Shakespeare and the ladies
The statue of Shakespeare in Poets’ Corner From the earliest of times, Shakespeare’s works have been specially admired by women. I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the “Sociable Letter” written by...
View ArticleMichael Drayton’s Poly-olbion
Michael Drayton On 23 December 1631 the poet Michael Drayton died at his lodgings in Fleet Street, London. He was so highly regarded by his contemporaries that he was buried in Westminster Abbey with...
View ArticleShakespeare and the Georgians
The 1741 statue of Shakespeare in Poet’s Corner 2014, it seems, is going to be the year of the Georgians, with several different exhibitions looking at different aspects of life in the period covering...
View ArticleCelebrating Shakespeare and Purcell with the Orchestra of the Swan
Henry Purcell Stratford-upon-Avon’s own chamber orchestra, the Orchestra of the Swan, is currently celebrating Shakespeare’s 450th anniversary by performing four concerts of music inspired by his work....
View ArticleFinding a place for Philip Larkin in Poet’s Corner
Philip Larkin On Friday 2 December a ledger stone bearing the name of Philip Larkin will be placed in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey, alongside writers such as Thomas Hardy, Edmund Spenser and of...
View ArticleAphra Behn, the first professional woman writer
Aphra Behn, painted by Mary Beale In England, after Shakespeare’s death there followed a period of tremendous change, with the Civil War and execution of the reigning king, Charles 1, followed by the...
View ArticleHall, Barton and Goodwin: three grand old men of the RSC
Peter Hall as he was when taking over the RSC, circa 1961 At the end of August it begins to feel that summer is coming to a close and autumn is on its way. While this can feel like the time when things...
View ArticleRestoring John Cheere’s Shakespeare statue
Stratford’s Town Hall August 2021 Stratford-upon-Avon’s Town Hall is one of the most important of the town’s buildings, associated with Shakespeare through its dedication at the time of the Garrick...
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