Beautiful inspiring piece by Gus Casely-Hayford as V&AEast opens. Still remember a school trip from my East London school to the Tate. We were allowed to choose 1 postcard. I chose Millais’s Ophelia, mentioned here, & like to think it began a career-long engagement with responses to Shakespeare.
As a supplement to the piece in The Times Literary Supplement (@thetls.bsky.social), www.the-tls.com/regular-feat..., here’s a (rather long!) thread on Shakespeare’s house in the Blackfriars, what we knew, and what we now know, with some links to key documents. (1/20)
An arch frames a view of a 12th century portico with an angle clearly visible - the stone is light coloured against the teal blue of the door.
Another in the infrequent series “Things you can do by train” (and by foot of course but we didn’t quite have that much stamina) …
#SantiagoDeCompostela
A large group of people are gathered to watch the sunset between two headlands and over a stretch of calm water.
Things you can do by train #Donastia
Would have been nice to be in the room for that one. Hope it goes really well.
Hope you manage a proper big screen outing. ❤️
I had the same issue at Keele compounded by fact I couldn’t access the control box to control the volume. The person leading the lab next door was not best pleased with me but students loved the added drama!
30th anniversary screening of Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet @everymancinema.bsky.social this evening. First came out when I was a a newly minted academic. No matter how many times I have taught this, analysed it in my research, or just blasted out the soundtrack, it still gets me every time. ❤️
A group of spectators have gathered in a section of the National Gallery to watch a profane by a group of Royal Holloway students in front of early modern paintings . The red wall and multiple hanging pictures can be seen as well as the ornate white roof
Wonderful to spend a Friday evening watching our @royalholloway.bsky.social drama students performing works responding to specific images in the National Gallery’s early modern art collection.
Three purple and white chequerboard snakeshead fritillaries in bright green grass and caught by morning sunlight
A source of joy on our campus this week. Snakeshead fritillaries catching the morning light.
Many and various from potters to utensil makers and glass blowers to basketry but all with an emphasis on handwork … lovely accompanying film too of makers in their workshops
Image shows two small square ish ceramic dishes each is white porcelain with blue decoration and the tiniest hint of brown. The first shows a person cross legged in a blue kimono eating noodles from a brown bowl with chopsticks. The second shows the same person still cross legged but with bowl now fully to face to finish off the broth with the chopsticks dealt held to the side.
An exhibition on exquisite yet practical Japanese craft at the Japan House followed by hand pulled noodles in a nearby restaurant. #Saturday
Lucky us! 😊 www.linkedin.com/posts/julie-...
@profjsanders.bsky.social @alice-gregory.bsky.social @jakketamminen.bsky.social
🎙️ Life & Language explores how language shapes the way we see the world.
Hosted by Prof. @michamahlberg.bsky.social. Now in its 5th season with 28 episodes and brilliant guests across disciplines.
Curious about how words shape life?
🎧 Join the conversation.
Thanks to @theobserveruk.bsky.social for their coverage of The 2026 National Humanities Lecture, delivered earlier this week at Senate House by Elif Shafak.
The piece highlights the vital role humanities play in our education and culture.
📰 Read more here: observer.co.uk/news/columni...
“Our Man in Moscow” is so worth watching. A complicated love story with a complicated country and a tale of fiercely committed and endlessly compassionate journalism
… and, dare I say it, a wonderful example of the power of studying modern languages.
Seems to be streaming on Prime. I ended up just paying for the 10 part series as a one off through Apple as it has been on my to do list for way too long!
Great to hear about that, Kris.
With strong Shakespearean threads, Station Eleven haunted me as a novel during the pandemic. Have now finally caught up with the remarkable tv adaptation.
What survives of us, what’s worth preserving .. care, theatre, music, love, togetherness …
just need to find words to write about this now.
She is a wonder and I am so glad we get to bask in the company of her words from time to time.
Terrific. Radiant. Humble. 🕷️🕸️www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/23/ali-sm...
Some great observations from Sasha Roseneil our co chair of Research Plus in this piece. I am proud of the collaborative instincts that underpin the aspirations and objectives of the RPlus grouping.
Vivid red sunset over a silhouetted building with many towers and turrets
Quite the skies this evening
short eared owl sitting with ear tufts up on slope with scrubby long grass
short eared owl in flight over scrubby grassland with people walking in front of chain link fence and building in the background
short eared owl on grassy slope looking sideways.
On the fourth day of Christmas the winds may bring to you a migrant #ShortEaredOwl - just the time they may be arriving on our coasts after their long journey. Here's a little tale about two we saw around new year this year. #Owls #TheCompanyOfOwls #TweetOfTheDay www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
A Woman Holding a Lily-of-the-Valley and a Pansy attributed to Marx Reichlich, 1464–1538.
(The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London) You can never go wrong with lilies.
Theatre ❤️
A Christmas tree made of knitted squares with knitted and crocheted decorations
Behold! The famous Orkney Library & Archive knitted #Christmas tree begins another season of festive cheer in the library! 🎄🧶❤️
