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This fresh new edition of Shakespeare´s epic retelling of the Wars of the Roses, developed by and for the RSC, includes new interviews with directors Edward Hall and Michael Boyd, and designer Tom Piper, looks at specific productions in the play´s history, and includes an illuminating introduction by acclaimed scholar Jonathan Bate.

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From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare´s epic retelling of the Wars of the Roses. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry VI in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and a designer - Edward Hal and Michael Boyd, and Tom Piper - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare´s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed.

Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare´s works for the twenty-first century.
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Introduction.- Structure and Style.- The Popular Voice.- The Tragic Agon.- About the Text.- Key Facts.- Henry VI, Part One.- Textual Notes.- Key Facts.- Henry VI, Part Two.- Textual Notes.- Key Facts.- Henry VI, Part Three.- Textual Notes.- Synopses to the plots of Parts One, Two, and Three.- Henry VI in Performance: the RSC and Beyond.- Four Centuries of Henry VI: An Overview.- At the RSC.- The Director´s Cut: Interviews with Michael Boyd and Edward Hall.- ´Designing Henry VI´ by Tom Piper.- Shakespeare´s Career in the Theatre.- Shakespeare´s Works: A Chronology.- Kings and Queens of England: From the History Plays to Shakespeare´s Lifetime.- The History Behind the Histories: A Chronology.- Further Reading and Viewing.- References.- Acknowledgements and Picture Credits

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