Dr Rex Gibson (29 October 1932, in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

– 1 May 2005, in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

) was an English academic writing on the theatre. He is best known for his creation and editing of the Cambridge School Shakespeare series, for which he was given the first Sam Wanamaker Award in 1994.

Life

He attended

Bristol University , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

, graduating in commerce in 1953 before serving his

National Service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The l ...

as a lieutenant in the Dorset Regiment. He then returned to Bristol to take his

Certificate of Education A school leaving qualification is an academic qualification awarded for the completion of high school. Depending on the country or region, it may alternatively be known as a high school diploma, senior secondary leaving certificate, high school ge ...

(at Redland College) in 1958 and by 1963 was teaching at a school in

Mangotsfield Mangotsfield is an urban area and former village in the unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire, in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, England, to the north-east of Bristol. The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 ...

, south

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...

. He married another teacher, Margaret Powell, in 1963 and continued to study and gain academic qualifications, ending up in a 1973 PhD from London University (his thesis was under the title "A Study of the Professional Socialisation of Student Teachers in a College of Education"). Also in 1973 he was appointed to join the staff of

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. He taught Shakespeare from

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated as KS3) is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14. In Northern Ireland the ...

to university in the UK, as well as providing several Shakespeare courses in Germany and the United States of America and publishing over 100 reviews and articles on Shakespeare and teaching Shakespeare. He acted as Director of the Shakespeare and Schools Project and as lecturer in education in the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.

Works

*''Teaching Shakespeare'' (Cambridge University Press), Highly Commended by the committee of the English-Speaking Union Duke of Edinburgh Prize. *''Shakespeare's Language'' (Cambridge University Press) *''Stepping into Shakespeare'' (Cambridge University Press) *''Discovering Shakespeare's Language'' (Cambridge University Press)

External links

Cambridge School Shakespeare - About Rex GibsonCambridge School Shakespeare Online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gibson, Rex 1932 births 2005 deaths Academics from Bristol Shakespearean scholars Schoolteachers from Somerset Alumni of the University of Bristol Academics of the University of Cambridge