Will Tosh Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s work was profoundly influenced by the queer culture of his time - much of it totally integrated into mainstream society. From a relentless schooling in Latin and Greek homoeroticism, to a less formal education on the streets and in smoky taverns, from the gender-bending of the early comedies to the astonishingly queer literary scene that nurtured Shakespeare’s sonnets, the Head of Research at Shakespeare’s Globe tells a story of artistic development and of personal crisis, and how queerness powerfully shaped the life and career of the world’s most famous playwright.

Talking to Professor Emma Smith