Podcasts about midsummer night

Why does Samuel Pepys's diary still matter 200 years after it was first published? In her new book, The Strange History of Samuel Pepys's Diary, historian Kate Loveman examines how Pepys's extraordinary consistency as a diarist has made his writing one of the richest records of everyday life in Restoration England. Writing almost daily for nearly a decade, Pepys's diary documents everything from politics and scientific discoveries to theater and fashion. Even in times of crisis, Pepys reveals life's ordinary concerns, from worrying about the source of hair for wigs during the Great Plague to safeguarding a wheel of expensive Parmesan cheese during the Great Fire of London. He also offers a rare glimpse into contemporary theatergoing, recording audience reactions and his own opinions, including Shakespeare. He famously dismissed A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this episode, Loveman explores how Pepys's diary has been edited, published, censored, and rediscovered over centuries, entertaining readers from the Victorian era to the COVID-19 pandemic in the 21st century. Pepys's daily observations show how careful, habitual record-keeping can transform ordinary life into an invaluable historical resource. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published December 30, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. We had technical help from Hamish Brown in Stirling, Scotland, and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Final mixing services provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Kate Loveman is Professor of Early Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Leicester and an internationally recognized expert on Pepys and Restoration literature. She is the author of Reading Fictions, 1660–1740: Deception in English Literary and Political Culture; Samuel Pepys and his Books: Reading, Newsgathering, and Sociability, 1660–1703; and The Strange History of Samuel Pepys's Diary; and the editor of The Diary of Samuel Pepys for Everyman.

