Academics from Poland, Germany and the UK will discuss Shakespeare, not just according to the canon. On April 23, the conference Politically (in)correct Shakespeare will be organised by the Polish Shakespeare Society in cooperation with the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre. Two scholars from UG will participate in one of the two sessions. 

Dr Barbara Świąder-Puchowska from the Department of Cultural Studies at the UG will talk about the stagings of Hamlet on Polish stages after 1989. For almost 25 years, the drama about the Danish prince has inspired Polish theatre directors to comment on the current political situation. Two productions are significant in this context: Hamlet from 1989 by Andrzej Wajda and Hamlet from 2015, directed by Krzysztof Gorbaczewski.

Dr Michał Pruszak from the Academic Centre for Polish Language and Culture for Foreigners UG will talk about political correctness in adaptations of the English playwright's work. The talk will address censorship in the adaptation of Shakespeare's dramas for younger readers. During this process, the texts are subjected to simplifications in terms of plot or language. At the same time, they are prepared for the target audience's current didactic requirements and sensibilities.

The conference programme also includes speeches about stagings of Shakespeare in Dubai or posters promoting plays based on the English playwright's texts. The conference aims to talk about Shakespeare as an author who does not succumb to fashions and the pressures of time, that is, a Shakespeare who is timeless, but also one who enters into dialogue with everyone, in every place and time. On the other hand, we will look at those issues in Shakespearean texts, their translations and adaptations, which for today's reading and theatrical sensibilities, can be problematic for social or political reasons.

The event's first part will be in English, while the second part will be in Polish. We invite you to the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre Meeting Room or to connect via the Microsoft Teams platform.