http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/John_Carter_Brown_Library/I%20found%20it%20JCB/june2009.html
Here’s a link to my write-up of the greatest 17c maritime atlas, Robert Dudley’s “Dell arcano del mare” (“Secrets of the Sea.”) I found it at the JCB…
return to the commons
After an excellent year in the archives at the John Carter Brown Library, it’s time to get back to the blog. Upcoming — some thoughts on Roberto Bolano, Shakespeare and Borges, and maybe a few other things.
The Age of Middleton starts now…
Going tonight to see “The Changling” at Brown. The arrival of Middleton has been building for a while; I saw “The Revenger’s Tragedy” by Red Bull in NYC in 2006 and in London by the RSC last winter. Red Bull is also doing “Women Beware Women” next month. The other Shakespeare is coming…
Canterybury Cathedral
Spent Sunday May 17 in Canterbury, viewing the Cathedral and the Marlowe monument, among other things. It’s a good as an overlarge church gets, almost the equal of Notre Dame (not quite as sinuous) or St Peter’s (not quite as monumental). But Canterbury has a great melodrama, and I must admit seeing the place where poor loyal Thomas Becket lost his head was quite moving. I’ll post some pictures on the area later, including the Marlowe monument (he was born in Canterbury, which I hadn’t remembered.) The Marlowe theater was showing “Cats.”
May Theater in London
I’ve got my line up for May in London settled, it’s busy & looks great. Started off tonight with *Midsummer Night’s Dream* at the Globe: a cold, clear night for a fun romp, with a very campy Bottom & oddly Irish-inflected Oberon and Titania (perhaps they put on the brouges to distinguish themselves from Theseus and Hippolyta, with which roles they were cross cast?). Good lovers, distinguished by hair color (Hermia and Demtrius dark, Helena & Lysander blonde: which paired opposite colors in the end.) The cold almost made me drop L25 on a Lear hoodie, but it was a bit too silly looking.
Things will continue with *Troilus and Cressida* at the Barbican on Thursday, another *Dream* and then *Merchant* at Stratford on Friday & Saturday, *The Revenger’s Tragedy* at the Olivier next Tuesday, and the opening night of *Lear* on the Globe next Wed. Then it will be almost time to come home.
Scrambling for the Duke
Theater for a New Audience’s strong and imaginative interpretation of *Antony and Cleopatra* is playing at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street until May 2. It’s set in the nineteenth-century , during the so-called “Scramble for Africa,” when European colonial powers like England were dividing up the continent. Discount tickets available for anyone under 25.
King Lear at the Globe
One of the plays we’ll see this spring in London is *King Lear*, arguably the greatest play ever written in English. Here’s a link to a description of the cast —
http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/theatre/annualtheatreseason/kinglear/
CTL Fellows Presentation
Thursday, April 10, marks the official unveiling of Shakespeare Commons and this blog at the CTL Fellows 2008 Presentation. It’s at 2:30 pm in Bent Hall 277A.
Macbeth with Patrick Stewart extended to May
With Patrick Stewart in the title role, *Macbeth*’s run in New York has been extended from March 29 to May 24, but it’s moving from Brooklyn to the Lyceum Theater on W. 45th Street. A link for tickets is below.
St. John’s in London
To see a picture of the Globe Theater, where we’ll see two of our four plays this coming May, go to the London page of the Shakespeare Commons Website.