The 6th Biennial British Shakespeare Association Conference comes to the University of Stirling campus this week - the first time the prestigious event has been held in Scotland.
The event – which Stirling will host from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 July – will mark the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth.
It will bring together academics, Shakespeare experts, theatre practitioners, teachers and enthusiasts from around the world to discuss and celebrate the bard’s work - through seminars, workshops, academic papers and panels, screenings and a special outdoor performance.
Conference participants will use the opportunity to explore the relationship between text, power and authority in Shakespeare’s writing, as well as in other people’s writing on Shakespeare.
Keynote speakers will include Emerita Professor Margreta de Grazia from the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Andrew Murphy from the University of St Andrews, Emeritus Professor John Drakakis from the University of Stirling, Dr Colin Burrow from the University of Oxford and Dr Michael Bogdanov, co-founder of the English Shakespeare Company.
The University of Stirling’s Dr Katie Halsey, a Senior Lecturer in English Studies who helped manage the University’s involvement in the conference said: “We are very proud to be hosting this prestigious international conference in Stirling.
“It is a landmark occasion - not just because it marks the birthday of one of the world’s greatest and best-known literary figures, but also because this event is a first for Scotland.”
She added: “The University of Stirling’s School of Arts and Humanities has established an excellent reputation for research and teaching in English Studies, including for its pioneering Shakespearian research.
“The British Shakespeare Association’s decision to entrust the hosting of the conference to Stirling reflects both this scholarly reputation, and the University’s commitment to fostering engagement with the Arts and culture in everyday campus life.”
Registration for the conference itself has now closed, but two events are still open to members of the public.
The first is a screening of Much Ado About Nothing, Joss Whedon’s contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous comedy, which will be introduced by a leading expert on Shakespearean film. This takes place on Thursday 3 July at 8.00pm.
The second is a special outdoor production of The Comedy of Errors by Glaswegian theatre company Bard in the Botanics on Friday 4 July at 7.00pm.
Both public events will be held at the macrobert arts centre and tickets for either of the sessions can be bought online at www.macrobert.org
For more information on the conference, please visit www.shakespeare.stir.ac.uk.
Notes for editors
- Background information
For information on English Studies programmes for undergraduates and postgraduates at the University, please visit https://www.stir.ac.uk/arts-humanities/about/literature-languages/english-studies/
The British Shakespeare Association is a professional association of scholars, students, teachers, theatre practitioners, community workers and others with a shared interest in Shakespeare. To find out more about the British Shakespeare Association, please visit www.britishshakespeare.ws