Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a man of extreme passions and a playwright of immense talent, is the most important of Shakespeare's contempories. This edition offers his five major plays, which show the radicalism and vitality of his writing in the few years before his violent death.Tamburlaine Part One and Part Two deal with the rise to world prominence of the great Scythian shepherd-robber; The Jew of Malta is a drama of villainy and revenge; Edward II was to influence Shakespeare's Richard II. Doctor Faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its A- and its B- text, showing the enormous and fascinating differences between the two.Under the General Editorship of Dr Michael Cordner of the University of York, the texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and punctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly introduction and detailed annotation. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

"The text of any Shakespeare play is a living negotiable entity: scholarship and theatre practice work together to keep the plays alive and vividly present." – Greg Doran, RSC Artistic Director EmeritusDeveloped in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, this Complete Works of William Shakespeare combines exemplary textual scholarship with beautiful design. Curated by expert editors Sir Jonathan Bate and Professor Eric Rasmussen, the text in this collection is based on the iconic 1623 First Folio: the first and original Complete Works lovingly assembled by Shakespeare’s fellow actors, and the version of Shakespeare’s text preferred by many actors and directors today.This stunning revised edition goes further to present Shakespeare’s plays as they were originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed on stage. Along with new colour photographs from a vibrant range of RSC productions, a new Stage Notes feature documenting the staging choices in 100 RSC productions showcases the myriad ways in which Shakespeare’s plays can be brought to life.Now featuring the entire range of Shakespeare’s plays, poems and sonnets, this edition is expanded to include both The Passionate Pilgrim and A Lover’s Complaint. Along with Bate’s excellent general introduction and short essays, this collection includes a range of aids to the reader such as on-page notes explaining unfamiliar terms and key facts boxes providing plot summaries and additional helpful context. A Complete Works for the 21st century, this versatile and highly collectable edition will inspire students, theatre practitioners and lovers of Shakespeare everywhere.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a man of extreme passions and a playwright of immense talent, is the most important of Shakespeares contemporaries. This edition offers his five major plays, which show the radicalism and vitality of his writing in the few years before his violent death.Tamburlaine Part One and Part Two deal with the rise to world prominence of the great Scythian shepherd-robber; The Jew of Malta is a drama of villainy and revenge; Edward II was to inspire Shakespeare's Richard II. Dr Faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its A- and its B- text, showing the enormous and fascinating difference between the two.Under the General Editorship of Michael Cordner of the University of York, the texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and puctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly introduction and detailed annotation.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s magical vision. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Tempest in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors – Peter Brook, Sam Mendes and Rupert Goold – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most celebrated play. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Hamlet in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors –Michael Boyd, John Caird and Ron Daniels – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple, 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple, 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's dazzling comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Love's Labour's Lost in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Terry Hands, Liz Shipman and Gregory Doran – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a definitive, fresh new look at Shakespeare’s most compelling villain. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard III in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with an actor, a director and a designer – Simon Russell Beale, Bill Alexander 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of the most famous of all love stories. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Romeo and Juliet in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with a leading director and two actors – Michael Attenborough, David Tennant and Alexandra Gilbreath – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy of the battle between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Much Ado About Nothing in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with two leading directors and an actor – Marianne Elliott, Nicholas Hytner and Harriet Walter – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragi-comedy of youth and age, introducing the immortal Sir John Falstaff. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part I in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor– Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington – 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 performedIdeal 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's profound exploration of a prince's coming of age and the rejection of old Jack Falstaff. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor– Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's journey into the Forest of Arden. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of As You Like It in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with important Shakespearean directors (Dominic Cooke and Michael Boyd) and a Shakespearean actor (Naomi Frederick) – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's great exploration of patriotism and war. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry V in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with four leading directors - Kenneth Branagh, Nicholas Hytner, Michael Boyd and Ed Hall – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s great comedy of love, folly and mistaken identity. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Twelfth Night in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Sam Mendes, Declan Donnellan and Neil Bartlett – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's bittersweet comedy of courtship and ethnic tension. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merchant of Venice in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and two actors – Darko Tresjnak, David Thacker, Anthony Sher and Henry Goodman – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Measure for Measure in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with a leading director and two actors – Trevor Nunn, Roger Allam and Josette Simon – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's controversial comedy of the war between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Taming of the Shrew in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actress - Gregory Doran, Phyllida Lloyd and Michelle Gomez – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragic history of a ruler losing his grip on power. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an acclaimed actress/director – Michael Boyd, Claus Peymann and Fiona Shaw – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's great tragedy of love and war. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Troilus and Cressida in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors – Trevor Nunn and Michael Boyd – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s drama of the conflict between one man’s ambition and the good of the state. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Julius Caesar in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Lucy Bailey, David Farr and Edward Hall – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's enduringly popular comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merry Wives of Windsor in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor – Bill Alexander, Rachel Kavanaugh and Simon Callow – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's anarchic comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Comedy of Errors in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Paul Hunter, Nancy Meckler and Tim Supple – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s gripping political and personal tragedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Coriolanus in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors – Gregory Doran and David Farr – 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.

