Art Drama

The ghost of the king of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death and seeks revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet. The play ends with a duel, during which the king, queen, Hamlet's opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed.

The Bard was so incredibly prolific that even most Shakespeare scholars would welcome the occasional refresher course, and most of the rest of us haven't even got a clue as to what a petard actually is. Fear not, the best-selling authors of Homework for Grown-Ups are here to help.

William Shakespeare had nothing to do with the actor and moneylender William Shaksper from Stratford-upon-Avon. The man behind the nom de plume "William Shakespeare" was, in fact, a very well-educated aristocrat who often frequented the court of Elizabeth and whose real name was Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. The dramas of Shakespeare were not written for the Globe Theatre but for the Queen's court.

Becoming Shakespeare begins with his death in 1616 and relates the fascinating story of his unlikely transformation from provincial playwright to universal Bard. Unlike later literary giants, Shakespeare created no stir when he died. Though he'd once had a string of hit plays, he had been retired in the country for six years, and only his family, friends, and business partners seemed to care that he was gone.

The Art of Guerrilla Warfare SE: The Guerrilla is the second book in the special edition series of the timeless treatise. The SE collection amplifies the wisdom of the flagship title with new insights and metaphorical lessons, useful to those facing insurmountable odds, in this war called life. Fighting a superior foe is a momentous task. There are many ways it can be done, there are many ways victories can be achieved. In war, there are no rules, there are no laws, there are only strategies and tactics.

In September 1769, 3,000 people descended on Stratford-upon-Avon to celebrate the artistic legacy of the town's most famous son, William Shakespeare. Attendees included the rich and powerful, the fashionable and the curious, eligible ladies and fortune hunters, and a horde of journalists and profiteers. For three days, they paraded through garlanded streets, listened to songs and oratorios, and enjoyed masked balls. It was a unique cultural moment - a coronation elevating Shakespeare to the throne of genius. Except it was a disaster....

The Risk Theatre Model of Tragedy presents a profoundly original theory of drama that speaks to modern audiences living in an increasingly volatile world driven by artificial intelligence, gene editing, globalization, and mutual-assured destruction ideologies. Tragedy, according to risk theatre, puts us face to face with the unexpected implications of our actions by simulating the profound impact of highly improbable events.

It was a drama about friendship, addiction, and loyalty (with some partial nudity thrown in, of course). And, let's not forget the case of the week. NYPD Blue exploded in the public's consciousness in 1993, and remained a presence in American homes for 12 years. For the first time, the entire run of the series is explored through a series of essays, character examinations, and trivia.

An uplifting comedy drama about the life, loves and misadventures of wheelchair user Maz. Nicknamed Tinsel Girl by her best friend Lisa because of her sparkly view of life, wheelchair user Maz is one of life's eternal optimists. She has just turned 30, only to become all too aware that not only is she single but also disabled. Her degenerative disease means she now has to use a motorised wheelchair, which isn't exactly the sexiest accessory a girl can have!

In 1949, John George Haigh, the infamous 'Vampire killer', was hanged for the murder of at least six people. Join him in the hangman's cell as he tells you his story and invites you to relive the seduction, murder and disposal of three of his victims. Nigel Fairs, whose great-grandfather put the shackles on Haigh in Lewes Prison, plays the charming murderer, with Louise Jameson and Richard Franklin as two of his victims.

Crafting a list of the top ten Korean dramas of all time presents a rich tapestry of storytelling, character development, and cultural impact. These dramas have resonated with audiences for their compelling narratives, memorable performances, and emotional depth. Let's delve into each one.

Joanne Taylor - former TV Diva - is on the verge of her 50-something birthday, seriously single, 'hot-flushing' and about to make some drastic changes in her life. Pulling Faces is an acerbic, topical comedy about society’s obsession with youth, beauty and transformation.

In this survey of eighteenth and nineteenth century American drama, Tice L. Miller examines American plays written before a canon was established in American dramatic literature and provides analyses central to the culture that produced them. Entertaining the Nation evaluates plays in the early years of the republic, reveals shifts in taste from the classical to the contemporary in the 1840s and 1850s, and considers the increasing influence of realism at the end of the nineteenth century.

Prince Hal leaves the company of the knave Falstaff and his revelers in order to command his father's troops and fight the rebels at the Battle of Shrewsbury.

Ben is having a difficult week. After five whole years of “drinking from Mommy’s boobies”, he suddenly has to step aside for his new baby sister, Beatrice, who may or may not be human. Mommy says he has to “support her appearance no matter how humiliating it is for us as family”, but that’s hard to do when your sister has branches for arms and legs.

Maddy was always being asked to sing jingles for commercials. She'd sung about chocolate, cereal and dog food. Now she wanted a real acting job. But was she good enough to be an actor? Then came the announcement in class: "Maddy, you have an audition for Halfway Hospital." An audition! She just had to get the job. The second book in a series of entertaining short novels about four girls who attend The Shooting Star drama school.

Aaaaaaaaghhhhhhh! Dene screamed at the TV. A commercial for ice-cream had just come on and it starred those twins Evie and Cameron Billingham. We've never spoken to them but we just know they're vomitus. If you walked into an audition and the terrible twins were there, you could forget about it! The first book in an entertaining series of short novels about four girls who attend The Shooting Star drama school.

All Brexit's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.... Written by the Bard himself, with a little help from novelist Boris Starling, this wonderful comedy of errors retells the tragic story of the UK's acrimonious break from the EU, written in wonderful iambic pentameter. From Cameron and Osborne, through May and Gove, to Cummings and Boris, this is a story of cynical electioneering and poisoned political scheming, and a most original take on the defining event of our time.

This study of Hollywood's favorite "screwball" comedienne begins on the eve of her death. Following a successful war bonds tour, she awaits word in an Indianapolis hotel room to see if she's been successful in securing plane reservations for a flight back to Los Angeles. She's anxious to get home, because she suspects that her husband, Clark Gable, is cheating on her.

For nearly 30 years, Clark Gable was "the King" of Hollywood. Female fans swooned, and male admirers were made envious of his unaffected masculinity. Through jaunty, self-assured performances in films like It Happened One Night, San Francisco, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Gone with the Wind, he carved a niche for himself as the quintessential American movie star.