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Austin Tichenor

is the co-artistic director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company; a writing and acting coach at The Shakespeareance; the co-author of ten stage comedies, including William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) and The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel); the co-creator of the illustrated children’s books Pop-Up Shakespeare and Daisy, the Littlest Zombie; a contributor to The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Global Shakespeare and Shakespearean Biofiction on the Contemporary Stage and Screen (from Arden Shakespeare); and the host of the world’s oldest and longest-running theater podcast, the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast.
“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 and 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 and 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 and 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 and Beyond

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

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Austin Tichenor
Combating Shakespearean shrinkage
Shakespeare and Beyond

Combating Shakespearean shrinkage

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

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

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Author
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 and 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 and 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 and 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 and 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 and 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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