Donkeyland: a rehearsed reading of a new play

Wyn Mason

    Research output: Contribution to conferenceOther

    Abstract

    Ari is a young donkey who identifies as human: she spurs the company of other donkeys, wishing instead that she were human. Donkeyland is a one-woman show that explores themes of identity, self-determination and the exploitative relationship between humankind and animals. It is a loose appropriation of Shakespeare's The Tempest, where characters akin to Ariel and Caliban are donkeys, and are owned by two human characters inspired by Shakespeare’s Prospero and Miranda. The play aims to achieve two things: to rethink Shakespeare's play from both a Welsh and an eco-centred perspective. It places The Tempest's archetypal characters within the context of postcolonial Wales; and equally, in focusing on the relationship between humans and animals, the play also considers the broader, ecological concern of how humans continue to colonise nature. The play is still in its development stage: this rehearsed reading is the play's first public performance.
    Translated title of the contributionGwlad yr Asyn
    Original languageEnglish
    Publication statusPublished - 17 Jul 2019
    EventBritish Shakespeare Association Annual Conference: Shakespeare, Race and Nation - Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
    Duration: 17 Jul 201920 Jul 2019
    https://www.britishshakespeare.ws/calendar/shakespeare-race-and-nation/

    Conference

    ConferenceBritish Shakespeare Association Annual Conference
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    CitySwansea
    Period17/07/1920/07/19
    Internet address

    Keywords

    • The Tempest
    • Shakespeare
    • play text
    • postcolonial
    • drama

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