It has been far too long since I posted anything, so I thought I would return with a poem. This is one I wrote a while ago, but it is still one of my favourites. I wrote it following the death of my Nan, so it’s partly a reminder of her.
Continue reading “Reunion”
Don Juan in Soho
I was immensely fortunate to be given tickets to see Don Juan in Soho as a Christmas present. Being a fan of Renaissance and Restoration drama – as well as having something of a man-crush on DT – it had the potential to be a perfect gift. So nearly five months to the day since Christmas, up I went to Wyndham’s Theatre with my partner in tow (perhaps even more of a DT fan) and waited with baited breath…
Continue reading “Don Juan in Soho”
The Beauty of Macbeth
Macbeth is a play seldom associated with beauty; but having recently picked it up again, I have been blown away by just how beautifully written and structured it is. Admittedly it’s a rather horrific beauty, but still…
Continue reading “The Beauty of Macbeth”
Branagh’s Romeo and Juliet – A Jacobian Triumph
The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s residency of The Garrick Theatre is drawing to a close. Early on, I was exceptionally fortunate to see their production of A Winter’s Tale; though not a favourite play of mine, I thought the production was excellent and the acting – especially of Sir Branagh himself – enthralling.
It was with great anticipation, then, that I made my way back to the Garrick last month to watch Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Having been bowled over with The Winter’s Tale, I expected the same from this production, especially with Derek Jacobi as Mercutio and the much-lauded pairing of Richard Madden and Lily James in the eponymous roles. Continue reading “Branagh’s Romeo and Juliet – A Jacobian Triumph”
Blessed
The first days of Spring break
Winter’s grip on the world.
The snows retreat,
the frosts diminish,
and the frozen earth
gives birth to new life.
Snowdrops pale the greening grass,
early petals splash a fractured rainbow,
and daffodils nod like kings,
their crowns asserting life’s dominion.
Nature unites in a glorious wave
goodbye to what has passed;
and every new year savours like success,
reminding all that lives that life is blessed.
The Dehumanisation of Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale
An initial reading of Margaret Atwood’s1 novel will allow you to identify some relatively straightforward ways that Offred is dehumanised: Continue reading “The Dehumanisation of Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale”
What does Shakespeare mean to me?
A former mentor of mine at Lancaster University posed a question via Twitter: What does Shakespeare mean to you? I couldn’t possibly let the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s death pass without a post, and I thought that this would be a great question to answer. Continue reading “What does Shakespeare mean to me?”
The Merchant of Venice?
I have always found the title of this particular play problematic as the majority of productions I have seen – and a great deal of criticism – focus predominantly on the character of Shylock. So if Antonio is the actual merchant of Venice, why does he seem to be a comparatively marginal character? Continue reading “The Merchant of Venice?”
An Inspector Calls (BBC, 2015)
Having recorded Drama Republic‘s 2015 adaptation of J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls when it aired on the BBC in September, I finally got around to watching it this Easter. Having been a set GCSE text since I started teaching, I am pretty familiar with the play. This production has a great number of strengths, though I must admit to having had somewhat mixed feelings by the time the credits rolled. Continue reading “An Inspector Calls (BBC, 2015)”
Introduction and Welcome
Hello and welcome to my blog. The purpose of this introduction is to outline the types of things you can expect to be covered within these pages. If you’d like to find out more about me then just click on the About link.
Jonny English 