"How do I act so well?" The British "Shakespearean" Actor and Cultural Cachet

This chapter on the cultural cachet of contemporary British performers commonly referred to as ‘Shakespearean’ actors, explores how such attribution relates to more traditional markers of esteem. It examines how the implied prestige of possessing a ‘Shakespearean’ identity has been framed in a variety of cultural texts, with particular focus on the potential adaptability of this unique form of cultural capital. The chapter charts the ways in which stars such as Sir Ian McKellen engage with their own ‘Shakespeareanism’ by analysing television and film texts which utilise the popular association between British performers and high cultural sophistication, alongside texts which subvert or challenge the apparent prestige of being a ‘Shakespearean’.