The word "impeticos" is only used once in Shakespeare's plays, and that's in Twelfth Night Find out what this surprising word really means on this week's Weird Word Wednesday.

In this week's show Lee tells us about how starlings would swarm in large groups, forming clouds of birds over the sky. In this 17th century illustration, you can see residents of a town gathering outside to watch the spectacle. www.cassidycash.com/ep418

NEW EPISODE: In Henry IV, Hotspur threatens to torture Richard with a talking bird (yes, really). Starlings were taught to speak in the 16thC, though not usually for tormenting your enemies. Explore the real history behind this bird w historian Lee Raye @LeafyHistory www.cassidycash.com/ep418

We have over 20 additional illustrations, paintings, &photographs all about 16thC Venice, Cyprus under Ottoman rule, Venetian leader Michael Bragadin, and more packed inside the Research Vault in That Shakespeare Society. Become a member to see all the extras www.patreon.com/posts/153529...

The Ottomans captured Cyprus, but the victory was marked by brutality: Christian defenders were massacred, & Venetian commander Marcantonio Bragadin was flayed alive—an act that shocked Europe. His preserved skin is still kept in Venice’s Basilica of San Giovanni e Paolo. www.cassidycash.com/ep417

Why does Ulysses invoke the word "insisture" when talking about the heavens and the planets in "Troilus and Cressida"? Find out in this week's Weird Word Wednesday.

The Siege of Famagusta was relatively recent history when Shakespeare staged Othello. Famagusta fell to the Ottomans in 1571, Othello was first performed 33 years later in 1604. www.cassidycash.com/ep417

NEW EPISODE: Othello’s Cyprus wasn’t just fiction—it was shaped by real war, and real people. We’re joined today by Michael Walsh to explore the Siege of Famagusta, Venetian rule, and the Ottoman conflict that would have felt strikingly recent to Shakespeare’s audience. www.cassidycash.com/ep417

April is Shakespeare's Birthday month, but did you know his actual birth date is a guess? Let's explore how we know when Shakespeare was born by asking, "Did Shakespeare Have a Birth Certificate?" Find out right now on YouTube: youtu.be/IFPrZq9iaFU

Inside That Shakespeare Society this week: real Renaissance tennis courts, surviving equipment, and rare woodcuts & manuscripts showing how the game was played in Shakespeare’s lifetime.
Dive in: www.cassidycash.com/ep416

Our guest this week, @LaurenceGrove9 shares with us the details of how tennis balls were made in Shakespeare's lifetime. They were heavy, hand sewn, filled with animal hair, and did not bounce. www.cassidycash.com/ep416

A Match By Any Other Name: When researching Renaissance tennis courts, try searching for “real tennis”—the modern term for the historic indoor game known in France as "jeu de paume", widely played across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. www.cassidycash.com/ep416

When Henry V opens the Dauphin’s box of tennis balls—what did those tennis balls look like? Why was it an insult? Explore the history of Renaissance tennis games, equipment, courts, and players with @LaurenceGrove9 www.cassidycash.com/ep416

In the 16th century, dyed eggs were rolled down hills, given as gifts, and even decorated with gold leaf. This week inside Experience Shakespeare, try out traditional egg dyeing with natural ingredients—just like they used in Shakespeare’s day. www.patreon.com/thatshakespe...

Explore Easter in Shakespeare’s world with period woodcuts and records of seasonal traditions like “creeping to the cross,” Easter sepulchers, and more.
🎧 Listen while you browse the detailed show notes—available now on Patreon.
🔗 www.patreon.com/posts/129305...

Did you know Elizabeth I washed the feet of 39 poor women on Maundy Thursday in 1572—then kissed them and gave alms? This royal Easter tradition wasn’t just symbolic—it was one of the most sacred rituals of the season. Learn more about it in this week’s episode. www.cassidycash.com/ep415

Easter in Shakespeare’s England was a season of rituals, feasting, and fun. From Shrove Tuesday pancakes to eggs, we’re diving into the full celebration with historian Peter Marshall.
🎧 New episode out now: Easter in Shakespeare’s England
🔗 Listen here: www.cassidycash.com/ep415

Want to see images of 16th century monkeys and apes? Come inside That Shakespeare Society where you can see visual history related to our conversation and participate in the after-show discussion with our guest! www.patreon.com/posts/152336...

In the 16-17th century, monkeys are often depicted as doing jobs like barbers and even painters. www.cassidycash.com/ep414

A monkey on a chain might look strange today—but in Shakespeare’s lifetime exotic monkeys were imported and kept as status symbols at court.
www.cassidycash.com/ep414

NEW EPISODE: Explore the monkeys, apes, and other primates that were popular not only as pets but actually participated on stage for entertainment in Shakespeare's England, with our guest, Teresa Grant. www.cassidycash.com/ep414

I FINALLY watched Hamnet, and firstly--it's incredible! But did you notice they called Shakespeare's wife Agnes instead of Anne? There's a historical reason for that choice. Let me explain inside my review of this new film about the Shakespeares, right now on YouTube. youtu.be/xUtcsql4l98

Want to see some paintings of Tudor toys and childhood games? Come inside That Shakespeare Society where you can see visual history related to our conversation and participate in the after-show discussion with our guest! www.patreon.com/posts/152328...

One popular children's toy during Shakespeare's lifetime was the pinwheel. A child playing with one is shown here in 1500. www.cassidycash.com/ep413

It's time for Weird Word Wednesday, and this week we look at "apple john" which gets used three times in Shakespeare's plays. Think you know what it is? Find out right now: youtube.com/shorts/q03B0...

One of the popular baby toys for children were pieces of coral that were used as teethers. www.cassidycash.com/ep413

NEW EPISODE: What did children play with in Shakespeare's lifetime? Historian Dr. Julia Martins joins me to explore Tudor childhood—from rattles and dolls to playground games and hobby horses. www.cassidycash.com/ep413

In Shakespeare’s London, people didn’t just rent houses—they rented clothes. Velvet gowns, silk doublets, and jeweled outfits could be hired to look like nobility for a day. Today’s episode explores the surprising history of clothing rentals in Tudor England. youtu.be/80thfHsLRNA

If seeing the documentation we've shared this week has you interested to learn more, come inside That Shakespeare Society to see the full detailed show notes for this week's show. Click on "That Shakespeare Society" to browse primary documents, archival evidence, and more. www.cassidycash.com/ep412

1612 Bellott v. Mountjoy Deposition: Court record from a London lawsuit where William Shakespeare appears as a witness, revealing he was living with the Mountjoy family on Silver Street at the time. www.cassidycash.com/ep412