Professor David Peimer
Joan of Arc in Film and Theatre
Summary
Joan of Arc is one of the most fascinating figures in history, a symbol of freedom in France who was also burned at the stake for heresy. We will look at some of the theatrical (Schiller, Brecht, Shaw) and cinematic portrayals of the brief and extraordinary life of this young woman, examining how history, myth, and fiction in film and theatre create stories which forge our collective memory of heroism.
Professor David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing in New York, UK, Berlin, EU Parliament (Brussels), Athens, Budapest, Zululand and more. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published widely with books including: Armed Response: Plays from South Africa, the digital book, Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.