The History Of European Theatre

Nick Bromley returns to discuss his book Stage Ghosts and Haunted Theatres. Stories of strange happenings in theatres abound and Nick has collected them together that takes you on a ghostly tour of London's West End and UK regional theatres.

Both of Nick's books are available through his website: www.LNPbooks.co.uk

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Episode 97:

Christopher Marlowe was one of the giants of Elizabethan theatre, but he died young in mysterious circumstances. In this episode I try to unpick the mystery of why he died. Was it just an argument about the cost of a meal, or the result of some far more sinister goings-on in the world of Elizabethan espionage and court rivalry?

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In this special episode I discuss historic and recent audience behaviour in the Theatre and how that behaviour reflects changes in society, with some particular reference to recent events in society and at some theatrical performances.

Kirsty Sedgman is a theatre academic at the University of Bristol who specialises in studying audiences. She has spent her career studying how we construct and maintain our competing value systems, working out how people can live side by side in the same world yet come to understand it in such totally different ways. The author of On Being Unreasonable: Breaking the Rules and Making Things Better (Faber 2023), she has spoken about her research around the world, and has seen her work featured in outlets like BBC Front Row, the Guardian, and the New York Times.

Links to books by Dr Kirsty Sedgman on Amazon (other retailers are available)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Being-Unreasonable-Breaking-Making-Things-ebook/dp/B0B4M249LC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WYQ904L9PAIX&keywords=kirsty+sedgman&qid=1682521965&sprefix=kirsty+sedgman%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reasonable-Audience-Etiquette-Performance-Experience-ebook/dp/B07FKHDN77/ref=sr_1_2?crid=WYQ904L9PAIX&keywords=kirsty+sedgman&qid=1682521965&sprefix=kirsty+sedgman%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-2

Link to the Manchester Evening News article on audience disruption at a performance of 'The Bodyguard'

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/astonishing-moment-audience-member-screams-26658204

Link to Wikipedia article about government advisor Dominic Cummins and his breaking of lockdown rules during the Covid-19 pandemic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_Cummings_scandal

Support the podcast at:

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Episode 96:

The life and works of Thomas Nashe

Early Life

Cambridge University and ‘Terminus et non Terminus’

Nash moves to London and joins the ‘University Wits’

Pamphlets and work for the Archbishop of Canterbury

Nashe’s style and pseudonyms

Disagreements with the Gabriel brothers

Nash’s Dildo

Pearse Penniless

Summers Last Will and Testament, his only surviving solo-authored play

The Unfortunate Traveller

Christ’s Tears Over Jerusalem and Imprisonment

Terrors Of the Night

The Isle Of Dogs and the closure of theatres in the summer 1597

Nash’s Lentern Stuff and his final years

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To celebrate Shakespeare's birthday a special episode with guest Colin David Reese, actor, author and performer of 'Shakespeare Unbound', a one man play about the creation of the First Folio Edition of Shakespeare's plays, which was published 400 years ago this year.

David spoke to me previously (see bonus episode 'Shakespeare Unbound') about his play and the creation of the first folio and he makes a welcome return here to further discuss our continuing fascination with Shakespeare, how we view his genius, and what the truth really is behind that image.

Find out more about David's work and 'Shakespeare Unbound' at www.shakespeareunbound.com

Support the podcast at:

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Episode 95:

The life and plays of some of the lesser known playwrights of the Tudor period.

George Gascoigne - his shady life story and his Italian translations into English prose.

Robert Greene - how he carved out a professional writers life from an unpromising start, his plays, and that notorious comment about Shakespeare.

Thomas Lodge - a prodigious talent who sought out an adventurous life and wrote two verse plays.

Thomas Preston - A Fellow of Cambridge University who wrote plays in many different styles.

Collaboration in the Tudor period.

George Peele - part of the 'university wits' set, best known for 'The Araynment of Paris' and 'The Battle of Alcazar', but 'The Old Wife's Tale' is the most thought provoking.

John Lily - A son of the establishment Lily produced plays for the court performed by the boy acting troupe at St Paul's School. His work is remembered for it's carefully crafted language that remained influential, but he never crossed over into the mainstream of the public playhouse.

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Nick Bromley has had a long career as a Stage Manager and Company Stage Manager and has worked on many UK tours and West End shows. He recently collated his acquired knowledge into a dictionary of theatrical terms, myths and stories called 'Theatre Lore'. He kindly agreed to come and talk to me about his life and career and his book.

You can order a copy of 'Theatre Lore' direct from Nick at his website https://lnpbooks.co.uk/

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Episode 94:

Gorboduc the first tragedy in blank verse

The lives of the co-authors Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville

The plot of the play including the description of the opening dumb show

The origins of the Gorboduc story

The political message of the play

How the play incorporates ideas and style from Seneca, Aristotle, and the medieval traditions

The use of allegorical characters

The problems whit the play as good drama

The play as an academic debate

The second printing of the play

The innovation of bank verse

The highpoint of the play

How satisfactory , or not, is the ending of the play?

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A Bonus episode featuring a sample of the content available to members subscribed to The History Of European Theatre on Patreon. To join up go to: www.patreon.com/thoetp

Support the podcast at:

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Episode 93:

The earliest extant plays from the Tudor period include comedies and a historical morality, which give an insight into how theatre developed.

A summary of the elements that came together to make Tudor theatre a very special development.

Students and Masters become playwrights looking to Seneca

Nicolas Udal, schoolmaster and writer of the earliest surviving comedy

A summary of Ralph Roister Doister

The problem of the authorship of Gammer Gurton's Needle

A summary of Gammer Gurton's Needle

John Bale and the manuscript of King Johan

A summary of the plot of King Johan

How King Johan works as a morality play, a history play and a tragedy.

Support the podcast at:

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