"Say, what abridgement have you for this evening? What masque? what music? How shall we beguile The lazy time, if not with some delight?" — A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act V, Scene 1 There are over a dozen mentions of masques, masquers, and masquing in Shakespeare's plays, and when it came to masques in England for the 16-17th century, no one did them better than Ben Jonson, who was known for staging truly spectacular feats of gradeur at the court of James I. Our guest is Martin Butler, Professor of Renaissance Drama at the University of Leeds, Fellow of the British Academy, and General Editor of the Cambridge Works of Ben Jonson. He has written extensively on early modern drama and Jonson's masques in particular, including how these productions functioned as political texts, cultural events, and artistic achievements. Martin joins us today to help us explore what a masque was exactly, how masques are different from a play, and why it was that Jonson's masques were so special. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivier nominee Emmanuel Akwafo (A Midsummer Night's Dream / For Black Boys) joins West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, for our first special end-of-year round-up episode!In this episode Andrew reveals his top five stage performances of 2025. Emmanuel shares his top shows and performance of the year, and they share submissions from West End Frame listeners too. Emmanuel is a producer, writer, director, award-winning actor and presenter. He originated the role of Pitch in For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy by Ryan Calais Cameron, performing the show at the New Diorama Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and Apollo Theatre. He received an Olivier Award nomination, along with his castmates, for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and won a Black British Theatre Award. This year Emmanuel starred as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bridge Theatre and won a Black British Theatre Award for his performance. His theatre credits also include Narrator in Sappho (Southwark Playhouse), Amiens in As You Like It (Globe Theatre), Mr Martin in The Bald Soprano (Leicester Square Theatre) and Jay in The Spalding Suite (Southbank Centre) as well as several pantomimes at the Lyric Hammersmith.Emmanuel's debut play Limp Wrist and the Iron First recently played a full run at Brixton House. He also directed and produced the show with his production company No Name Creatives. His producing projects have included the Black Print concert at the Phoenix Arts Club in London and Green Room 42 in New York. He also produced the Black Print panel at this year's MusicalCon, as well as readings of some more of his plays. Follow Emmanuel on Instagram: @eman.akwafoThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thank you for listening to The West End Frame Show in 2025 and for sharing your top performances of the year - we included as many of your contributions as possible. We're back soon to round up our top shows of the year. Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merry Christmas! In between looking at houses to rent and packing up the Granger house in Oklahoma City, Nick and John put together this yuletide conversation about perhaps the most neglected of Rowling's influences, Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle. John was a reluctant reader, but, while listening to the audio book, reading the Gutenberg.com file on his computer, and digging the codex out of his packed boxes of books, the author of Harry Potter's Bookshelf was totally won over to Nick's enthusiasm for Castle.In fact, John now argues that, even if Rowling didn't read it until she was writing Goblet of Fire as some have claimed, I Capture the Castle may be the best single book to understand what it is that Rowling-Galbraith attempts to do in her fiction. Just as Dodie Smith has her characters explain overtly and the story itself delivers covertly, When Rowling writes a story, like Smith it is inevitably one that is a marriage of Bronte and Austen, wonderfully accessible and engaging, but with important touches in the ‘Enigmatist' style of Joyce and Nabokov, full of puzzles and twists in the fashion of God's creative work (from the Estecean logos within every man [John 1:9] continuous with the Logos) rather than a portrait of creation per se. Can you say ‘non liturgical Sacred Art'?And if you accept, per Nick's cogent argument, that Rowling read Castle many times as a young wannabe writer? Then this book becomes a touchstone of both Lake and Shed readings of Rowling's work — and Smith one of the the most important influences on The Presence.Merry Christmas, again, to all our faithful readers and listeners! Thank you for your prayers and notes of support and encouragement to John and for making 2025 a benchmark year at Hogwarts Professor. And just you wait for the exciting surprises we have in hand for 2026!Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Twelve Questions and ‘Links Down Below' Referred to in Nick and John's I Capture the Castle Conversation:Question 1. So, Nick, we spoke during our Aurora Leigh recording about your long term project to read all the books that Rowling has admitted to have read (link down below!), first question why? and secondly how is that going?Rowling's Admitted Literary InfluencesWhat I want is a single internet page reference, frankly, of ‘Rowling's Admitted Literary Influences' or ‘Confessed Favorites' or just ‘Books I have Read and Liked' for my thesis writing so I needn't do an information dump that will add fifty-plus citations to my Works Cited pages and do nothing for the argument I'm making.Here, then, is my best attempt at a collection, one in alphabetical order by last name of author cited, with a link to at least one source or interview in which Rowling is quoted as liking that writer. It is not meant as anything like a comprehensive gathering of Rowling's comments about any author; the Austen entry alone would be longer than the whole list should be if I went that route. Each author gets one, maybe two notes just to justify their entry on the list.‘A Rowling Reading of Aurora Leigh' Nick Jeffery Talking about ‘A Rowling Reading of Aurora Leigh' Question 2. ... which has led me to three works that she has read from the point of view of writers starting out, and growing in their craft. Which leads us to this series of three chats covering Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith and the Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott. I read Castle during the summer. Amid all the disruptions at Granger Towers, have you managed to read it yet? How did you find it?Capturing Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle: Elizabeth Baird-Hardy (October 2011)Certain elements of the story will certainly resonate with those of us who have been to Hogwarts a fair few times: a castle with an odd combination of ancient and modern elements, but no electricity; eccentric family members who are all loved despite their individual oddities (including Topaz's resemblance to Fleur Delacour); travel by train; a character named Rose who may have been one of the reasons Rowling chose the name for Ron and Hermione's daughter; descriptions of food that make even somewhat questionable British cuisine sound tasty; and inanimate objects that have their own personalities (the old dress frame, which Rose and Cassandra call Miss Blossom, is voiced by Cassandra and sounds much like the talking mirror in Harry's room at the Leaky Caldron).But far more than some similar pieces, I Capture the Castle lends something less tangible to Rowling's writing. The novel has a tone that, like the Hogwarts adventures, seamlessly winds together the comic and the crushing in a way that is reflective of life, particularly life as we see it when we are younger. Cassandra's voice is, indeed, engaging, and readers will no doubt see how the narrative voice of Harry's story has some of the same features.A J. K. Rowling Reading of I Capture the Castle: Nick Jeffery (December 2025)Parallels abound for Potter fans. The Mortmain's eccentric household mirrors the Weasleys' chaotic warmth: loved despite quirks, from Topaz's nude communing with nature (evoking a less veiled Fleur Delacour) to Mortmain's intellectual withdrawal. Food descriptions—meagre yet tantalising—prefigure Hogwarts feasts, turning humble meals into sensory delights. Inanimate objects gain voice: the family dress-frame “Miss Blossom” offers advice, akin to the chatty mirrors or portraits in Rowling's world. Even names resonate—Rose Mortmain perhaps inspiring Ron and Hermione's daughter—and train journeys punctuate the plot.The Blocked Writer: James Mortmain, a father who spent his fame early and now reads detective novels in an irritable stupor, mirrors the “faded glory” or “lost genius” archetypes seen in Rowling's secondary characters, such as Xenophilius Lovegood and Jasper Chiswell.The Bohemian Stepmother: Topaz, who strides through the countryside in only wellington boots, shares the whimsical, slightly unhinged energy of a character like Luna Lovegood or Fleur Delacour.Material Yearning: The desperate desire of Cassandra's sister, Rose, to marry into wealth reflects the very real, non-magical pressures of class and poverty that Rowling weaves into Harry Potter, Casual Vacancy, Strike and The Ickabog.Leda Strike parallels: Leda Fox-Cotton the bohemian London photographer, adopts Stephen, the working-class orphan, and saves him from both unrequited love and the responsibility that comes with the Mortmain family.Question 3. [story of finishing the book last night by candle light in my electricity free castle] So, in short Nick, I thought it astonishing! I didn't read your piece until I'd finished reading Capture, of course, but I see there is some dispute about when Rowling first read it and its consequent influence on her as a writer. Can you bring us up to speed on the subject and where you land on this controversy?* She First Read It on her Prisoner of Azkaban Tour of United States?tom saysOctober 21, 2011 at 4:00 amIf I recall correctly, Rowling did not encounter this book until 1999 (between PoA & Goblet) when, on a book tour, a fan gave her a copy. This is pertinent to any speculation about how ‘Castle' might have influenced the Potter series.* Rowling Website: “Books I Read and Re-Read as a Child”Question 4. Which, when you consider the other books on that virtual bookshelf -- works by Colette, Austen, Shakespeare, Goudge, Nesbit, and Sewell's Black Beauty, something of a ‘Rowling's Favorite Books and Authors as a Young Reader' collection, I think we have to assume she is saying, “I read this book as a child or adolescent and loved it.” Taking that as our jumping off place, John, and having read my piece, do you wish you had read it before writing Harry Potter's Bookshelf?Harry Potter's Bookshelf: The Great Books behind the Hogwarts Adventures John Granger 2009Literary Allusion in Harry Potter Beatrice Groves 2017Question 5. So, yes, I certainly do think it belongs -- with Aurora Leigh and Little Women -- on the ‘Rowling Reader Essential Reading List.' The part I thought most interesting in your piece was, of course, the Shed elements I missed. Rowling famously said that she loved Jo Marsh in Little Women because, in addition to the shared name and the character being a wannabe writer, she was plain, a characteristic with which the young, plain Jane Rowling easily identified. What correspondences do you think Little Jo would have found between her life and Cassandra Mortmain's?* Nick Jeffery's Kanreki discussion of Rowling's House on Edge of Estate with Two Children, Bad Dad ‘Golden Thread' (Lethal White)Question 6. Have I missed any, John?* Rockefeller Chapel, University of ChicagoQuestion 7. Forgive me for thinking, Nick, that Cassandra's time in church taking in the silence there with all her senses may be the biggest take-away for the young Rowling; if the Church of England left their chapel doors open in the 70s as churches I grew up in did in the US, it's hard to imagine Jo the Reader not running next door to see what she felt there after reading that passage. (Chapter 13, conversation with vicar, pp 234-238). The correspondence with Beatrice Groves' favorite scene in the Strike novels was fairly plain, no? What other scenes and characters do you see in Rowling's work that echo those in Castle?* Chapter 13, I Capture the Castle: Cassandra's Conversation with the Vicar and time in the Chapel vis a vis Strike in the Chapel after Charlotte's Death* Beatrice Groves on Running Grave's Chapel Scene: ‘Strike's Church Going'Question 8. I'm guessing, John, you found some I have overlooked?Question 9. The Mortmain, Colly, and Cotton cryptonyms as well as Topaz and Cassandra, the embedded text complete with intratextuual references (Simon on psycho-analysis), the angelic servant-orphan living under the stairs (or Dobby's lair!) an orphan with a secret power he cannot see in himself, the great Transformation spell the children cast on their father, an experiment in psychomachia a la the Shrieking Shack or Chamber of Secrets, the hand-kiss we see at story's end from Smith, love delayed but expressed (Silkworm finish?), the haunting sense of the supernatural everywhere especially in the invocation that Rose makes to the gargoyle and Cassandra's Midsummer Night's Eve ritual with Simon, the parallels abound. Ghosts!* Please note that John gave “cotton” a different idiomatic meaning than it has; the correct meaning is at least as interesting given the Cotton family's remarkable fondness for all of the Mortmains!* Kanreki ‘Embedded Text' Golden Thread discussion 1: Crimes of Grindelwald* Kanreki ‘Embedded Text' Golden Thread discussion 2: Golden Thread Survey, Part II* Rose makes an elevated Faustian prayer to a Gargoyle Devil: Chapter IV, pp 43-46* Cassandra and Simon celebrate Midsummer Night's Eve: Chapter XII, pp 199-224Let's talk about the intersection of Lake and Shed, though, the shared space of Rowling's bibliography, works that shaped her core beliefs and act as springs in her Lake of inspiration and which give her many, even most of the tools of intentional artistry she deploys in the Shed. What did you make of the Bronte-Austen challenge that Rose makes explicitly in the story to her sister, the writer and avid reader?“How I wish I lived in a Jane Austen novel.” [said Rose]I said I'd rather be in a Charlotte Bronte.“Which would be nicest—Jane with a touch of Charlotte, or Charlotte with a touch of Jane?”This is the kind of discussion I like very much but I wanted to get on with my journal, so I just said: “Fifty percent each way would be perfect,” and started to write determinedly.Question 10. So, I'm deferring to both Elizabeth Barrett Browning and J. K Rowling. Elizabeth Barrett Browning valued intense emotion, social commentary, and a grand scope in literature, which led her to favour the passionate depth of the Brontës over the more restrained, ironical style of Jane Austen. Rowling about her two dogs: “Emma? She's a bundle of love and joy. Her sister, Bronte, is a bundle of opinions, stubbornness and hard boundaries.”Set in the 30s, written in the early 40s, but it seems astonishingly modern. Because her father is a writer, a literary novelist of the modern school, do you think there are other more contemporary novelists Dodie Smith was engaging than Austen and Bronte?Question 11. Mortmain is definitely Joyce, then, though Proust gets the call-out, and perhaps the most important possible take-away Rowling the attentive young reader would have made would have been Smith's embedded admiration for Joyce the “Enigmatist” she puts in Simon's mouth at story's end (Chapter XVI, pp 336-337) and her implicit criticism of literary novels and correction of that failing. Rowling's re-invention of the Schoolboy novel with its hidden alchemical, chiastic, soul-in-crisis-allegories and embedded Christian symbolism can all be seen as her brilliant interpretation of Simon's explanation of art to Cassandra and her dedication to writing a book like I Capture the Castle.* Reference to James Joyce by Simon Cotton, Chapter IX, p 139:* The Simon and Cassandra conversation about her father's novels, call it ‘The Writer as Enigmatist imitating God in His Work:' Chapter XVI, pp 331-334* On Imagination as Transpersonal Faculty and Non-Liturgical Sacred ArtSacred art differs from modern and postmodern conceptions of art most specifically, though, in what it is representing. Sacred art is not representing the natural world as the senses perceive it or abstractions of what the individual and subjective mind “sees,” but is an imitation of the Divine art of creation. The artist “therefore imitates nature not in its external forms but in its manner of operation as asserted so categorically by St. Thomas Aquinas [who] insists that the artist must not imitate nature but must be accomplished in ‘imitating nature in her manner of operation'” (Nasr 2007, 206, cf. “Art is the imitation of Nature in her manner of operation: Art is the principle of manufacture” (Summa Theologia Q. 117, a. I). Schuon described naturalist art which imitates God's creation in nature by faithful depiction of it, consequently, as “clearly luciferian.” “Man must imitate the creative act, not the thing created,” Aquinas' “manner of operation” rather than God's operation manifested in created things in order to produce ‘creations'which are not would-be duplications of those of God, but rather a reflection of them according to a real analogy, revealing the transcendental aspect of things; and this revelation is the only sufficient reason of art, apart from any practical uses such and such objects may serve. There is here a metaphysical inversion of relation [the inverse analogy connecting the principial and manifested orders in consequence of which the highest realities are manifested in their remotest reflections[1]]: for God, His creature is a reflection or an ‘exteriorized' aspect of Himself; for the artist, on the contrary, the work is a reflection of an inner reality of which he himself is only an outward aspect; God creates His own image, while man, so to speak, fashions his own essence, at least symbolically. On the principial plane, the inner manifests the outer, but on the manifested plane, the outer fashions the inner (Schuon 1953, 81, 96).The traditional artist, then, in imitation of God's “exteriorizing” His interior Logos in the manifested space-time plane, that is, nature, instead of depicting imitations of nature in his craft, submits to creating within the revealed forms of his craft, which forms qua intellections correspond to his inner essence or logos.[2] The work produced in imitation of God's “manner of operation” then resembles the symbolic or iconographic quality of everything existent in being a transparency whose allegorical and anagogical content within its traditional forms is relatively easy to access and a consequent support and edifying shock-reminder to man on his spiritual journey. The spiritual function of art is that “it exteriorizes truths and beauties in view of our interiorization… or simply, so that the human soul might, through given phenomena, make contact with the heavenly archetypes, and thereby with its own archetype” (Schuon 1995a, 45-46).Rowling in her novels, crafted with tools all taken from the chest of a traditional Sacred Artist, is writing non-liturgical Sacred Art. Films and all the story experiences derived of adaptations of imaginative literature to screened images, are by necessity Profane Art, which is to say per the meaning of “profane,” outside the temple or not edifying spiritually. Film making is the depiction of how human beings encounter the time-space world through the senses, not an imitation of how God creates and a depiction of the spiritual aspect of the world, a liminal point of entry to its spiritual dimension. Whence my describing it as a “neo-iconoclasm.”I want to close this off with our sharing our favorite scene or conversation in Castle with the hope that our Serious Reader audience will read Capture and share their favorites. You go first, Nick.* Cassandra and Rose Mortmain, country hicks in the Big City of London: Chapter VI, pp 76-77Question 12. And yours, John?* Cassandra Mortmain ‘Moat Swimming' with Neil Cotton, Chapter X, 170-174* Cassandra seeing her dead mother (think Harry before the Mirror of Erised at Christmas time?): Chapter XV, pp 306-308Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes below: Talking Shit With Tara Cheyenne is a Tara Cheyenne Performance Production www.taracheyenne.com Instagram: @TaraCheyenneTCP  /  FB: https://www.facebook.com/taracheyenneperformance Podcast produced, edited and music by Marc Stewart Music © 2025 Tara Cheyenne Performance   Subscribe/follow share through Podbean and Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts and Spotify.   Donate! To keep this podcast ad-free please go to:  https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/13386   Links:   https://bardonthebeach.org/education/   https://www.taracheyenne.com/carry-the-one   https://www.taracheyenne.com/wet-mess-workshop     About Mary: Mary Hartman (she/her) has combined an academic background and experience as a professional actor and director to create opportunities for people all ages to learn through participating in Shakespeare performance. Mary has played a variety of roles professionally including Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Horatio in Hamlet and Phebe in As You Like It and has directed productions of Shakespeare's plays in extraordinary situations, from a seven-person workshop of Measure for Measure to Julius Caesar with 150 fourth graders. As Director of Education at Bard on the Beach, she has designed and developed many new programs to inspire community through Shakespeare. She has traveled extensively to share strategies through associations of teachers and theatre professionals. She holds a master's degree from King's College, University of London and a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, and has received numerous awards and honours.  About Tara: Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, is an award winning creator, performer, choreographer, director, writer, and artistic director of Tara Cheyenne Performance, working across disciplines in film, dance, theatre, and experimental performance. She is renowned as a trailblazer in interdisciplinary performance and as a mighty performer "who defies categorization on any level". Along with her own creations Tara has collaborated with many theatre companies and artists including; Zee Zee Theatre, Bard on the Beach, ItsaZoo Theatre, The Arts Club, Boca De Lupo, Ruby Slippers, The Firehall Arts Centre, Vertigo Theatre (Calgary).  With a string of celebrated solo shows to her credit (including bANGER, Goggles, Porno Death Cult, I can't remember the word for I can't remember, Body Parts, Pants), multidisciplinary collaborations, commissions and boundary bending ensemble creations Tara's work is celebrated both nationally and internationally.  Tara is known for her unique and dynamic hybrid of dance, comedy and theatre. She is sought after for creating innovative movement for theatre and has performed her full length solos and ensemble works around the world (highlights: DanceBase/Edinburgh, South Bank Centre/London, On the Boards/Seattle USA, High Performance Rodeo/Calgary etc.). Recent works include a collaboration with Italian dance/performance artist Silvia Gribaudi, empty.swimming.pool, (Castiglioncello, Bassano, Victoria and Vancouver), ensemble creation, how to be,  which premiered at The Cultch, and her solo I can't remember the word for I can't remember, toured widely, and her newest solo Body Parts has been made into a stunning film which is currently touring virtually. Tara lives on the unceded Coast Salish territories with her partner composer Marc Stewart and their child. 

