Silent Shakespeare

In Silent Shakespeare, film historian Luke McKernan showcases a compilation of extracts from early film adaptations of the Bard’s more regularly performed plays. Sourced from nitrate prints in the National Film and Television Archive Collection, these extracts are unique for revealing the growing enthusiasm for, and enchantment with, the new medium. Film was initially viewed as the poor cousin of theatre. To combat its reputation of being cheap entertainment for the lower classes, film sought to emulate the highbrow success of the theatre by replicating its lavish venues, poaching its stars for screen roles, and adapting plays into films. Working within the limitations of early film cameras and the staginess of Shakespeare’s works, many of the early productions were hybrids between stage and screen, juxtaposing constructed sets and stage-like tableaux with location shooting, trick photography, hand stencilling, and colour tinting. Works included are King John (Great Britain, 1899), the first ever film adaptation of Shakespeare; The Tempest (Great Britain, 1908); A Midsummer night’s dream (USA, 1909); King Lear (Italy, 1910); Twelfth night (USA, 1910); The Merchant of Venice (Italy, 1910), and Richard III (Great Britain, 1911).