I LOVED this conversation with Dr. Chris Laoutaris when I was able to ask him about the significance of Shakespeare's First Folio, the individuals involved in its creation, and the financial and legal challenges faced during its publication. Chris also talked about the role of John Hemmings and Henry Condal, the professionalisation of playwriting, and the impact of published plays on society. The discussion also touches on the controversial use of the term 'works' in the context of Shakespeare's plays, the mystery of the False Folio, and Shakespeare's potential intentions for publishing his works during his lifetime.

This episode was recorded at the Harvington History Festival 2025, at Harvington Hall in Worcestershire. Tickets for the 2026 festival will be on sale at the end of February 2026 from HarvingtonHall.co.uk - and I will be back there too, bringing you more interviews with these fascinating historians.

Thank you for listening to this episode, I hope you enjoyed it. There are many more here for you to browse through including over 50 fantastic historian interviews with people such as Tracy Borman OBE, Gareth Russell, Helen Carr and many more. You can also watch this interview on my Youtube channel - click here.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Chris Littaris and the Shakespeare Institute

00:59 The Significance of the First Folio

02:48 The Role of Hemmings and Condal in Shakespeare's Legacy

06:10 The Financial Backing Behind the First Folio

08:51 Target Audience and Professionalization of Playwriting

12:11 The Challenges of Copyright and Rights Negotiation

14:51 The Controversial Use of 'Works' in the First Folio

17:58 The Mystery of the False Folio

20:56 The Impact of Published Plays on Society

23:49 Shakespeare's Intentions for His Works

26:00 Conclusion and Further Resources

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About Philippa

Philippa is a Historian and the founder of British History Tours and British History Events.

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Philippa founded award-winning Historic Tour Operator British History Tours in 2014. Find out about these luxury, fully-escorted, immersive historical experiences at BritishHistoryTours.com

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