This fresh edition of Shakespeare's much-loved Sonnets, developed by and for the Royal Shakespeare Company, features a Foreword by the actor/director, Fiona Shaw.Its easily accessible layout and elegant design make it the ideal gift for any special occasion.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s magical late play. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Cymbeline in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors – Dominic Cooke and Emma Rice – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's exuberant early comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Two Gentlemen of Verona in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with acclaimed directors David Thacker and Edward Hall – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's ambiguous, bittersweet fairy tale. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of All’s Well that Ends Well in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with important directors Gregory Doran, Stephen Fried and the actor Guy Henry – 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.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a man of extreme passions and a playwright of immense talent, is the most important of Shakespeare's contempories. This edition offers his five major plays, which show the radicalism and vitality of his writing in the few years before his violent death.Tamburlaine Part One and Part Two deal with the rise to world prominence of the great Scythian shepherd-robber; The Jew of Malta is a drama of villainy and revenge; Edward II was to influence Shakespeare's Richard II. Doctor Faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its A- and its B- text, showing the enormous and fascinating differences between the two.Under the General Editorship of Dr Michael Cordner of the University of York, the texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and punctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly introduction and detailed annotation. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

"The text of any Shakespeare play is a living negotiable entity: scholarship and theatre practice work together to keep the plays alive and vividly present." – Greg Doran, RSC Artistic Director EmeritusDeveloped in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, this Complete Works of William Shakespeare combines exemplary textual scholarship with beautiful design. Curated by expert editors Sir Jonathan Bate and Professor Eric Rasmussen, the text in this collection is based on the iconic 1623 First Folio: the first and original Complete Works lovingly assembled by Shakespeare’s fellow actors, and the version of Shakespeare’s text preferred by many actors and directors today.This stunning revised edition goes further to present Shakespeare’s plays as they were originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed on stage. Along with new colour photographs from a vibrant range of RSC productions, a new Stage Notes feature documenting the staging choices in 100 RSC productions showcases the myriad ways in which Shakespeare’s plays can be brought to life.Now featuring the entire range of Shakespeare’s plays, poems and sonnets, this edition is expanded to include both The Passionate Pilgrim and A Lover’s Complaint. Along with Bate’s excellent general introduction and short essays, this collection includes a range of aids to the reader such as on-page notes explaining unfamiliar terms and key facts boxes providing plot summaries and additional helpful context. A Complete Works for the 21st century, this versatile and highly collectable edition will inspire students, theatre practitioners and lovers of Shakespeare everywhere.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a man of extreme passions and a playwright of immense talent, is the most important of Shakespeares contemporaries. This edition offers his five major plays, which show the radicalism and vitality of his writing in the few years before his violent death.Tamburlaine Part One and Part Two deal with the rise to world prominence of the great Scythian shepherd-robber; The Jew of Malta is a drama of villainy and revenge; Edward II was to inspire Shakespeare's Richard II. Dr Faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its A- and its B- text, showing the enormous and fascinating difference between the two.Under the General Editorship of Michael Cordner of the University of York, the texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and puctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly introduction and detailed annotation.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s magical vision. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Tempest in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors – Peter Brook, Sam Mendes and Rupert Goold – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most celebrated play. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Hamlet in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors –Michael Boyd, John Caird and Ron Daniels – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple, 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple, 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's dazzling comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Love's Labour's Lost in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Terry Hands, Liz Shipman and Gregory Doran – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a definitive, fresh new look at Shakespeare’s most compelling villain. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard III in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with an actor, a director and a designer – Simon Russell Beale, Bill Alexander 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of the most famous of all love stories. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Romeo and Juliet in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with a leading director and two actors – Michael Attenborough, David Tennant and Alexandra Gilbreath – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy of the battle between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Much Ado About Nothing in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with two leading directors and an actor – Marianne Elliott, Nicholas Hytner and Harriet Walter – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragi-comedy of youth and age, introducing the immortal Sir John Falstaff. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part I in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor– Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington – 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 performedIdeal 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's profound exploration of a prince's coming of age and the rejection of old Jack Falstaff. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor– Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's journey into the Forest of Arden. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of As You Like It in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with important Shakespearean directors (Dominic Cooke and Michael Boyd) and a Shakespearean actor (Naomi Frederick) – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's great exploration of patriotism and war. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry V in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with four leading directors - Kenneth Branagh, Nicholas Hytner, Michael Boyd and Ed Hall – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s great comedy of love, folly and mistaken identity. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Twelfth Night in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Sam Mendes, Declan Donnellan and Neil Bartlett – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's bittersweet comedy of courtship and ethnic tension. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merchant of Venice in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and two actors – Darko Tresjnak, David Thacker, Anthony Sher and Henry Goodman – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Measure for Measure in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with a leading director and two actors – Trevor Nunn, Roger Allam and Josette Simon – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's controversial comedy of the war between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Taming of the Shrew in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actress - Gregory Doran, Phyllida Lloyd and Michelle Gomez – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragic history of a ruler losing his grip on power. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Richard II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an acclaimed actress/director – Michael Boyd, Claus Peymann and Fiona Shaw – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's great tragedy of love and war. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Troilus and Cressida in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors – Trevor Nunn and Michael Boyd – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s drama of the conflict between one man’s ambition and the good of the state. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Julius Caesar in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Lucy Bailey, David Farr and Edward Hall – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's enduringly popular comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merry Wives of Windsor in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor – Bill Alexander, Rachel Kavanaugh and Simon Callow – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's anarchic comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Comedy of Errors in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Paul Hunter, Nancy Meckler and Tim Supple – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s gripping political and personal tragedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Coriolanus in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors – Gregory Doran and David Farr – 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.

This fresh edition of Shakespeare's much-loved Sonnets, developed by and for the Royal Shakespeare Company, features a Foreword by the actor/director, Fiona Shaw.Its easily accessible layout and elegant design make it the ideal gift for any special occasion.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s magical late play. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Cymbeline in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors – Dominic Cooke and Emma Rice – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's exuberant early comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Two Gentlemen of Verona in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with acclaimed directors David Thacker and Edward Hall – 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.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's ambiguous, bittersweet fairy tale. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of All’s Well that Ends Well in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with important directors Gregory Doran, Stephen Fried and the actor Guy Henry – 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.