Send us a textShakespeare  Hello Mr. Smith. This is William Shakespeare the action figure, and I would be most remiss if I did not continue my narrative regarding my education in Stratford. You see, like many boys of my station, I probably attended the King's New School in Stratford. It has been so long that I must admit I am a bit foggy. The curriculum would have been heavy on Latin, rhetoric, and the classics. Day after day, I was been drilled in the works of Ovid, Seneca, and Plautus. Later, echoes of those schoolroom authors would resurface in my plays — such as Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as the Roman senators in Julius Caesar. Night watchmenSo when did you start using the alphabet and language so masterfully?ShakespeareI certainly intend to address that, but for now be patient, my fellow toys, be patient. You see, by 1582, when I was only eighteen, I married a lady by the name of Anne Hathaway,  Some scholars Believe that my wive's name was actually Agnes. In any case, our first daughter, Susanna, was born the following year. Twins, Hamnet and Judith, followed in 1585.  Unfortunately my dear son Hamnet later died as a result of the plague. And then comes the mystery: the so-called “lost years.” Between 1585 and 1592, I completely disappear from the historical record. No plays, no mentions, no documents, but what we do know is that by 1592, I was in the city of London and making a name for myself. A rival playwright, Robert Greene, derided me in print as an “upstart crow.” For all its venom, the insult is proof that I had arrived — I was already challenging the university-trained writers and beginning my rise to the very top of the Elizabethan stage.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

