change in shakespeare

adam hembree, University of Melbourne

Popular TV shows such as Game of Thrones and Succession often draw commentary on their high ‘Shakespearean’ drama, their obsession with the preservation of legacy against the eternal turn of Fortune’s Wheel. But when we call our favourite shows or even the events of our news coverage ‘Shakespearean’, what is it that we really mean?

Shakespeare’s works often transport us to moments of intense destruction and potential. At these inflection points, princes, tyrants, villains and lovers must remake themselves on the fly or fade forever into obscurity. In our own moments of sudden change, what inspiration or caution can we take from these centuries-old plays that now stand upon legacies of their own?

Adam Hembree, University of Melbourne

Adam Hembree leads a double life as an academic and as a theatre producer/performer. His scholarship focuses on the power of words to make ‘stage magic’ in Shakespeare’s time, focusing on rhetoric, magical beliefs, and the history of human emotions. His work often returns to a central question: how do our voices, gestures, and faces change the people around us? His theatre company, Soothplayers, creates brand new Shakespeare plays on the spot, given only a title from their audiences. The award-nominated show has appeared throughout Australia since 2015.

Hear Adam speak about this H21 lecture below:

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE BY OTHER CORPORATE CONVERSATIONS THEMES

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF TOPICS AND SPEAKERS