ORIGINAL PRONUNCIATION AND THE UNITED STATES. The Case of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Paul Meier (2010, 2012)
ORIGINAL PRONUNCIATION AND THE UNITED STATES. The Case of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Paul Meier (2010, 2012)

Summary/Abstract: In 2004, Romeo and Juliet in Original Pronunciation (OP) was staged at Shakespeare’s Globe, inaugurating what Crystal would later define the OP movement (2016), which aimed to restore the original sound of both the literary and non-literary works of the past. While academic literature suggests an irregular theatrical interest in the Shakespearean OP in the UK, it also demonstrates that such restoration projects have proven increasingly appealing to US audiences. The reasons why North American theatergoers are attracted to the Shakespearean OP remain unclear. Based on a qualitative analysis of interviews with Paul Meier, the director of the theatrical and radio production A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2010, 2012) and two of his cast members, and complementing the findings with the study of promotional and non-promotional articles concerning the productions, this paper sheds light on the rationale behind the North American fascination with the Shakespearean OP. As Meier’s reflections gravitate towards the identity of the US as a former British colony, this study, relying extensively on literature review, is carried out both through the lens of literary/cultural history and of historical linguistics. Finally, though limited in its scope, this paper paves the way for further studies on the relationship between the allure of the OP and American culture, and thereby to enrich the area of investigation concerning Shakespeare’s reception in the US and his role in American culture.

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