Questioning the Canon: William Shakespeare and Thomas Middleton

Questioning the Canon is a new feature in which I hope to bring to light lesser-known books about a certain issue, which can be read alongside or instead of infamous 'classics'. People are starting to discuss whether the authors we hold up as cultural icons - Shakespeare, Dickens, Wordsworth - should be accompanied by previously marginalised writers. Our idea of what constitutes 'great literature' is becoming broader.  This can only be a good thing, as it means more diversity and social representation in what we read!

Archive Nostalgia: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Yesterday marked the birthday of Mary Shelley and the perfect time to bring her classic gothic tale, Frankenstein, back into the light... Victor Frankenstein is a scientist obsessed with the miracle of life. In an intricate but ghastly experiment, he endeavours to discover the nature of life itself by resurrecting a cobbled human corpse. The resulting creation haunts him from the secluded Scottish coastline to the breath-taking lakes of Switzerland, causing us to question the very nature of humanity.

Questioning the Canon: William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe

Questioning the Canon is a new feature in which I hope to bring to light lesser-known books about a certain issue, which can be read alongside or instead of infamous 'classics'. People are starting to discuss whether the authors we hold up as cultural icons - Shakespeare, Dickens, Wordsworth - should be accompanied by previously marginalised writers. Our idea of what constitutes 'great literature' is becoming broader.  This can only be a good thing, as it means more diversity and social representation in what we read!

Theatre Review: Troilus & Cressida (Royal Shakespeare Company)

My birthday treat this year was a pair of tickets to see a live-streamed production of the Royal Shakespeare Company's Troilus & Cressida. The play is a love story that unfolds in the midst of the Trojan war. With the Greek army camped at their walls, tensions are mounting in the besieged city. Troilus and Cressida must negotiate a tangle of betrayal and deceit if they are to remain true to one another.

Theatre Review: Romeo & Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Last week I went to watch a live theatre streaming of Romeo & Juliet at my local cinema, performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. I studied this play at school and it became one of my favourite works of Shakespeare, so I was a little nervous that finally being able to see it on stage would not live up to my very high expectations. However, I absolutely loved the bold modern version brought to life by director Erica Whyman. 

Royal Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth: Theatre Review

This week I went to see a live-streamed performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth at my local cinema. It was my first experience of Macbeth and I have been captivated by Shakespeare’s twisted and darkly insidious tale...

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Victor Frankenstein is a scientist obsessed with the miracle of life. In an intricate but ghastly experiment, he endeavours to discover the nature of life itself by resurrecting a cobbled human corpse. The resulting creation haunts him from the secluded Scottish coastline to the breath-taking lakes of Switzerland, causing us to question the very nature of humanity…