w/ Claudia Ann Knight, Hiatt Collins, Liz Collins, David Pena

F. Murray Abraham has appeared in more than 80 films including Amadeus (Academy Award, Golden Globe, and L.A. Film Critics Awards), The Phoenician Scheme, The Name of the Rose, Finding Forrester, Scarface, The Ritz, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Inside Llewyn Davis. A veteran of the stage, he has appeared in more than 90 plays, among them Uncle Vanya (Obie Award), Krapp's Last Tape, Trumbo, A Christmas Carol, the musical Triumph of Love, Cyrano de Bergerac, King Lear, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, Angels in America (Broadway), Waiting for Godot, and It's Only a Play. Mr. Abraham's work in experimental theater includes collaborations with Joe Chaiken, Pina Bausch, Time and Space Ltd, and Richard Foreman. He made his NY debut as a Macy's Santa Claus. He starred in the second season of HBO's “The White Lotus,” for which he received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Previously, he was a series regular on “Homeland” (2 Emmy nominations). He's appeared with Luciano Pavarotti, Maestros Levine, Tilson Thomas, Mazur, and Bell, and he made his solo singing debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. Mr. Abraham's book, A Midsummer Night's Dream: Actors on Shakespeare, is published by Faber & Faber. He is proud to be the spokesman for the MultiFaith Alliance for refugees worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Jane was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr. Bingley thought her quite beautiful . . . .” —Mrs. Bennet, Pride and PrejudiceJane Bennet, the eldest of the five Bennet sisters, is an undisputed beauty, but Austen tells us Jane also “unite[s] with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper, and an uniform cheerfulness of manner.” In this episode, we sit down with Susannah Harker—beloved by Janeites for her portrayal of Jane Bennet in the iconic 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice—to explore the nuances of Jane's character and Susannah's experiences bringing her to life on screen. We also touch on Susannah's theatrical heritage, the enduring appeal of the 1995 adaptation, and her plans for a new comedy-drama project, Jane Bennet's Second Spring.Actor and writer Susannah Harker is best known to Janeites for her role as Jane Bennet in the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries. Her extensive television work also includes many roles in mystery series and contemporary and period dramas, and she received a BAFTA award nomination for her role as Mattie in the original House of Cards. Among her film roles is that of Titania in A Caribbean Dream, an adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. On stage, she has starred in Abigail's Party, The Glass Menagerie, and many other plays. Harker is currently writing a script for a new comedy-drama project, Jane Bennet's Second Spring.For a transcript and show notes, visit https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep30/.*********Visit our website: www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookSubscribe to the podcast on our YouTube channelEmail: podcast@jasna.org

This episode we are joined my actor, singer and songwriter Jaedynn Latter! Jaedynn is currently playing Éponine on the US tour of Les Misérables which is also her national tour debut! Some of her credits include Waitress, Into the Woods, Ordinary Days, Great Comet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Jaedynn is also a singer/songwriter and you can listen to her album Point of You on all streaming music platforms!We speak with Jaedynn about her experience working on Les Misérables, touring the country and much more!

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (1595/1596) vs Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (1986)

Katelyn Miller--Mercutio from Romeo & JulietDoll Piccotto--Marc Antony from Julius CaesarSydney Harmon & Melissa Brown--Iachimo & Posthumus from CymbelinePat Tyler--Hamlet from HamletBryan Freeman--The Gaeler's Daughter from Two Noble KinsmanJames Lucas--Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream

Matt and Daryl welcome fellow podcaster (and quiz team member), LJ to the 1999 big screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. LJ is co-host of Bygones: The Ally McBeal Podcast. You can find the show via all good podcatchers. You can find all season artwork designs (from the ridiculously talented Stephen Trumble) on our Teepublic store. We also have our old intro themes and interludes over on Bandcamp. The intro theme was performed by Daryl Bär. Please drop us a Five Star Review us at Apple Podcasts, or a Five Star Rating on Spotify. Find us on Twitter and Instagram (@ispauldanook), and drop us an email at ispauldanook@gmail.com 

In this podcast episode, fangirl Jillian and her husband Tyler recap Maxton Hall Season 2 Episode 5 “Deceptive Lightness" - the most dramatic episode yet! From Mortimer's explosive return and the shocking phone reveal to Ruby's Oxford dreams being threatened, this episode is packed with twists, romance, and our favorite themed event yet. We unpack James' family chaos, Percy's backstory hints, the scholarship fallout, and the magical Midsummer Night's Dream party.Buy our merch: ⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/PreviouslyOnTeenTV⁠Follow Previously On Teen TV on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/previouslyon_teentv/Follow Previously On Teen TV on TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@previouslyon_teentv⁠⁠Subscribe to our YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe2lgvvZGKMrQ8v24FmDdWQ?sub_confirmation=1⁠

