Laurence Wright

Laurence Wright (194*-) is an academic, a lecturer and researcher in English literature and a Shakespeare specialist.

Training
BA Hons (Rhodes University 1969 – 1972), MA (University of Warwick, 1973-4), D.Phil (1975-1978, Oxford University)

Career
One time H.A. Molteno Professor of English at Rhodes University and Director, Institute for the Study of English in Africa, later Professor Emeritus, and a Senior Research Associate in the Research Unit for Language and Literature in the SA Context, North-West University.

Long time member of the English Academy of Southern Africa, and a member of the South African Academy of Science (since 2009), and serves on the Editorial Board of Shakespeare, (Journal of the British Shakespeare Association), English Studies in Africa and English Academy Review (English Academy of Southern Africa).

Awards, etc
Commonwealth Scholar, 1973

Rhodes Scholar, 1975

Gold Medal, English Academy of Southern Africa (2010)

Honorary Life President, Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa

Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Senior Research Medal (2009)

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Reviewer and writer on theatre in general, and Shakespeare productions in South Africa, he was a founding member and one time Chairman of the Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa (today Honorary Life President). He was the editor of the society's journal Shakespeare in South Africa from 1992 to 1998.

Publications in this regard include:

Laurence Wright (ed.). 2009. "South African Shakespeare in the Twentieth Century". The Shakespearean International Yearbook. Vol. 9. Ashgate.

Laurence Wright. 2010. "Irony and Transcendence on the Renaissance Stage". ‘This Earthly Stage’: World and Stage in Late Mediaeval and Early Modern England. Ed. Brett D. Hirsch and Christopher Wortham. Brepols.

Laurence Wright. 2011. "Interrogating The Spread Of Shakespeare" Multicultural Shakespeare.

His current project is "The Southern Hemisphere Spread of Shakespeare" at the Research Unit for Language and Literature in the SA Context, North-West University.

Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities W

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page