The young Prince Hamlet, returning from university, finds his Kingdom in disarray: 'something is rotten in the state of Denmark'. With his father dead, and his uncle and mother marrying, Hamlet is confronted by an armored ghost, who, claiming to be the King, implores him to enact revenge upon the newlyweds and restore order to the realm. Yet, Hamlet's ability to act conflicts with his will to think: curing the rot and stabilising the kingdom will unleash a series of tragedies that threaten to ruin his entire family. Arden Performance Editions are ideal for anyone engaging with a Shakespeare play in performance. With clear facing-page notes giving definitions of words, easily accessible information about key textual variants, lineation, metrical ambiguities and pronunciation, each edition has been developed to open the play's possibilities and meanings to actors and students. Designed to be used and to be useful, each edition has plenty of space for personal annotations and the well-spaced text is easy to read and to navigate. Each edition offers: - Short, clear definitions of words - Information about key textual variants - Notes on pronunciation of difficult names and unfamiliar words - An easy to read layout with space to write your own notes - A short introduction to the play

King Lear has ruled for many years. As age overtakes him, he divides his kingdom amongst his children. Misjudging their loyalty, he soon finds himself stripped of all the trappings of state, wealth and power that had defined him. Arden Performance Editions are ideal for anyone engaging with a Shakespeare play in performance. With clear facing-page notes giving definitions of words, easily accessible information about key textual variants, lineation, metrical ambiguities and pronunciation, each edition has been developed to open the play’s possibilities and meanings to actors and students. Designed to be used and to be useful, each edition has plenty of space for personal annotations and the well-spaced text is easy to read and to navigate. Each edition offers: - Short, clear definitions of words - Information about key textual variants - Notes on pronunciation of difficult names and unfamiliar words - An easy to read layout with space to write your own notes - A short introduction to the play

As You Like It: Language and Writing explores one of Shakespeare’s best-known comedies. It considers the literary and theatrical contexts in which Shakespeare was writing; examines, in detail, the different forms of language used in the play and considers ways in which language and meaning have changed over time, and are affected by performance. Each chapter contains a 'Writing matters' section which provides suggestions for activities that can further enhance a student’s understanding of the play. This informative guide to Shakespeare's popular comedy equips students with the critical skills to analyze its language, structure and themes and to expand and enrich their own responses to the play.

For the first time, the world-renowned Arden Shakespeare is producing Performance Editions, aimed specifically for use in the rehearsal room. Published in association with the Shakespeare Institute, the text features easily accessible facing page notes - including short definitions of words, key textual variants, and guidance on metre and pronunciation; a larger font size for easier reading; space for writing notes and reduced punctuation aimed at the actor rather than the reader. With editorial expertise from the worlds of theatre and academia, the series has been developed in association with actors and drama students. The Series Editors are distinguished scholars Professor Michael Dobson and Dr Abigail Rokison and leading Shakespearean actor, Simon Russell Beale.

Part of the series Shakespeare in the Theatre, this book examines the work of renowned theatre director Nicholas Hytner (Artistic Director of the National Theatre from 2003-2015). Featuring case studies of Hytner's Shakespeare productions and interviews with actors, designers, directors and other practitioners with whom Hytner has worked, it explores Hytner's own productions of Shakespeare's plays within their respective socio-cultural contexts and the context of Hytner's other directing work, and examines his working practices and the impact of his Artistic directorship on the centrality of Shakespeare within the repertoire of the National Theatre.

As You Like It: Language and Writing explores one of Shakespeare’s best-known comedies. It considers the literary and theatrical contexts in which Shakespeare was writing; examines, in detail, the different forms of language used in the play and considers ways in which language and meaning have changed over time, and are affected by performance. Each chapter contains a 'Writing matters' section which provides suggestions for activities that can further enhance a student’s understanding of the play. This informative guide to Shakespeare's popular comedy equips students with the critical skills to analyze its language, structure and themes and to expand and enrich their own responses to the play.

Part of the series Shakespeare in the Theatre, this book examines the work of renowned theatre director Nicholas Hytner (Artistic Director of the National Theatre from 2003-2015). Featuring case studies of Hytner's Shakespeare productions and interviews with actors, designers, directors and other practitioners with whom Hytner has worked, it explores Hytner's own productions of Shakespeare's plays within their respective socio-cultural contexts and the context of Hytner's other directing work, and examines his working practices and the impact of his Artistic directorship on the centrality of Shakespeare within the repertoire of the National Theatre.

The search to find engaging and inspiring ways to introduce children and young adults to Shakespeare has resulted in a rich variety of approaches to producing and adapting Shakespeare's plays and the stories and characters at their heart. Shakespeare for Young People is the only comprehensive overview of such productions and adaptations, and engages with a wide range of genres, including both British and American examples. Abigail Rokison covers stage and screen productions, shortened versions, prose narratives and picture books (including Manga), animations and original novels. The book combines an informative guide to these interpretations of Shakespeare, discussed with critical analysis of their relative strengths. It also includes extensive interviews with directors, actors and writers involved in the projects discussed'.