If you’ve ever left a can of soda in the freezer for too long, you can appreciate what happened to the largest moon of the planet Uranus: It cracked. Titania is almost a thousand miles in diameter – less than half the size of our moon. But it orbits Uranus at about the same distance as the Moon does from Earth. And like the Moon, it’s locked in such a way that the same hemisphere always faces its planet. When Titania was born, its interior was warm. But it quickly froze. As it did so, the surface cracked, creating some impressive canyons. The largest is a network known as Messina Chasma. Like Titania itself, it’s named for a character from Shakespeare – in this case, from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream`.” The canyons are more than 900 miles long, wrapping from the equator to near the south pole. They’re up to 60 miles wide, and miles deep. Few impact craters have scarred Messina, indicating that it’s fairly young. In fact, Titania’s entire surface appears to be younger than those of Uranus’s other big moons. That doesn’t mean the moon itself is younger. Instead, it probably was repaved by ice flowing from inside – resetting the clock for this fractured moon. Uranus is in view all night, in Taurus. And it’s closest to Earth for the year – 1.7 billion miles away. Despite the distance, it’s big enough that it’s an easy target for binoculars. But you need a decent telescope to see Titania. Script by Damond Benningfield

Consent is key! Even for the ladies. We still managed to have a few sexy experiences at a local house party!As always, thanks for listening!Can't wait to see you all at CASUAL SWINGER WEEK 3/14 - 3/21 2026!Support the people who support this show:Sapio Tours by Kate and Liam (Monogamish Marriage Podcast)Shameless Care (promo code: SUITELIFE)Expansive Connection!Be sure to SUBSCRIBE, RATE, & REVIEW! We appreciate any and all feedback!Check out our show and MANY others on FullSwapRadio!How to stay in-touch with us:Email: thesuitelifepodcast@gmail.comFollow us here for info on upcoming LIVE episodes:Instagram: @thesuitelifepodcastTwitter: @suitelifepodFacebook: Livin' the Suite Life (Tryst Loq Suitelife)Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Livin' the Suite Life Podcast YouTube Channel!

Another club in the Feywild leads to a welcomed reunion with a lost friend. Support OMAMAM by visiting our Patreon page -- https://www.patreon.com/omamamshow Visit our website -- https://www.omamamshow.com Find and support our sponsors at: fableandfolly.com/partners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The penultimate episode of The Spectacular Spider-Man is a jam-packed affair, and not just because Spidey is trapped in a prison full of villains! We talk about Black Cat's return (and bitter departure), her dad's surprising connection to Spidey's origin story, and the deftly handled parallel story of a high school performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Expect lots of Shakespeare deep dives, fanfic about St. John Devereaux dating Aaron Warren, a culmination of the Flash and Sha Shan romance, and final appearances of major characters!We're watching The Spectacular Spider-Man: Season 1, Episode 12: “Opening Night”.Website⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Discord⁠Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast CollectiveContact us: @WallopingWebPod on ⁠Bluesky⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠Email: ⁠wallopingwebsnapperspodcast@gmail.com⁠Theme song features: ⁠“Resonance (Cyan & Ladybot Remix)” by HOME⁠ | ⁠License (CC BY 3.0)⁠

Felix Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream: NocturneSlovak Philharmonic OrchestraAnthony Bramall, conductorMore info about today's track: Naxos 8.578213Courtesy of Naxos of America Inc.SubscribeYou can subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts, or by using the Daily Download podcast RSS feed.Purchase this recordingAmazon

Interview Date: May 11th, 2025Houston Ballet soloist Jacquelyn Long traces her path from living-room pliés with her mom (a former pro) to summer intensives, HBII, and the main company. She shares how relationships and coachability shaped her trajectory, why modern/contemporary versatility now matters as much as classical technique, and how social media helps—but shouldn't replace—the messy, vital process. We dig into audition materials, the “right” photos, favorite roles (Sylvia! Cinderella!), life as a working ballerina (weekly schedule, contracts, AGMA, benefits), pointe-shoe realities, nerves and mindset, longevity habits, and her growing passion for choreography. Plus: where to see her onstage next and practical encouragement for dancers finding their own path.Show Notes:(0:41) - Intro & bio; welcome Jacquelyn Long (2:20) - How she started; early training at home (2:24) - Mom steps back; Janina trains until 11 (3:14) - Houston Ballet intensives begin at 14 (5:31) - “Go where you're liked” scholarships lesson (6:49) - Relationships, coachability, work ethic matter(12:20) - Be versatile: modern/contemporary equals ballet (14:03) - Social media's role; process over perfection (16:03) - Audition toolkit: video, resume, show both styles (18:49) - Best photos: true headshot, first arabesque (20:32) - Favorite roles; Sylvia, Cinderella, new premieres (22:21) - Business mindset: many paths, trust timing (25:38) - Next chapter: choreography alongside performing (45:16) - Contracts, AGMA, pay cadence, key benefits(54:55) - Pointe shoes: custom Bloch, company-paid(57:46) - Final advice; where to see Houston BalletBiography:Jacquelyn Long began her ballet training under the direction of her mother, Suzanne Lownsbury, and Janina Michalski at Ballet Virginia. In 2010, she joined Houston Ballet II (HBII). After two years in the second company, Jacquelyn joined Houston Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member in 2012. Ms. Long was promoted to Soloist in 2016.Ms. Long has performed leading roles such as the title role in Stanton Welch's Sylvia; Hermia in John Neumeier's A Midsummer Night's Dream; Gamzatti in Stanton Welch's La Bayadère; Myrtha in Stanton Welch's Giselle; Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in Stanton Welch's The Nutcracker; Valencienne in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow; Carabosse and Princess Florine in Ben Stevenson's The Sleeping Beauty; Snow Queen in Ben Stevenson's The Nutcracker; Miranda in Stanton Welch's Romeo and Juliet.  She has also danced featured roles in George Balanchine's Serenade, Emeralds, Concerto Barocco, and Symphony in C; Jiří Kylián's Stepping Stones, Dreamtime, and Wings of Wax; Justin Peck's Year of the Rabbit and Under the Folding Sky; William Forsythe's Artifact Suite and In the middle somewhat elevated; Jorma Elo's ONE/end/ONE; Jerome Robbin's Fancy Free; Stanton Welch's Divergence, Paquita, Velocity, Maninyas, Tapestry, and Son of Chamber Symphony.Ms. Long was also featured in the Dancer's Spotlight of the 2013 October/November issue of Pointe Magazine and in the 2013 February issue of Dance Spirit Magazine.Connect on Social Media:Website - https://www.houstonballet.org/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jac_long/

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 31, 2025 is: hobgoblin • HAHB-gahb-lin • noun A hobgoblin is a mischievous goblin that plays tricks in children's stories. When used figuratively, hobgoblin refers to something that causes fear or worry. // This Halloween we were greeted at our door by werewolves, mummies, and a wide assortment of sweet-toothed hobgoblins. See the entry > Examples: “Vampires and zombies took a big bite out of the horror box office in Sinners and 28 Years Later, and with Del Toro's Frankenstein hitting theaters next week, it would seem that a return to classic marquee monsters is one of the stories of this summer's movie season. But there's one old-school hobgoblin that's lurking around the edges of this narrative, omnipresent, repeated across a number of notable new titles, but still somehow avoiding the limelight: the witch ...” — Payton McCarty-Simas, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Aug. 2025 Did you know? While a goblin is traditionally regarded in folklore as a grotesque, evil, and malicious creature, a hobgoblin tends to be more of a playful troublemaker. (The character of Puck from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream might be regarded as one.) First appearing in English in the early 1500s, hobgoblin combined goblin (ultimately from the Greek word for “rogue,” kobalos) with hob, a word from Hobbe (a nickname for Robert) that was used both for clownish louts and rustics and in fairy tales for a mischievous sprite or elf. The American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson famously applied the word's extended sense in his essay Self-Reliance: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”

