President: Professor Emma Smith Life Vice President: Roger Pringle
The programme from October 2023-May 2024 will be as follows:
10th October 2023 The Great Variety of Readers: 400 years of the First Folio
Dr Paul Edmondson head of Research and Professor Charlotte Scott Director of Knowledge and Engagement from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in conversation about Stratford’s connection to the First folio and the first reader of it.
14th November
2023 PRESIDENTIAL EVENINGShakespeare’s First Folio: the first 400 years Professor Emma Smith Professor of Shakespeare Studies University of Oxford and Fellow of Hertford College will speak to The Club about her work and publications on the First Folio and the 400th anniversary and future of the First Folio
12 December 2023
What was Shakespeare Really Like?
Professor Sir Stanley Wells honorary president of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and two time president of The Shakespeare Club in conversation with Dr Paul Edmondson.
Professor Sir Stanley Wells will be discussing his new book, a revised and augmented version of four lectures he gave to mark his 90th birthday:’ What manner of a man’ was he? How did he write a play? What do the sonnets tell us about him? What made him laugh?
9th January 2024
The Background Musician Characters in Shakespeare’s Plays
Dr Jennifer Waghorn, Lecturer in Shakespeare Studies (Digital Education) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has advised on music history for the Royal Shakespeare Company since 2018 and has worked with the Historical Dance Society.
13th February 2024
Sam Wanamaker, actor and campaigner Dr Paul Prescott is well known to members of the Shakespeare Club where he has been a popular speaker in the past. He will be speaking about the American actor Sam Wanamaker, now best known for campaigning for the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Dr Prescott has stepped in at short notice since our publicised speaker, Dr Tracy Borman, has had to cancel her talk for family reasons though she promises to speak to the Club on a future occasion.
12th March 2024
Stratford upon Avon’s ‘Great Little Lady’ The Life, Literature and Legacy of Marie Corelli
In 1858 at the age of 30, frustrated by her past and despairing for the future, Minnie Mackay reinvented herself as the mysterious Miss Marie Corelli, forging a new career and acquiring wealth and position. 2024 is the 100th anniversary of her death and Nick Birch from the Marie Corelli Society will speak to us about this indomitable woman.
13th April 2024 The 200th Anniversary of The Shakespeare Club of Stratford upon Avon – A Celebration. Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall, 2pm for 2.15pm.
An afternoon of talks, afternoon tea, toasts and the playing and singing of Club songs will be led by Roger Pringle, former Secretary of the Club. Speakers will include Robert Bearman, local archivist and historian par excellence, Sylvia Morris, current Secretary, writer of the Shakespeare blog and former head of the Shakespeare Centre Library and Dr Susan Brock, former Secretary and Honorary Fellow of the Shakespeare Institute.
14th May 2024
Death By Shakespeare: snakebites, stabbings and broken hearts
Dr Kathryn Harkup is a chemist and author who is also a science communicator giving regular public talks on the disgusting and dangerous side of science. William Shakespeare found dozens of different ways to kill off his characters but how realistic are these deaths and did Shakespeare have the knowledge to back them up? Dr Harkup turns her discerning eye to the Bard and the varied and creative ways his characters die. Dr Harkup has written a number of books, A is for Arsenic The Poisons of Agatha Christie was shortlisted for both the International Macavity Award and the BMA book award.
