Immensely popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Edward Young’s The Revenge (1721) ghosts a tale that Shakespeare’s audiences will recognize—a general and his new bride manipulated to tragic ends—but in the context of Spain’s conquests in North Africa. In this tale the revenger is the Moor—Zanga, an enslaved prince—who wreaks righteous vengeance on his oppressor. The fiery Zanga, a favorite role of both Ira Aldridge and Edmund Kean, finally gets his return to the spotlight.
“On Decolonizing Theatre” partners with Red Bull Theatre (NYC) to offer two virtual events around Red Bull Theatre’s production of The Revenge, which features Matt Rauch as Don Alonzo, Al Silber as Isabella and Peter Macon as Zanga.
On Tuesday, January 16th from 6:30 – 7:30 PM CST, leading scholars of the eighteenth century will “preview” of the play through video clips and a panel discussion about the production. Panelists inlclude: Amy Huang (Bates College), Lisa Freeman (University of Illinois-Chicago), Bridget Orr (Vanderbilt University), and Cornesha Tweede (Arizona State University).
The following Monday, January 22nd, “On Decolonizing Theatre” will broadcast a reading of the play. Both events will be viewable for about a week.