Shakespearean tragedies are usually bloody affairs on stage but Shakespearean theatre has reputation for refinement and respectability. That wasn’t always the case. In his 2007 book “The Shakespeare Riots: Revenge, Drama and Death in 19th-Century America,” author Nigel Cliff describes how a feud between the English actor William Charles Macready and the first great American star Edwin Forrest resulted in the Astor Place Riot of 1849 in New York City. At least 25 people were killed when the National Guard fired on the rioters. According to Cliff, the riots changed Shakespearean theatre in America forever and even helped lead to the creation of modern, armed police forces.
National Public Radio’s Renee Montagne interviewed Cliff about the book and role Shakespeare’s works played in American culture before and after the riots. You can listen to the complete interview on the NPR website.
Web Resources:
Shakespeare in American life website – learn more about the Astor Place Riot and hear the story of the riot in a clip from the Shakespeare in American Life radio documentary.
The Folger Shakespeare Library recently acquired the only known copy of the broadside poster that is believed to have played a role in inciting the Astor Place Riot. Take a look at the poster.
