OTP 2022 Hub Programme - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

The programme begins with a presentation from Jim Ranahan, Collections Archivist at the

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. This talk, devised exclusively for OUTing the Past Festival,

explores how LGBTQ+ lived experiences are glimpsed ‒ and masked ‒ through the Trust’s

collections. Jim will examine the SBT’s ‘Proud Shakespeare’ approach: how it re-presents

existing records, and how it seeks to reflect ‘today’s history’ by engaging with the LGBTQ+

community and through contemporary collecting. This presentation offers a unique

encounter with the Trust’s collections, and the important research carried out by its archivists

in bringing forth the stories it holds.

Following Jim’s talk, we will welcome Cheryl Morgan to share her presentation on ‘Girls on

Stage’. This presentation, which promises tantalizing new research into the adult lives of

Shakespearean ‘boy’ actors, seeks to uncover the complex gender play at work when boys

represented female characters on stage. As Cheryl’s presentation will reveal, this was not

just a tradition of Shakespearean theatre, but one which extended throughout centuries and

across cultures - from the stages of Ancient Greece to Japanese kabuki theatre.

To round off the festival, the programme is completed by the ‘Shake Up! Showcase’, brought

to us by 1623 Theatre Company. During lockdown, 1623 Theatre Company’s ‘Shake Up!’

video series invited

LGBTQIA+ artists to mix their own experiences of marginalisation

and social injustices with a shot of Shakespeare. During this showcase, four short videos

will be screened, followed by an audience Q+A with the artists. This promises to be an

uplifting event, closing out the festival with a creative activity and a chance to share

thoughts and experiences.

All the presentations will take place virtually via Zoom, and will be free to attend. Tickets will

be available to book in January; keep an eye on our website for more information:

Jenny ArdreyJanuary 6, 2022