In both Shakespeare’s time and our own, humans strive for influence through words. The verbal dexterity of Shakespeare’s characters to either bless or curse their family and foes continues to resonate in today’s world of 280-character assassinations on Twitter. But which social sphere is more powerful, the royal court or social media? Our panel compares and contrasts the power of Shakespeare’s curses with the tweets of contemporary influencers.

Panellists:

• Kevin Chan, Head of Public Policy, Facebook Canada
• Randall Martin, Professor of English, University of New Brunswick
• Seana McKenna, Queen Margaret in Richard III and the Countess of Rossillion in All's Well That Ends Well

Moderator:

• David Prosser, Literary and Editorial Director, Stratford Festival