The Shakespeare Reading List... *drum roll*

Words cannot describe the excitement I felt this morning as I opened the preliminary reading list for The Shakespeare Institute – at list until I saw how many books were listed. Granted, I am not expected to read them all, but my goodness it is long! Luckily I have several of these books already in my arsenal, including The Empty Space and 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare.

Now I just have to decide where I should start. Any suggestions?


General Works

BATE, Jonathan, The Genius of Shakespeare (London, 1997)

COX, J.D., and D.S. KASTAN, eds., A New History of Early English Drama (Columbia, 1997)

HONAN, P., Shakespeare: A Life (Oxford, 1998)

KASTAN, D.S., ed., A Companion to Shakespeare Studies (Oxford, 1999)

KINNEY, Arthur F., The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare (Oxford, 2011)

McDONALD, Russ, Bedford Companion to Shakespeare: An Introduction with Documents (Basingstoke, 1996)

ROSENBAUM, Ron, The Shakespeare Wars: Clashing Scholars, Public Fiascoes, Palace Coups (New York, 2006)

SHAPIRO, James, 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare (London, 2005)

WELLS, Stanley, and Margreta De GRAZIA, eds., The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare (Cambridge, 2001)


Textual Studies

BLAYNEY, Peter W.M., The First Folio of Shakespeare (Washington, D.C., 1991)

ERNE, Lukas, Shakespeare as Literary Dramatist (Cambridge, 2003)

ERNE, Lukas, and M.J. KIDNIE, Textual Performances: The Modern Reproduction of Shakespeare's Drama (Cambridge, 2004)

GIDDENS, Eugene, How to Read a Shakespearean Play Text (2011)

GREG, W.W., The Shakespeare First Folio (Oxford, 1955) OP

JOWETT, John, Shakespeare and Text (Oxford, 2007)

KASTAN, David Scott, Shakespeare and the Book (Cambridge, 2001)

PROUDFOOT, Richard, Shakespeare: Text, Stage, and Canon (London, 2001)

WELLS, Stanley and Gary TAYLOR, with John Jowett and William Montgomery, William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion (Oxford, 1987; reprint New York,1997).


Shakespeare Criticism

BARKER, Deborah and I. Kamps, eds., Shakespeare and Gender (London, 1995)

BATE, Jonathan, ed., The Romantics on Shakespeare (Harmondsworth, 1992)

CHEDGZOY, Kate, ed., Shakespeare, Feminism, and Gender (Basingstoke and New York, 2000)

DOLLIMORE, J. and A. SINFIELD, eds., Political Shakespeare: New Essays in Cultural Materialism (Manchester, 2nd edition, 1994)

DRAKAKIS, John, ed., Alternative Shakespeares (London, 1985)

HARRIS, Jonathan Gil, Shakespeare and Literary Theory (Oxford, 2010)

HAWKES, T., ed., Alternative Shakespeares vol. 2 (London, 1996)

HENDERSON, Diane, ed., Alternative Shakespeares vol. 3 (Abingdon, 2008)

KAMPS, I., ed., Materialist Shakespeare (London, 1995)

KERMODE, Frank, Shakespeare’s Language (London, 2000)

McDONALD, Russ, Shakespeare and the Arts of Language (Oxford, 2001)

LOOMBA, Ania, and Martin ORKIN, eds., Post-Colonial Shakespeares (London, 1998)

SMITH, D. Nichol, ed., Shakespeare Criticism (Oxford, 1916) Frequently reprinted. OP

TAYLOR, Gary, Reinventing Shakespeare: A Cultural History from the Restoration to the Present (London, 1990)

TAYLOR, Michael, Shakespeare Criticism in the Twentieth Century (Oxford, 2001)


Shakespeare in Performance

BARTON, John, Playing Shakespeare (London, 1984)

BATE, Jonathan and Russell JACKSON, Shakespeare: An Illustrated Stage History (Oxford, 1996)

BENNETT, Susan, Performing Nostalgia: Shifting Shakespeare and the Contemporary Past (London and New York, 1996)

BROOK, Peter, The Empty Space (London 1968)

BULMAN, James, ed., Shakespeare, Theory and Performance (London and New York, 1996)

DESSEN, Alan, Recovering Shakespeare’s Theatrical Vocabulary (Cambridge, 1995)

HODGDON, Barbara, The Shakespeare Trade: Performance and Appropriations (Philadelphia 1998)

HOGDON, Barbara, and W.B. WORTHEN, A Companion to Shakespeare and Performance (Oxford, 2005)

HOLLAND, Peter, English Shakespeares: Shakespeare on the English Stage in the 1990s (Cambridge, 1997)

JACKSON, Russell, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Film, 2nd edn. (Cambridge, 2007)

