The Changing Faces of Shakespeare's Cleopatra - a talk by Ella May McGrail

Over the course of the performance history of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, attitudes towards Cleopatra, potentially more than any other Shakespearean character, have seen a huge change. At one time, Shakespeare's Cleopatra was the focus of misogynist attacks, with critics referring to her as ‘the worst woman in history’, and as ‘femme fatale’ with ‘a nasty turn of mind’. Yet, in more recent years, the role has been regarded as iconic and empowering, even becoming a part that dame-actresses write of as being the highlight of their career. Ella May McGrail's research aims to shed light on the changing depictions of Shakespeare's Cleopatra on stage, whilst asking if Cleopatra will ever be free from misogyny? Born in Sutton Coldfield, Ella May McGrail graduated from De Montfort University in 2014, with a BA (Hons) in Drama Studies. After graduating, Ella returned to her childhood drama school, CENTRESTAGE School of Speech and Drama, based in Sutton Coldfield, taking the role of Lead Speech and Drama Teacher, and then, Deputy Head. In 2018, Ella left her full-time role at CENTRESTAGE to pursue a Masters in Shakespeare run by Birmingham University, based at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Following this, in 2019, Ella continued into a doctorate degree at the Shakespeare Institute, researching the performance history of Shakespeare's Cleopatra. This video is a recording of a talk given over Zoom as part of FOLIO Sutton Coldfield's Shakespeare in Sutton festival in April 2022. ........ FOLIO Sutton Coldfield is a registered charity in England & Wales (No: 1175929). We're based in the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, North of Birmingham. We support the work that the public libraries do in Sutton Coldfield. FOLIO Sutton Coldfield was born because a group of Sutton Coldfield residents came together, determined to see our public libraries not just survive, but thrive at the heart of our community. You can visit us online at: http://foliosuttoncoldfield.org.uk/

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