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Austin Tichenor

is the creator of The Shakespeareance; co-artistic director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company; and the co-author of Pop-Up Shakespeare (illustrated by Jennie Maizels); the irreverent reference book Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged); and the stage comedies William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) and Hamlet’s Big Adventure! (a prequel). Find him on Twitter @austintichenor.
“They do me wrong”: Reputation, Richard III, and The Lost King
Man wearing a crown and dressed in a royal robe sitting on a bench next to a woman dressed in modern clothing
Shakespeare & Beyond

“They do me wrong”: Reputation, Richard III, and The Lost King

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Austin Tichenor

Shakespeare’s play Richard III turns real people into fictional villains, as does a new movie about the search for Richard III’s remains, writes Austin Tichenor.

Proving a villain: Problematic Shakespearean mentors
Tom Hanks looking mean and holding a cigar
Shakespeare & Beyond

Proving a villain: Problematic Shakespearean mentors

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes about the problematic protagonists of the Oscar-nominated films Elvis and Tár, who evoke Shakespeare’s Richard III as they seek to control their respective narratives.

“Wanton boys": Shakespeare and The White Lotus Season 2
Two female characters in a scene from The White Lotus
Shakespeare & Beyond

“Wanton boys": Shakespeare and The White Lotus Season 2

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes a blog post about how, like many of Shakespeare’s plays, the HBO series The White Lotus explores power among the privileged and the people who attend them.

“All I Want For Crispin’s:” Mya Gosling’s Shakespearean Holiday Songbook
Shakespeare & Beyond

“All I Want For Crispin’s:” Mya Gosling’s Shakespearean Holiday Songbook

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Austin Tichenor
Combating Shakespearean shrinkage
Shakespeare & Beyond

Combating Shakespearean shrinkage

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Austin Tichenor
“I Want It That Way”: Rosaline & Juliet
Cast in & Juliet
Shakespeare & Beyond

“I Want It That Way”: Rosaline & Juliet

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Austin Tichenor
"In both 'Rosaline,' a charming teen romcom streaming on Hulu, and '& Juliet,' a splashy new musical making its Broadway debut this week, Shakespeare’s tragedy becomes a surprising springboard for music, comedy, and investigations into narrative ownership," writes Austin Tichenor.
“Worthy service": The Tempest-uousness of The White Lotus
Natasha Rothwell and Murray Bartlett in The White Lotus
Shakespeare & Beyond

“Worthy service": The Tempest-uousness of The White Lotus

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Austin Tichenor
HBO's Emmy-winning "The White Lotus" transforms Shakespeare’s "The Tempest" into a darkly funny satire of the hospitality industry, writes Austin Tichenor.
“I do fear thy nature”: Kim Wexler and echoes of 'Macbeth' in 'Better Call Saul'
A man and woman sitting on a bed apart from each other in Better Call Saul
Shakespeare & Beyond

“I do fear thy nature”: Kim Wexler and echoes of 'Macbeth' in 'Better Call Saul'

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Austin Tichenor
Austin Tichenor draws comparisons between Kim Wexler and Lady Macbeth, unpacking Shakespearean themes in the "Better Call Saul" series.
'We few, we happy few': Small-cast Shakespeare
A small-cast Shakespeare performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream
Shakespeare & Beyond

'We few, we happy few': Small-cast Shakespeare

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Austin Tichenor
Austin Tichenor explores small-cast Shakespeare and the artistic possibilities of a few performers playing multiple roles.
A summer Shakespeare adventure: 'Her Majesty’s Will' by David Blixt
Her Majesty's Will book cover
Shakespeare & Beyond

A summer Shakespeare adventure: 'Her Majesty’s Will' by David Blixt

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Austin Tichenor
Austin Tichenor recommends an adventure novel starring a young Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, who uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.
Bothered by madness: 'Hamlet' and 'The Northman'
Alexander Skarsgård in The Northman
Shakespeare & Beyond

Bothered by madness: 'Hamlet' and 'The Northman'

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Austin Tichenor
Robert Eggers’s "The Northman" is not an adaptation of "Hamlet," but a film in conversation with Shakespeare's play, Austin Tichenor writes.
Something is rotten in the state of Gotham: Shakespeare and The Batman
Batman
Shakespeare & Beyond

Something is rotten in the state of Gotham: Shakespeare and The Batman

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Austin Tichenor
Austin Tichenor draws connections between Hamlet and Batman, noting the range of interpretations.
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