A new BBC iWonder Guide devoted to Global Shakespeare was published online yesterday, here.  I was very excited to be part of this project, which offers a snapshot of how international theatre artists work with Shakespeare, by translating his plays and resetting them in new contexts, thus making them more accessible and relevant to non-English audiences worldwide. 

I was particularly glad to be able to include a short video clip of a production of The Merchant of Venice, translated and adapted by Professor Ching-Hsi Perng (Professor Emeritus, National Taiwan University) and Fang Chen (Professor of Chinese Theatre, National Taiwan Normal University) and performed in the style of Taiwanese opera by the Taiwan BangZi Company. This production toured to London in 2009, when the Taiwan BangZi Company performed at King’s College London as part of the ‘Local/Global Shakespeare’ conference I co-organized with Globe Education, under the auspices of the British Shakespeare Association. 

 Working with Clare Sweeney (BBC iWonder producer) was a hugely enjoyable experience. I hope we’ll get to work together again soon.