Join us as we dive into the lovers fight: Helena is pursued by both Lysander and Demetrius, Hermia threatens Helena, and Lysander and Demetrius prepare to duel - from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Etiquette, manners, and beyond! In this episode, Nick and Leah answer listener questions about decoding what "Mountain Formal" means on a wedding invitation, pacifying picky houseguests, sharing sushi platters, and much more. Please follow us! (We'd send you a hand-written thank you note if we could.)Have a question for us? Call or text (267) CALL-RBW or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ask.wyrbw.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠QUESTIONS FROM THE WILDERNESS:Will wedding guests be confused by a “Mountain Formal” dress code?What should you do if someone wishes you a happy birthday on the wrong day?How does one respond to houseguests who complain about the brand new mattress you bought specifically for their visit?Is there an established etiquette for sharing sushi?What's the right thing to do when strangers join your table at a coffee shop?THINGS MENTIONED DURING THE SHOWPuck's final monologue from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support our show through Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and rate us 5 stars on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Call, text, or email us your questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our official website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some fabulous official merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CREDITSHosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nick Leighton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leah Bonnema⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Producer & Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nick Leighton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rob Paravonian⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ADVERTISE ON OUR SHOW⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for details⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TRANSCRIPT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Episode 283See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CFN's Brian McCall and Murray Rundus cover the stories of this week.Don't miss the extra story! Become a supporter at: https://catholicfamilynews.locals.comSubscribe to the paper: https://simplecirc.com/subscribe/17820213Roman Forum: https://youtu.be/gwNSwFUsd7A• Angelico Press: https://angelicopress.com/catholicfamilynews• Sophia Institute Press: https://sophiainstitute.com/product-category/books/ref/63/• TAN Books: https://lddy.no/1js4lCultural Recommendations: Murray-Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream and Mozart Symphony 1Brian- Mozart's Exultate Jubilate Follow us on Rumble! https://rumble.com/c/c-390435Twitter: https://x.com/CFNonX#catholic #catholicchurch #christianity #americafirst #sspx #fssp #Popeleoxiv

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 22, 2025 is: frolic • FRAH-lik • verb To frolic is to play and move about happily. // We watched the seals as they frolicked in the harbor. See the entry > Examples: “Harper's consciousness ends up in the body of her mom, Anna. Lily bodyswaps with her soon-to-be grandma Tess. And vice versa. Meaning Lohan and Curtis are playing teens again. While their younger co-stars mug sternly, make jokes about regaining a metabolism ‘the speed of light,' and frolic on electric scooters, Freaky Friday's dynamic duo fling themselves into silly sequences ...” — Kristy Puchko, Mashable, 5 Aug. 2025 Did you know? Frolic is a word rooted in pleasure. Its most common function today is as a verb meaning “to play and move about happily,” as in “children frolicking in the waves,” but it joined the language in the 16th century as an adjective carrying the meaning of its Dutch source vroolijk: “full of fun; merry.” Shakespeare's Puck used it this way in A Midsummer Night's Dream, saying “And we fairies … following darkness like a dream, now are frolic.” Verb use quickly followed, and by the early 17th century the word was also being used as a noun, as in “an evening of fun and frolic.”

It takes us a while to get there, but it's worth the journey! In this episode of Classical Et Cetera, Tanya, Martin, and Paul share what they're reading, answer a listener question about audiobooks, and (eventually) get around to the main topic of the liberal art Here, they explore the liberal arts through the lens of Sister Miriam Joseph's The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric. This classic work provides a clear look at the foundations of classical education. We hope you enjoy this wide-ranging conversation! Read the sample from Sister Miriam Joseph's book that we use for this episode: https://www.memoriapress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/The-Trivium-The-Liberal-Arts-of-Logic-Grammar-and-Rhetoric-Chapter-1-Sample.pdf?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=192 Read with Paul & Tanya! The Hound of the Baskervilles Set: https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/literature-and-poetry/eighth/hound-baskervilles-set/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=192 Find us online! https://www.memoriapress.com/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=192 More to A Midsummer Night. A Midsummer Night's Dream Set: https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/literature-and-poetry/ninth/a-midsummer-nights-dream-set/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=192 About Memoria Press: https://www.memoriapress.com/about/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=192   What We're Reading from This Episode:  The Hound of the Baskervilles—Arthur Conan Doyle (Paul) Sun and Steel—Yukio Mishima  (Paul) Mythology—Edith Hamilton (Martin) Plutarch: Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans—Plutarch and Arthur Hugh Clough (Martin) The Killing Stones—Ann Cleeves (Tanya) The Two Gentlemen of Verona—William Shakespeare (Tanya) Truth Matters—Robert P. George & Cornel West (Tanya) 00:00 Introduction 00:42 What We're Reading 12:18 Listener Question: Do You Count Audiobooks as Reading? 22:10 Topic: Introduction to "The Trivium"—Sister Miriam Joseph

Join us as we dive into the lovers fight: Helena is pursued by both Lysander and Demetrius, Hermia threatens Helena, and Lysander and Demetrius prepare to duel - from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Join us as we dive into the lovers fight: Helena is pursued by both Lysander and Demetrius, Hermia threatens Helena, and Lysander and Demetrius prepare to duel - from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien's warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture. In Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld (Yale University Press, 2025), Dr. Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Dr. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur's round table and in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic's peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form of Peter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien's warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture. In Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld (Yale University Press, 2025), Dr. Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Dr. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur's round table and in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic's peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form of Peter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien's warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture. In Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld (Yale University Press, 2025), Dr. Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Dr. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur's round table and in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic's peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form of Peter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien's warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture. In Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld (Yale University Press, 2025), Dr. Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Dr. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur's round table and in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic's peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form of Peter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/folkore

Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien's warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture. In Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld (Yale University Press, 2025), Dr. Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Dr. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur's round table and in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic's peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form of Peter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien's warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture. In Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld (Yale University Press, 2025), Dr. Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Dr. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur's round table and in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic's peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form of Peter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

THERE IS A NEW JULIA ROBERTS MOVIE TV's Kevin & Jessi Kat drafted off the New York Film Festival for a downright early screening of Luca Guadagnino's AFTER THE HUNT, starring Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edibiri, and (of course) America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts. We wade through the movie's many thorny, complex subjects and the movie is so interesting we honestly stay on topic basically the entire time. We let you have it spoiler-free for a while. Spoilers start at 31:49 Come check out TV's Kevin's Julia Roberts clip round at Triviarama at Syndicated in Bushwick on 10/23! And see if you can get tickets to Jessi Kat's Red Ink Ensemble production of Midsummer Night's Dream when this episode drops! Get episodes like this at least one week early over at www.patreon.com/tvskevin

