SARC Anonymous Colloquium coming in January

SARC schedules "The Anonymous Colloquium" for January 28 & 29, 2012

Shakespeare Authorship Research Centre (SARC) Director Dan Wright, PhD announced that SARC and Portland Center Stage will host "The Anonymous Colloquium" on January 28 and 29, 2012 at the Gerding Theatre at the Armory in downtown Portland, Oregon. Wright said that the purpose of the colloquium is to ". . . discuss approaches to teaching the Shakespeare authorship question with the aid of [Roland Emmerich's film]Anonymous and to develop a curriculum that the SARC will publish for use in schools, colleges and universities across the USA and around the world."

Seattle opening of Anonymous --- October 28

Landmark is opening Emmerich's movie "Anonymous" in Seattle on Friday, October 28th at "Seven Gables Theater" located at the corner of NE 50th St and Roosevelt Ave in the University District.
SSOS is considering attending the Nov 5 matinee together. 

Discussion of Authorship Question and "Anonymous" Sunday Oct 23, 2011 in Madrona

Anonymous
written by John Orloff, produced and directed by Roland Emmerich featuring Vanessa Redgrave as the  elder Queen Elizabeth and her daughter Joely Richardson as the young Elizabeth – be among the first in Seattle to see this provocative film…

Free Tickets* to a special October 26th preview screening will be provided to the first 100 people
attending this event: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Sunday, October 23rd - 4:30 pm,
Epiphany Parish Church 1805 38th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

Settle into this beautiful ‘Old English’ architecture of Epiphany Parish and join our guest speaker Prof. Andrew Ryder facilitate a discussion about the century old debate about the “authorship” of the Shakespearian works. Regard less of whether you believe that William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon is the author or if you believe another wrote under his name the discussion will be fascinating and lively. Following the authorship presentation our special guest Peggy Jordon will present a “Hollywood family insider’s view” of the writing and production of the film. Ms. Jordan grew up in a Hollywood family. (Her parents were involved in the industry and she is the Granddaughter of famed radio personalities Fibber McGee and Molly. Peggy herself has been involved in historic radio productions and - most importantly for this presentation - is the mother of John Orloff author of the screen play for Anonymous.) Peggy will talk about life in her Hollywood family and watching her son John Orloff (A Mighty Heart; Band of Brothers, etc.) through the many years long process as he developed “Anonymous” from concept to script through filming.

“Within his words...    Between the lines…   the truth…   Lies"

Admission $20.00 per person: By reservation or first come at the door.

For reserved seats: Make checks payable to: Seattle ESU

Mail to: ESU C/O Larry Woodin 37218 42nd Av S. Auburn, WA 98001

The reservation list will be at the door. Question? Call Larry Woodin, (206) 794-5276

. . . . .

Please reserve ______ seats for the October 23rd Shakespeare event at Epiphany Parish

Name ________________________________________

Day Phone (     ) ________________________

Email (please write clearly) _______________________________________________________________

Enclose your check for $20.00 per person. Please note: *The free October 26th Preview Screening tickets are “first come” tickets. They will be distributed and instructions provided at the October 23rd event.

November 15 Meeting

For the meeting on November 15 please read "A Midsummer-Night's Dream."
Seattle Shakes performances start soon.

Tom Coad: Shakespeare authorship--a collaborative venture

Tom Coad's comments on Shakespeare Authorship as a collaborative venture

Presentation at the December 15, 2010 SSOS Wessex meeting in Seattle

Shakespeare Authorship
Tom Coad

Theatre productions were major entertainment in Queen Elizabeth’s court. Aristocrats financed groups of players, such as

Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Children of St. Paul

Oxford’s Boys

Earl of Warwick’s Men

Oxford’s Men

Hundreds of plays were given at Elizabeth’s Court. Records of Court Revels name no authors.

Some plays had titles similar to Shakespeareplays, and may have been early versions of some of his canon.

Queen Elizabeth actively supported the court theater. She may have suggested plays to promote the monarchy.

Players, as well as aristocrats, could have participated in modifying or suggesting language and plots.

The court provided an unusually creative situation in which gifted individuals participated and vied for the Queen’s attention.

Collaboration, with intelligent participants, is a productive way to enhance creativity. We know that “Hamlet”had earlier versions, as did “Twelfth Night,” “A Midsummer Nights Dream,” and others, which may have been modified by others in the Court and elsewhere. Some plots existed in Latin literature.

Collaboration was used to produce Homer, Beowulf, the King James Bible (which the 17th Earl may have helped edit if he “disappeared” but did not die in 1604), clever TV episodes (such as Seinfeld), and many movies.

The argument in favor of collaboration, while only a theory, fits the circumstances. By supplying a different perspective, it also describes a situation in which the plays could grow and take shape during the years when Edward had time for revision and rewriting. There was no pressure of deadlines, and the annual royal stipend of 1,000 pounds removed financial worries after 1586.

One can picture the plays as relatively empty boxes that Edward filled with poetic lines that he changed and massaged over a long period of time. His creative process probably did not take place in short bursts of genius. The lines were too deeply felt and carefully crafted. They seem to have evolved, rather being fashioned spontaneously to satisfy demands of a plot.

More research needs to be done. A first step might be to find records of the plots and language of plays delivered in public venues without specific attribution. There may have been more early versions of plays that evolved, and ended up in the Shakespeare canon.