The King and I - (Shakespeare Now!) by Philippa Kelly (Paperback)

About the Book

Personal form of criticism, focusing on the wide-ranging issues of identity and history raised by King Lear by exploring Australians' engagements with the play.

Book Synopsis

A unique exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear, with its themes of banishment, alienation and hope, via a personal memoir that embraces the history of Australia

Review Quotes

"The ambitious project of the Shakespeare NOW series is to bridge the gap between 'scholarly thinking and a public audience' and 'public audience and scholarly thinking'. Scholars are encouraged to write in a way accessible to a general readership and readers to rise to the challenge and not be afraid of new ideas and the adventure they offer. There are other bridges the series is ambitious to cross: 'formal, political or theoretical boundaries' - history and philosophy, theory, and performance." English Vol. 58, 2009
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Befitting its inclusion in a series entitled 'Shakespeare Now' and written with wry humour, humanity and passion, this concentrated and beguiling book not only opens up fresh ways of making the play relevant to students, but also points towards challenges in understanding and valuing Shakespeare today.
The Year's Work in English Studies, vol. 93;x

In The King and I, Philippa Kelly gives us an original and very personal response to a play she obviously loves and knows intimately. Remarkably, she is able to use the play as a prism through which to contemplate her life journey and to construct a commentary on modern Australia - refreshing and insightful.
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About the Author

Philippa Kelly is Resident Dramaturg at the California Shakespeare Theater, USA. In 2002 she left her life as a teacher of literature in Australia to live in Berkeley, California. She is still deeply connected to her Australian roots, and works with Australia's Endeavour program each year and as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales.