We need to talk about Shakespeare

A series of free public lectures on Shakespeare will take place next month in conjunction with UCD and the Abbey Theatre. Now in its third year, the 2014 UCD/Abbey Theatre Shakespeare Lectures event brings together experts from home and abroad to discuss the Bard's works and his continued influence on literature and performance.

Among the highlights of the programme is a conversation with Selina Cartmell, who directed Owen Roe in the Abbey's production of King Lear last year. The pair recently reunited for A Tender Thing at the Project, where British playwright Ben Power reimagined Romeo and Juliet as a couple in their 70s. Cartmell will be joined by Andrea Ainsworth, voice director at the Abbey, for Visceral and Fearless: Staging and Speaking Shakespeare at the Peacock on May 30th.

Lectures will also be given by Prof Michael Dobson from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon and UCD's Prof Anthony Roche. The former will discuss Shakespeare, Amateur Performance and Civic Identity in Britain and Ireland in UCD on May 9th. Prof Roche's talk on May 16th will focus on Shakespeare: "the chap that writes like Synge".

"The aim of the series is to provide broader conversation about Shakespeare in Ireland and the place of Shakespeare in Ireland," said Dr Jane Grogan, from the School of English, Film and Drama in UCD. "Particularly after President Higgins' recent visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, the time seems ripe for such a conversation."

All events are free of charge, but tickets must be booked. To purchase tickets and for more information visit ucd.ie/alumni/events, or abbeytheatre.ie