Bulman, James C., ed. Shakespeare, Theory and Performance. Florence: Routledge, 1995. Accessed March 28, 2019. ProQuest Ebook Central. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/davidson/reader.action?docID=179529
Bulman lays out the theory behind the act of performance and the space and time in which plays are performed, going beyond the plot and script itself. He explains how performance “is conceived of as a complex network of different types of signs, expressive means or actions…” The text of the performance itself is “subject to historical inscription.” The performance of a text is subject to different variables in which the social context plays a huge role, and it “becomes the site of cultural and aesthetic contestation.” The author connects the theory behind performance to the performance of Shakespeare’s plays. He goes on describe the performance of Shakespeare’s plays by the postcolonial subject and the implications of that performance. This book provides the theoretical basis for my paper and has helped me understand the significance of the performance of Richard II by a cast composed entirely by women of color.
