Is All-Male Shakespeare Sexist?

The theatre company Propeller has made its name by following the Elizabethan convention of using only male actors. One modern (female) commentator has suggested that reviving that practice is discriminatory and perhaps immoral – robbing actresses of most of the few great classic roles they have. To what extent is she truly right?

Gustav Leonhardt, Giant Of Baroque Music Revival, Dead At 83

“Throughout the second half of the 20th century, Gustav Leonhardt … was a pioneer and pillar of the early music movement. As a harpsichordist, organist, scholar, conductor and teacher, he was a major figure, exercising very considerable influence on his contemporaries and juniors, and in particular making the Netherlands a focal centre for the performance of Baroque music.”

Fear, And Then Success, For New York City Ballet Principal

“If this were the Hollywood version of ballet, her colossal transformation from nervous bunhead to confident star would have been sparked by overcoming a long addiction or a grueling injury. But there’s no tawdry sex scene to cue up here. The reality is that the passage of years–and the benefits of increased stage time–have allowed her to release her crushing anxiety.”