My daily Google alert recently included an item about a theatre scandal in 1885.

In that year at least 59 students of the Ohio Wesleyan University in the US were suspended for skipping mandatory chapel and attending a performance of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” at the Delaware Opera House instead.

At that time church leaders regarded the theatre as being “detrimental … to the morals” and students of the University were not allowed to attend any performances.  However, the pull of the celebrated Shakespearean actor Fredrick Warde was stronger than the ban on theatre visits and the students went to see him perform in “Richard III”.  When the University administration found out, 59 students were suspended.  They were allowed to continue their studies only if they re-signed their matriculation cards as well as a confession of their wrong doing and promised not to break the rules again.

This attitude changed though not long after and Shakespeare has a strong tradition in the University’s drama department and one of his plays was performed in nearly every year in the 20th century.  This year this event will be dramatized and included in their 2010 Heritage Day under the title “Stand and Be Counted: Risking It All for the Stage.”

It seems Richard III has for a long time inspired an independent way of thinking.  I just hope that they also approached the historical Richard with the same challenging spirit to accepted orthodoxy.

You can read the news release from Ohio Wesleyan University here.

Tags: Richard III, Shakespeare