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King John

After claims that King Philip of France’s nephew should be king instead, King John rejects the embassy and goes to war with France. In a play about war and compromise, which party will agree to compromise and who will take the English crown?

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Play On Shakespeare > History > King John

At a Glance

War • English History • Family • Politics

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King John

By William Shakespeare
Translation by Brighde Mullins

A rousing contemporary translation of Shakespeare’s classic exploration of early English monarchy.​

In this modern take on Shakespeare’s King John, Brighde Mullins navigates the political twists and turns of early English monarchy. Mullins’s translation parses Shakespeare’s language carefully, with a focus on its sonic qualities. Her version focuses on the listener, developing the play for the immense pleasure of it—the fortuitous juxtapositions of the fates of these characters.

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Production History

Apr 30, 2017

Translation Workshop

Work session directed by Drew Barr with full cast in NYC.

June 8, 2019

Play On! Festival NYC

Rehearsal and Staged Reading directed by Drew Barr with full cast as part of the Play On! Translation Festival in NYC.

Produced by:
Play On! / Classic Stage / Oregon Shakespeare Festival

May 1, 2020

FIRST READS: An Online Educational Series

A livestreamed exploration of King John featuring actors from across the country under the direction of Rosa Joshi.

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