The Entry of Shakespeare on Armenian Page and Stage – Hasmik Seymour

SYNOPSIS: Armenians have been associated with Shakespeare’s plays for almost two centuries across several diasporas. While Shakespeare has been a huge influence both with theatre practitioners and national writers, what do we know about the Armenian heritage of Shakespeare? The session will focus on where and why the initial translations, adaptations, and performances occurred and how they helped in the revival of the Armenian culture and the national identity in the 19th century.

SPEAKER BACKGROUND: Hasmik Jasmine Seymour is theatre historian, translator and journalist, the founder of the Armenian Shakespeare Association (ASA) in 2016, organising International Shakespeare Conferences in Yerevan in close partnership with the AUA and Museum of Arts and Literature. One of the forthcoming projects of the ASA is the International Shakespeare conference in Venice in summer 2019. Specialising in theatre studies and Shakespearean heritage in the Armenian language, she participates in major European and American academic conferences, European theatre festivals and more. Married in the UK with three children, she has worked as a consultant on the former Soviet Union and East European countries, news correspondent, arts critic, lecturer in modern foreign languages. She has MA degree in Shakespeare studies from Paris-7 University, MBA from City University and is currently completing her PhD on Shakespearean adaptations in Armenian since 1860s” at Queen Mary University of London, Department of English and Drama. She has authored dozens of articles in the UK, USA and France, including Stanford Global Shakespeare Encyclopaedia, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Bloomsbury-Arden Publishers, Etudes Elizabethan and others. Her translation of four major plays by Arthur Miller was published in autumn 2018. In collaboration with Armenian theatres and directors, she continues to translate Anglo-American dramatic masterpieces into Armenian for stage productions and wider readership.

See the Facebook event here. 

BACKGROUND: The CAIA is organising another course to meet the demand from the community, thanks to a small grant from ‘Ealing Adult Education Department’. The course is also open and suitable to anyone with an interest in history, culture, and heritage.

The course offers:
– A better understanding of Armenian history, culture and heritage
– An opportunity for families to learn together about their past
– Improve prospects into further learning
– A chance to ask questions & interact with others in a friendly & welcoming environment

This course is designed by way of introduction to increase knowledge of Armenian history, culture, identity & dispersion and to enable adults/young people to understand better about where, why and how Armenians have arrived in UK and the challenges facing them.

DETAILS: To attend, please send us an email in advance (info@caia.org.uk) booking your place. Full registration on the day with your passport number. You can print out and bring the filled in registration form with you as well – download it here: http://bit.do/armenian

Light lunch/refreshments
1.30pm-2pm

This is a free course in English open for anyone. However, you must register and complete a feedback evaluation form at the end of each session.

Places are limited.

*Image credit: https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/blogs/armenian-translations/