KENNEDY, Dennis, Looking at Shakespeare: A Visual History of Twentieth-Century Performance (Cambridge, 1993)

MASSAI, Sonia, ed., World-Wide Shakespeares: Local Appropriations in Film and Performance (2005)

ROTHWELL, Kenneth, A History of Shakespeare on Screen: a Century of Film and Television (Cambridge, 1999)

STYAN, J.L., The Shakespeare Revolution: Criticism and Performance in the Twentieth Century (Cambridge, 1977) OP

WELLS, Stanley, ed. Shakespeare in the Theatre: An Anthology of Criticism (Oxford, 1997)


Introductory Works in Related Areas

a) Early Modern History and Culture

AUGHTERSON, Kate, The English Renaissance: An Anthology of Sources and Documents (Abingdon, 2001)

BRIGGS, Julia, This Stage-Play World 2nd edn.(Oxford, 1997)

LOEWENSTEIN, David, and Janell MUELLER, eds., The Cambridge History of Early Modern Literature (Cambridge, 2002)

PECK, Linda Levy, ed., The Mental World of the Jacobean Court (Cambridge, 1991)

SHARPE, J.A., Early Modern England: A Social History, 2nd edn. (London, 1997)

b) Early Modern Theatre History

BENTLEY, G.E., The Profession of Dramatist in Shakespeare’s Time, 1590 - 1642 (Princeton, 1971) OP

GURR, Andrew, The Shakespearean Stage 1574 - 1642, 3rd edn. (Cambridge, 1992)

GURR, Andrew, The Shakespearian Playing Companies (Oxford, 1996)

GURR, Andrew, and Mariko ISHIKAWA, Staging in Shakespeare’s Theatres (Oxford, 2000)

STERN, Tiffany, Making Shakespeare: From Stage to Page (London, 2004)

Mailed Visa Application!

I sent my Visa Application off to the higher authorities today. I have heard conflicting stories regarding the length of this process. I think at this point it is best to be optimistic – rather than worry about whether it will come down to the wire. I just have to keep the faith that everything will work out as planned.

Biometric Data

What I do in the name of Shakespeare....

What is biometric data? In an effort to prevent identity theft, every UK Border Visa Applicant must have their biometric information taken. This involves a fingerprint scan and digital photograph to be taken at an Application Support Center operated by the Department of Homeland Security.

It all sounded like a HUGE hassle to me, but it was surprisingly quick and simple. I made an appointment at the nearest ASC office during my online visa application. Today I showed up at my scheduled time and the process began.

First, I checked in at the front desk. They told me to remove all of my jewelry, including my earrings, and checked for cell phones and cameras (which are not allowed inside the building). I then received a number: #44.

Luckily there was only one person in line, so as quickly as I sat down my number was called. They checked my paperwork and I was moved into another waiting room to wait for my fingerprint scan and picture.

The fingerprint process proved interesting as I watched my prints appear on the screen. However, I immediately gave thanks to the fact that I had hand sanitizer in the car. I couldn’t help thinking about all the unknown hands that had touched the scanning plate. I also didn’t realize they would take my picture, so I had to do a quick primping job.

I was in and out in 15 minutes from beginning to end. Great service too! Now that I am in the system I can send in all of my paperwork and get my student Visa. Let’s hope this process it speedy, as I am leaving the country September 22nd!



Resources:
Guide to Giving Your Biometric Data

Applying for a UK Student Visa

After being accepted to study at the University of Birmingham, my most daunting task so far has been applying for my student visa. Seriously, I would write a term paper every day of the week over this. After several trial and errors I finally located the correct application form (Tier 4 - Sponsored).

Maybe it was just the anxiety of it all, but I found the form difficult to understand and I developed a sense of paranoia about it. I triple-checked every page, wondering if my answers would be sufficient proof of my merit to study in the UK. Too bad the process didn’t end there.

After visiting the website and spending an ungodly amount of money in application fees ($400) I still have work to do. Good thing I haven't been on a shopping spree in a while! I also had to fill out an Appendix 8 – General Student Self Assessment Form, get a passport photo taken, provide bank account information, provide my passport, and have my biometrics recorded (I have an appointment on Tue).

Needless to say, I am exhausted. However, I actually think I am a pro-Tier 4 Visa Consultant. Well, not really, but if you have any questions I will do my best to be helpful.



Resources:
Online UK Visa Applications
Visa Application Guides

Announcing Graduate School Acceptance!

I am proud to announce that I have been offered a place to study at Birmingham University’s Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon! In late September I will be leaving my Los Angeles life behind (at least temporarily) to embark on a journey to England. I will spend the following year pursuing my Master of Arts (MA) in Shakespeare Studies. I will be closer to the Bard than ever before! This is truly a dream come true!

This blog will detail my experiences as I make my journey and will be a testament of my love for William Shakespeare.