Listen to a commentary on the rivalry between Junius Brutus Booth and Edmund Kean competing as interpreters of William Shakespeare's Richard III in the early 19th century
A discussion of the transatlantic rivalry between Edmund Kean and Junius Brutus Booth as interpreters of William Shakespeare's Richard III in the early 19th century.
Courtesy of Folger Shakespeare Library; CC-BY-SA 4.0 (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
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Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING] ROBERT RICHMOND: Hi, I'm Robert Richmond, Director of the Folger's production of Richard III.
There is so much happening in this image that the more I look the more I enjoy it. While it's open to many interpretations, my reading has always been that this piece is more than just a commentary on the storied rivalry between Junius Brutus Booth and Edmund Kean competing in the early 19th century in warring productions of Richard III. A closer look at the red faced cigar smoking manager, the patent clapping machine, and the box office man tallying up the tape suggests a struggle with the commercialization of theater at this time. The deeply felt rivalry served neither actors nor audience, only the management who lined their pockets with the proceeds.
As a British born director staging Richard III at the Folger the clash between these two performers always reminds me of that familiar tussle of ownership over Shakespeare between the UK and the US. Edmund Kean was the greatest British actor of his generation. Booth, though a native Englishman, was soon to become the most prominent actor in the United States.
What I find so relevant about this cartoon is that here at the Folger I have found the place where this conflict has been fully resolved. In this remarkable institution, the universality of Shakespeare, his work, and his relevance is housed under one roof.
There is so much happening in this image that the more I look the more I enjoy it. While it's open to many interpretations, my reading has always been that this piece is more than just a commentary on the storied rivalry between Junius Brutus Booth and Edmund Kean competing in the early 19th century in warring productions of Richard III. A closer look at the red faced cigar smoking manager, the patent clapping machine, and the box office man tallying up the tape suggests a struggle with the commercialization of theater at this time. The deeply felt rivalry served neither actors nor audience, only the management who lined their pockets with the proceeds.
As a British born director staging Richard III at the Folger the clash between these two performers always reminds me of that familiar tussle of ownership over Shakespeare between the UK and the US. Edmund Kean was the greatest British actor of his generation. Booth, though a native Englishman, was soon to become the most prominent actor in the United States.
What I find so relevant about this cartoon is that here at the Folger I have found the place where this conflict has been fully resolved. In this remarkable institution, the universality of Shakespeare, his work, and his relevance is housed under one roof.