Allyson Ava-Brown is starring as Nell/Elizabeth in Coven. Described as a "scorching" new musical, Coven is based on England's most notorious witch trials. The show kicks off its run at the Kiln Theatre later this month for a limited two-month run. Coven is written by Rebecca Brewer and Daisy Chute, with the production directed by Miranda Cromwell. Allyson most recently has a lengthy run as Angelica Schuyler in the West End production of Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre). Her other theatre credits include Glinda/Evillene in The Wiz (Birmingham Rep/West Yorkshire Playhouse) and Fantine in Les Miserables (Queens Theatre) as well as A Midsummer Night's Dream (Lyric Hammersmith), 23.5 Hours (Park Theatre), The Quiet House (Birmingham Rep/Park Theatre), Etienne Sisters, Dangerous Lady and Crowning Glory (Stratford East), Snakes and Ladders (UK tour) and Julius Caesar, The Tempest, Antony and Cleopatra (RSC/Tour/West End). Allyson has also worked at the National Theatre, Park Theatre, Watford Palace Theatre, Yorkshire Playhouse, Liverpool Playhouse, Theatre503, Riverside Studios and Hackney Empire. Recorded after a busy day of rehearsals, in this episode Allyson discusses all-things Coven. She also talks about her relationship with singing and musical theatre, why being in Les Miserables was a challenging time and the impact of her run in Hamilton. Coven runs at the Kiln Theatre 31st October - 20th December. Visit www.kilntheatre.com for info and tickets. Watch the video of Allyson performing Care from Coven here: https://youtu.be/VHIvS5KKmGA?si=AX1DafugwwxcRlt9This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the Feywild, do not follow the light, because it might actually be a will-o'-wisp! Support OMAMAM by visiting our Patreon page -- https://www.patreon.com/omamamshow Visit our website -- https://www.omamamshow.com Find and support our sponsors at: fableandfolly.com/partners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we dive into the scene where Hamlet confronts his mother, kills Polonius and is visited by the Ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Written in the era of the founding of Gresham College, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream portrays the hypnotic dreaminess of a fairy world in which the real and the fantastic are blurred. This lecture explores how the innate musicality of Shakespeare's original has provoked adaptations across the centuries, including Ashton and Balanchine's ballets based on Mendelssohn's incidental music for the play, Britten's opera, Purcell's masque The Fairy Queen, Henze's Eighth Symphony and Elvis Costello's Il Sogno. What is it about Shakespeare's fairies that have inspired such diverse musical responses?This lecture was recorded by Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh on 22nd September  2025 at Conway Hall, London.Dominic Broomfield-McHugh is Gresham Visiting Professor of Film and Theatre Music. He is also Professor of Music at the University of Sheffield and is a graduate of King's College London. His scholarship focuses on the American musical on stage and screen, and he has published eight books including Loverly: The Life and Times of 'My Fair Lady' (OUP, 2012), The Letters of Cole Porter (Yale, 2019) and The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical (2022). He is Associate Producer of the PBS documentary Meredith Willson: America's Music Man and has appeared on all the main BBC television and radio stations as well as NPR in America. He has given talks and lectures at the Sydney Opera House, New York City Center, the Library of Congress, New York Public Library, Sadler's Wells, and Lincoln Center, among many others.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/musical-fairiesGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Back with more Shakespeare! Before we get started with Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Tempest, I share a little about my experience with Shakespeare before this project.In short, it was almost ZERO. I tell you this so you can have confidence as you start your own Shakespeare journey. I have been shocked, amazed and gratified at how rewarding the time put in with Shakespeare has been. And now, on to the plays!This week's Shakespeare trio is a true mix of tones.Romeo & Juliet isn't merely a teen love story—it's an indictment of a society where everyone stays locked in their roles. No one is evil, yet parents, the Nurse, and Friar Lawrence all fail to act, and two young lives pay the price. Far more than “star-crossed lovers,” it's a drama of systemic failure that rewards an adult reread.After four tragedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream felt light and mischievous. Dame Judi Dench as Titania (in the 1960s BBC version) was delightful, though I found myself too drained for full comedy—still, it's hilarious on stage.Finally, The Tempest surprised me most: part adventure, part morality play. Prospero's obsession with magic—and his choice to reclaim true leadership—offers a sharp reminder that power and technology can distract from real responsibility.Three plays, three moods, and a deeper appreciation for Shakespeare's range. And we aren't done! Join us next week to finish our Shakespeare trilogy with a couple of histories and the wonderful, tragic, Othello.LINKTed Gioia/The Honest Broker's 12-Month Immersive Humanities Course (paywalled!)My Amazon Book List (NOT an affiliate link)My Romeo and Juliet Movie PickMy Midsummer Night's Dream Movie PickCONNECTThe complete list of Crack the Book Episodes: https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2rTo read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/ LISTENSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bdApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321 Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

“A Midsummer Night's Dream: Funny Profundity, or Inane and Profane?” a “Tutor Talk,” presented by Dr. Travis Cooper at Thomas Aquinas College, California, on September 24, 2025

Light the fires and kick the tires, this episode of Kill By Kill is about to go up in flames as we ignite the debate of the pros and cons of 1984's FIRESTARTER!! Along the way, we explore Stephen King's “bad dad” novels, tell the tale of one ‘Midsummer Night's Dream party, investigate what Dino De Laurentiis actually liked about King properties, and litigate the case of reality vs. casting George C. Scott in the role of a 30-something, indigenous Vietnam vet. All this, plus mind torpedos, Lot-6 key parties, Heather Locklear blinks, SyFy sequels, horse shields, bus station scams, plantation blazes, and a flamin' hot edition of Choose Your Own Deathventure!! Feel the heat with us, won't you? Also… watch The Fury (1978) already!! Part of the BLEAV Network.Get even more episodes exclusively on Patreon! Artwork by Josh Hollis: joshhollis.com Kill By Kill theme by Revenge Body. For the full-length version and more great music, head to revengebodymemphis.bandcamp.com today! Our linker.ee Click here to visit our Dashery/TeePublic shop for killer merch! Join the conversation about any episode on the Facebook Group! Follow us on IG @killbykillpodcast!! Join us on Threads or even Bluesky Check out Gena's newsletter on Ghost!! Check out the films we've covered & what might come soon on Letterboxd! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Titania is actually Hippolyta. Oberon is actually Theseus. The insanity continues in the Feywild! Support OMAMAM by visiting our Patreon page -- https://www.patreon.com/omamamshow Visit our website -- https://www.omamamshow.com Find and support our sponsors at: fableandfolly.com/partners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible things..." In this deep dive episode, we dissect one of Taylor Swift's most iconic satirical masterpieces. From the enchanted references that bookend her career to the Shakespeare allusions hidden in plain sight, we explore how "Blank Space" operates as both brilliant satire and surprisingly authentic commentary on complex womanhood. Join us as we unpack the magic, madness, heaven, and sin of a song that dared to ask: what if we owned the narrative instead of fighting it? Subscribe for episode updates and After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics! Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com Mentioned in this episode: A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare Pretty Little Liars (TV series) The Office (TV series) Wife of Bath from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer Episode Highlights: [02:29] Diving into “Blank Space”  [08:15] “New money, suit and tie” - character analysis  [15:27] Analyzing the chorus [22:31] Shakespearean references  [28:50] “Cherry lips, crystal skies” vs. “stolen kisses, pretty lies”  [35:25] "I get drunk on jealousy" [38:44] Bridge analysis: "Boys only want love if it's torture"  [44:59] Getting into the purpose of “Blank Space”  Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social! TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift Link Tree → linktr.ee/aptaylorswift Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com Affiliate Codes: Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off! Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.

