January 2016 Lectures
The History of Pantomime
12th January 2016
Jane Tapley
In her lecture Jane examines the complex and fascinating story of how Pantomime developed out of its Greek and Roman roots through the religious plays of the Middle Ages to the Italian Commedia Dell'Arte.
She examines how the characters of the Harlequinade and how actors like Grimaldi, the most famous clown of all with his sausages and red hot poker, and Music Hall stars like Dan Leno and Vesta Tilley, through to today's television actors, have all contributed to the art of Pantomime.
This lively and entertaining account is illustrated with slides from Victorian prints and playbills to production shots of Pantomime and original paintings by Beryl Cook.
Jane Tapley is currently Special Events Organiser, Theatre Royal Bath. She is also an author and researcher of theatre programme notes on Hamlet, Sheridan's The Rivals and Jane Austen's Emma and a TV consultant to various productions.
She examines how the characters of the Harlequinade and how actors like Grimaldi, the most famous clown of all with his sausages and red hot poker, and Music Hall stars like Dan Leno and Vesta Tilley, through to today's television actors, have all contributed to the art of Pantomime.
This lively and entertaining account is illustrated with slides from Victorian prints and playbills to production shots of Pantomime and original paintings by Beryl Cook.
Jane Tapley is currently Special Events Organiser, Theatre Royal Bath. She is also an author and researcher of theatre programme notes on Hamlet, Sheridan's The Rivals and Jane Austen's Emma and a TV consultant to various productions.
The Tale of the Tulip The Rise & Fall of this Spectacular Flower
19th January 2016
Russell Bowes
In the middle of the 14th century, a beautiful and exotic visitor from the east set foot on European soil for the very first time. With an extensive wardrobe of colourful veils of glistening silk shielding her dark and mysterious eyes from the gaze of the curious, the captivating visitor swept all before her and made people her willing slaves. Her beauty became the stuff of legend and she could bring prestige and riches to anyone who courted her favour. But within 150 years she would fall from grace within the course of a single week.
Russell Bowes has been a freelance speaker on garden history subjects since 2000, since when he has given talks at The Eden Project, National Portrait Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Blenheim Palace and the Chelsea Physic Garden.
Russell Bowes has been a freelance speaker on garden history subjects since 2000, since when he has given talks at The Eden Project, National Portrait Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Blenheim Palace and the Chelsea Physic Garden.
Chusan Island - Britain’s First Chinese Island
26th January 2016
Liam D’Arcy Brown
Before the Union Jack ever flew over Hong Kong, it had been raised on Chusan. From a wealth of primary archives, Liam D'Arcy-Brown pieces together the forgotten story of how the British wrested Chusan from the Qing dynasty, only to hand it back for the sake of Queen Victoria's honour and Britain's national prestige.
At a time when the Chinese Communist Party is inspiring a new brand of patriotism by revisiting the shame inflicted during the Opium Wars, here is a talk that puts Britain's incursions into nineteenth-century China in a fascinating and revealing new light.
After reading Chinese at Oxford, Liam went on to study China’s ancient history in Shanghai on a British Council scholarship. He worked as a tour escort for Voyages Jules Verne before turning to travel writing. His books on China include, Green Dragon, Sombre Warrior, and The Emperor’s River.
At a time when the Chinese Communist Party is inspiring a new brand of patriotism by revisiting the shame inflicted during the Opium Wars, here is a talk that puts Britain's incursions into nineteenth-century China in a fascinating and revealing new light.
After reading Chinese at Oxford, Liam went on to study China’s ancient history in Shanghai on a British Council scholarship. He worked as a tour escort for Voyages Jules Verne before turning to travel writing. His books on China include, Green Dragon, Sombre Warrior, and The Emperor’s River.
The Hull Literary & Philosophical Society is registered as a Charity No 507226