Patrice Ch reau (1944 - 2013) was one of Frances leading directors in the theatre and on film and a major influence on Shakespearean performance. He is internationally known for memorable productions of both drama and opera. His life-long companionship with Shakespeare began in 1970 when his innovative Richard II made the young director famous overnight and caused his translator to denounce him publicly as an iconoclast, for a production mixing music-hall, circus, and pankration. After this break, Ch reau read Shakespeares texts assiduously, line by line and word by word, with another renowned poet, Yves Bonnefoy.Drawing on new interviews with many of Chereaus collaborators, this study explores a unique theatre makers interpretations of Shakespeare in relation to the European tradition and to his wider body of work on stage and film, to establish his profound influence on other producers of Shakespeare.
