Maxine Peake in Hamlet

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I was at the Manchester Royal Exchange (just 45 minutes up the West Coast Mainline) to see Maxine Peake play Shakespeare’s Danish prince. Peake was mesmerizing as she strode the stage, at once sinister in her madness and profound in her insights. The run is extended, and sold out.

The production was very special, but I have yet to arrive at a satisfactory explanation for the translation of Polonius into the female counselor, Polonia, while Peake’s Hamlet remained a Prince. The reverence to tradition is neatly complemented by some neat contemporary gestures (such as the Liverpudlian gravedigger with an ipod), but I’m not convinced by the play-within-a-play scene.

Ibsen’s Ghost at the New Vic

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Students from all years joined staff at the New Vic theatre near the uni for a staging of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts (1881). A revival of Richard Eyre’s excellent production explored issues of generational conflict, rapidly changing social conventions, and moral hypocrisy at the end of the 19th century (http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/sep/20/richard-eyre-spirit-ibsen-ghosts). A few of us then had a bite to eat and a pint at the Polite Vicar next door, and caught the 2nd half of Stoke City v Newcastle (which was a lot less exciting than Ibsen).

We’ll be taking in the excellent Northern Broadside’s production of Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer at the Vic in November (http://newvictheatre.org.uk/she-stoops-to-conquer).

A beautiful few days in Madrid

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I was in Madrid in September to examine a European PhD. The thesis, written in English by a Spanish student and examined in both Spanish and English, explored Paul Auster’s work through Blanchot’s concept of the space of literature. It was a fantastic piece of work and fully deserved the plaudits of the examining committee.

Madrid is a beautiful and relaxed city and while there we had to take the chance to visit the galleries and enjoy some fantastic meals out. We dined at Casa Labra just behind Puerta del Sol and, apparanetly, Lorca’s local. The tapas there is fantastic. I spent a few hours at the El Greco exhibition in the Prado, which traces the influence of El Greco on the Impressionists, surrealists and abstract expressionist of the 20th century. Every painting in this exhibition left me breathless and the overall experience is, quite frankly, overwhelming. The influence of paintings such as The Vision of St John on, for example, Matisse is arresting.

We also spent an amazing hour or more in the presence of Picasso’s Guernica at the Sofia. Just being in the same room as a piece of art as important as Guernica is a profound experience, and I recommend it to anyone who gets the chance.

We popped into the Thyssen as an after-thought and stayed until it closed. We focused mainly on the 20th/21st century and saw some inspiring pieces from the Impressionists, from Hopper, Dali and Bacon.

Sunday morning, before flying home, was spent in Parque del Retiro, where Madridians go to relax, busk, practice cheer-leading, boat, eat and generally be very, very cool.

Back to work for a rest after all that!

Dr. Burgass at the Stoke Literary Festival

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Catherine Burgass presented her paper ‘Pits, Pots and Poets’ on regional writing and Stoke’s literary heritage to a sell-out crowd at the inaugural Stoke Literary Festival (21st June).  Organised by Emma Bridgewater and Tristram Hunt MP, other speakers included the ‘aga saga’ novelist Joanna Trollope and leading cultural commentator Melvyn Bragg.  (Catherine’s daughter Eleanor won a short-story prize in the associated ‘Too Write’ competition.)

c burgass stoke festivalhttp://www.stokeliteraryfestival.org/dr-catherine-burgass-discusses-pits-pots-and-poets/

 

Dr Mark Brown guest edits journal special issue

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Dr Mark Brown has guest edited an issue of the journal Critical Engagements to mark the 25th anniversary of the publication of Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy. Papers were developed from an earlier symposium, with contributors coming from the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Australia. Mark published an early study on Auster’s work (http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/cgi-bin/indexer?product=9780719073977) and has contributed essays on Auster’s books and films to a number of edited collections.

Cover of Critical Engagements: A Journal of Criticism and Theory

Critical Engagements: A Journal of Criticism and Theory

 

Brand new theatre in the Potteries

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I was at Burslem School of Art for the first night of Ugly Duck, written by local playwright Deborah McAndrew, and staged by her Potteries based company, Claybody Theatre. A touching performance showed the humour of the region’s communities in facing the tough years of industrial decline, the emasculation of the city’s industrial workforce, and the negotiation of a complicated future – all through the dialogue of a naked man wearing a Port Vale hat with an artist painting his portrait. Reviews have been great and the play has been widely acclaimed (http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Theatre-review-Ugly-Duck/story-20083609-detail/story.html).

Long Poem Magazine: Issue 10 Launch

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It was a privilege to read this week at the Barbican Library last Wednesday, October 23rd, as part of the launch of Long Poem Magazine Issue 10, and I offer me sincerest gratitude to the editors, Linda Black and Lucy Hamilton for agreeing to publish my new long poem ‘Kernel Stone’ in this issue.

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