As You Like It: Women and Boys on Shakespeare's Stage
In this episode, we look at the women and boys whose performances shaped the depiction of women on Shakespeare's stage. We start in Italy, discussing the real actresses of the commedia dell'arte companies who originated the "diva" archetype, and consider how their influence may have shaped the writing and performance of Shakespeare's characters like Rosalind in As You Like It. We then look at the early modern English stage, where women were barred from performing, and examine the impact of John Lyly's Galatea on the plays and playwrights of the era. Finally, we look at the documented reality of life in the Boys' Companies of Shakespeare's time, and what that history tells us about the young actors who brought these performances to life.
Content warning: this episode contains brief mentions of historical exploitation of children and young people. Please listen with care.
Transcript to come.
Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp.
Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander.
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Works referenced:
Brown, Pamela Allen. “‘Cattle of This Colour’: Boying the Diva in ‘As You Like It.’” Early Theatre, vol. 15, no. 1, 2012, pp. 145–66. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43499607. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.
Tosh, Will. Straight Acting: The Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare. Sceptre, 2025.
