Read King John - In Person

Before Richard III, there was King John—a twelfth-century monarch whose “troublesome” reign witnessed vicious succession struggles, a showdown with the Pope, and, ultimately, the collapse of Angevin rule in northern France. In this bleak chapter of English history, Shakespeare finds inspiration for what is perhaps his bleakest chronicle play. Packed with intrigue and double-dealing, featuring a protagonist whose pursuit of power consumes his family, his empire, and ultimately himself, King John illustrates the continental-scale consequences of dynastic ambition.

Penned in the mid-1590s, when history plays were at the height of their popularity, King John shares many of the preoccupations of Shakespeare’s earlier forays into the genre. Along with Richard II, it is one of the only two Shakespeare plays written entirely in verse. Like Richard III, it pits an uncle against a young nephew with a stronger claim to the throne—with tragic consequences for the nephew. However, it stands out for its sheer geographic and thematic scope. Politics, in King John, encompasses battles, dynastic marriages, extortion, excommunication, and a murder or two; its actors hail from England, France, Italy and the Vatican. Also noteworthy is the presence of women as significant political actors. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and Lady Constance—mother of John’s ill-fated nephew Arthur—operate at the center of the play’s narrative web, pulling strings and maneuvering their preferred successors into the orbit of the crown.

It's a lot to take in and, admittedly, challenging to stage. Popular on the spectacle-driven Victorian stage, King John is now one of Shakespeare’s least-performed history plays. But the text is rich, punctuated with memorable characters—from the sardonic commentator Phillip “the Bastard” Faulconbridge to the earnest young Arthur—and the political questions it raises are as relevant now as they were in the sixteenth century, or the twelfth.
Some logistics:
We will read the first half of the play, take a break for snacks and chat, then read the second half of the play. Afterwards we'll have a short discussion - you're welcome to stay for this if you'd like, or leave if you'd prefer.

Reader role sheets will be posted soon. Once they’re posted, please take a look at them and then send me (Adrian) a Meetup message listing your top three role choices. If you’re open to reading anything, please still send me a message letting me know that you have no preference. I’ll try and update the role sheets every few days to show which parts are left.

We recommend reading the Folger edition, if possible, so that we're all on the same page (literally) with respect to character designations, line assignments, etc. You can find the Folger text for free online or as a PDF here: https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/king-john/read/

A note about location: our reading this month will be at the Fremont branch of the Seattle Public Libraries. I’m told that parking at this branch is very limited, but the area is well-served by bus lines (the 62, the 28, the 40, among others.)

We look forward to reading with you!