have audiences over time experienced a sense of ‘liveness’? This collection extends discussions of ‘liveness’ to works from the 16th and 17th century, both in their initial incarnations and contemporary adaptations. Drawing on media theory, this study uses the concept of ‘liveness’ to consider how the early modern theatre – including non-Western and non-traditional performance practices – employs embodiment, materiality, temporality and perception to impress on its audience a sensation of presence. The volume’s contributors adopt varying approaches and cover a range of topics from material textual studies, to early modern rehearsal methods, to the legacy of Shakespearean performance in global theatrical repertoires. This collection looks to both early modern and contemporary performance practices to challenge our understanding of ‘live’ performance. Productions and adaptions discussed include the Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Winter’s Tale and the National Theatre’s