Finished, it’s finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished. (Pause.) Grain upon grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there’s a heap, a little heap, the impossible heap. […] I love order. It’s my dream. A world where all would be silent and still, and each thing in its last place, under the … Continue reading ‘barren of all interpretative comment’
Archives
Shakespeare in Scraps: Halliwell-Phillipps and Theatre History
This is the first of two posts thinking about theatre history through particular theatre historians. Lucy Munro's blog on the Wallaces follows as a companion piece. *** James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps was among the most prominent book collectors and Shakespearean scholars of Victorian England. Halliwell-Phillipps’s (HP’s) biography of Shakespeare, initially published in 1848 and revised throughout his … Continue reading Shakespeare in Scraps: Halliwell-Phillipps and Theatre History
Two City Stories: Mawdlen Gawen and Mrs Moodey
they procured her to be rescued by the way as she went thither And the time appointed, she changed herself into man’s Apparel, which she had in her said Master’s house, being about two of the clock after Midnight, and came away, and so came to Paul’s Wharf Crossdressing, eloping with a lover via the … Continue reading Two City Stories: Mawdlen Gawen and Mrs Moodey
Post from the Past 1: Spying the Playhouses
Catlyn to Walsingham, 1587 This post is the first in a series that will share our work in the archive, including photographed images, transcriptions, and a brief discussion of some of the archival material we have been surveying. While many libraries are strict on what can and cannot be shared online--particularly with photographs--the British Library permits controlled and … Continue reading Post from the Past 1: Spying the Playhouses
“Rent must be paid, duties dischargd”: A Note on Elizabethan Landlords
While estate agents and others expressed disapproval, others will have welcomed this morning's leaked announcement from the Chancellor's Autumn Statement about announcing a crackdown on letting fees: those administration costs, credit checks, and general charges levied in the process of agreeing a tenancy. Whatever one's opinion on the wisdom of this ban, the various and sometimes questionable costs levied on … Continue reading “Rent must be paid, duties dischargd”: A Note on Elizabethan Landlords
The Before Shakespeare Guide to the Elizabethan East End
Summer 1567. A feature piece for Elizabethan developers, house buyers, tourists, and those interested in keeping up with the latest cultural developments just outside of the City of London. In this feature, we tell you why it might just be worth buying that coaching inn with the extra land, or finally getting around to doing something … Continue reading The Before Shakespeare Guide to the Elizabethan East End
“Specially youthe”: Regulating London “Venues”
Social media has reacted with frustration and resentment at the news this week that one of London’s most famous nightclubs, Fabric, has had its licence revoked (#fabricreview). While I will avoid being overtly political, here, the closure of the nightclub inevitably prompts questions over responsibility for regulating such venues, the legitimacy of closing a popular … Continue reading “Specially youthe”: Regulating London “Venues”
Early Thoughts on the Archives
…and now for something completely different. After last week’s performance workshops, this post moves us from the rehearsal space back to the library; I have been revisiting archival documents associated with the rise of the commercial playhouses and getting a clearer sense of the context that surrounds extant references, restrictions, and correspondence about playing. The … Continue reading Early Thoughts on the Archives
