Shakespeare Comes to Broadmoor: The Actors Are Come Hither : The Performance of Tragedy in a Secure Psychiatric Hospital

Between 1989 and 1991 several of Shakespeare's tragedies were performed in the central hall of Broadmoor Hospital. This book sets these events on record. It offers insights into the impact of such drama, in such a setting, upon both actors and audience and includes interviews with the directors and the actors playing the title roles, as well as a description of the hospital and its community of patients and staff. The performances were given by actors from The Royal Shakespeare Company ("Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet"), The Royal National Theatre ("King Lear") and the Wilde Community Theatre Company, a local amateur drama group ("Measure for Measure"). An account is given of "workshops" which took place after the performances. And a collage of critical comment by actors and audience, is presented as a stream of corporate consciousness. The final section of the book include chapters on projective aspects of performance, the place of drama in custodial settings, and the nature and limits of dramatherapy.