Monthly Archives: January 2016

Tibor Reich’s centenary

This year the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester is celebrating the centenary of one of the most influential textile designers of the post-war years, Tibor Reich. Reich was born in Budapest in 1916 of a Jewish weaving family, studying textile design … Continue reading

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Another immigrant’s tale

I’ve just heard about a case in which an American Shakespeare academic hoping to remain in this country has been arrested and remains in custody. Dr Paul Hamilton received his PhD from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford in 2015 and … Continue reading

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His most potent art: the library of John Dee

A new exhibition has just opened in London that explains more about one of the most intriguing people in Elizabethan London, John Dee. The Royal College of Physicians in Regents Park is hosting Scholar, courtier, magician: the lost library of … Continue reading

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Looking at the First Folio in 2016

It’s still seven years until the four hundredth anniversary of the publication of the First Folio, arguably the most important book in the English language. But this year, when Shakespeare’s achievement is being celebrated, the first collected edition of his … Continue reading

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Royal Shakespeare Company’s plans for 2016

All the large Shakespeare organisations are celebrating the four-hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016 with events to show that Shakespeare is universal, appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds. As befits the best-funded Shakespeare company in the UK … Continue reading

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Memories of Alan Rickman

Another day, another hero gone. On Thursday 14 January 2016 it was announced that actor Alan Rickman had died, just a few days after David Bowie. Both died of cancer, and both were 69. Unlike Bowie, Rickman took some years … Continue reading

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We can be heroes [not] just for one day

The first news I heard on Monday morning, 11 January 2016, was the death of rock star David Bowie. Like most of us, I’ve lived with his songs through my adult life. All day I’ve been hearing his music, people talking … Continue reading

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Shakespeare online for 2016

Into the new year it’s time for starting something afresh. With this being such a big year for Shakespeare, there are several online courses beginning soon that aim to increase participants’ interest in and knowledge of Shakespeare, and I’ve picked … Continue reading

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The rain it raineth every day

Over the last few weeks the news has been dominated by the dreadful and repeated flooding in parts of northern England and Scotland as a series of storms have swept across the UK. Cities have been swamped and ancient bridges … Continue reading

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Uncovering my Stratford roots

On 28 December 1798 William Tompkins was christened in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. He was my great-great-grandfather. I came across this fact, as it happened, on 28 December 2015, reading the book written by my cousin, Carolyn Swain in which … Continue reading

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