On this episode of SHE MD, hosts Mary Alice Haney and Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi welcome Grey's Anatomy stars Jessica Capshaw and Camilla Luddington. The actresses discuss their friendship, motherhood, and mental health experiences. They also share insights from their popular podcast "Call It What It Is" and offer advice on relationships and personal growth.Access more information about the podcast and additional expert health tips by visiting SHE MD Podcast and Ovii. Sponsors: Cymbiotika: Go to Cymbiotika.com/Shemd for 20% off plus free shippingOpill: Opill is birth control in your control, and you can use code SHEMD for twenty five percent off your first month of Opill at Opill.com.Nutrafol: Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter promo code SHEMD. Arrae: Go to arrae.com and use code 'SHEMD' at checkout to receive 15% off your first purchase or autoship order.1MD: Visit 1MD.org, use code SHEMD, and enjoy 15% off your first order.Merit: It's time to simplify your morning. Head to meritbeauty.com and get their Signature Makeup Bag free with your first order. Jessica Capshaw & Camilla Luddington's Key Takeaways:Laugh Together: Make laughter a priority in your relationship to navigate life's challenges.Learn to Fight Fair: Develop healthy arguing skills, avoiding low blows and learning to apologize.Find Your Foundation: Trust in your ability to rebuild and grow, even after significant loss.Embrace Strategy: View being strategic and ambitious as positive traits that can lead to success.Balance Push and Pull: Calibrate when to challenge yourself and when to be gentle for optimal growth.Reframe Obstacles: Approach challenges with a "how can I not?" mindset instead of doubting yourself.Build a Support Network: Seek out individuals who can assist you in areas where you need guidance.In This Episode: (00:00) Introduction(01:06) Mary Alice introduces Jessica and Camilla(05:03) Importance of authentic women's friendships(08:09) Origins and goals of their podcast, Call It What It Is(12:27) Discussing pregnancy loss and mental health(20:00) Camilla's experience with postpartum anxiety(25:00) Dealing with tinnitus and anxiety(28:40) Balancing motherhood and acting careers(34:00) Redefining “Success”(41:40) Lessons for their younger selves(43:48) Camilla on rebuilding after losing her mother(47:00) Closing thoughts on ambition and inspirationRESOURCES:JESSICA CAPSHAWS INSTAGRAMCAMILLA LUDDINGTON'S INSTAGRAMCALL IT WHAT IT IS INSTAGRAMCALL IT WHAT IT IS TIKTOKGUEST BIOGRAPHIES:Camilla LuddingtonCurrently starring on ABC's hit medical drama series Grey's Anatomy, Camilla Luddington has the gift of portraying characters with both strength and vulnerability, and her Dr. Jo Wilson displays plenty of both as she finds her way through complicated storylines of love and career.The sci-fi/fantasy world has come to love her too for her embodiment of Lara Croft, a different kind of heroine, in the video game Tomb Raider. When the game was released in 2013,critics praised Luddington for giving the classic icon a much-needed reboot. In 2015, Camilla reprised her role as Lara in the video game Rise of the Tomb Raider, and continued her work as this character in the anticipated video game Shadow of the Tomb Raider.Californication, she portrayed Lizzie, the seemingly sweet English nanny who would do whatever it took to make it in L.A.Jessica CapshawJessica Capshaw is best known for her role as “Dr. Arizona Robbins” in the long-running TV series Grey's Anatomy.Capshaw can most recently be seen opposite Grace Van Patten in the hit Hulu series“Tell me Lies,” which is based on the best-selling novel by Carola. Capshaw earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature at Brown University. In addition to this, she also attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts during her summer breaks, where she starred as “Puck” in a production of “A Midsummer Night's Dream.”Capshaw is based in New York.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” We watched “A Midsummer Night's Dream” with our friends Michael and Callum from “Once Upon a VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy,” and we need a dictionary. This star-studded adaptation was riding high on the wave of late 90's Shakespeare craze, and we're digging the queerness this cast is bringing. Rupert Everett and Stanley Tucci are giving us body for days as Oberon - King of the Faeries - and Puck - a mischievous sprite, respectively. Aside from the faeries strutting around the forest in the buff, we also have some human characters that are easy on the eyes. Christian Bale and Dominic West play lovelorn Demetrius and Lysander and feature some forest frolicking after Puck hits them with the old Love Potion. We would be remiss if we left out the diva herself, one-miss Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania, Queen of the Faeries. Listen, this movie may be style over substance, but it sure is fun to watch. We also talk about our introductions to the Bard, be they cable television Animated Tales or clandestine passing of Broadway musical cassette tapes.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Instagram @peterlasagna

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” We watched “A Midsummer Night's Dream” with our friends Michael and Callum from “Once Upon a VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy,” and we need a dictionary. This star-studded adaptation was riding high on the wave of late 90's Shakespeare craze, and we're digging the queerness this cast is bringing. Rupert Everett and Stanley Tucci are giving us body for days as Oberon - King of the Faeries - and Puck - a mischievous sprite, respectively. Aside from the faeries strutting around the forest in the buff, we also have some human characters that are easy on the eyes. Christian Bale and Dominic West play lovelorn Demetrius and Lysander and feature some forest frolicking after Puck hits them with the old Love Potion. We would be remiss if we left out the diva herself, one-miss Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania, Queen of the Faeries. Listen, this movie may be style over substance, but it sure is fun to watch. We also talk about our introductions to the Bard, be they cable television Animated Tales or clandestine passing of Broadway musical cassette tapes.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Instagram @peterlasagna

Talking skulls, butt drugs, sexy masks... it's time to go to the club! Support OMAMAM by visiting our Patreon page -- https://www.patreon.com/omamamshow Visit our website -- https://www.omamamshow.com Find and support our sponsors at: fableandfolly.com/partners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who let the flags out? We look at the mania for running a Cross of St George or Union Jack up the nearest lamp-post, who's fomenting it and why it's smart but dangerous politics for the far-right. Meanwhile Nigel Farage launches his completely uncosted, unrealistic, fantasy plan for mass deportations. Are the press so completely on the Reform bandwagon that they'll just let it go unquestioned? Our special guest David Klemperer puts the case for compulsory voting and why it solves more problems than you think. And in the Extra Bit for Patreon people: TfL and the Tories team up against the scourge of people playing music on their phone speakers on public transport. Will they succeed – and what would we ban if we could? ESCAPE ROUTES  • David recommends Love and Death in Long Island by Gilbert Adair.  • Marie recommends French Exit by Patrick deWitt.  • Hannah recommends Evenings And Weekends by Oisin McKenna.  • Ros recommends A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bridge Theatre (but it's finished and you can't see it).  When you buy books through our affiliate bookshop, you help fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more.  Written and presented by Ros Taylor, Hannah Fearn and Marie le Conte. Audio and video production by Chris Jones, Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Theme music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Starting today we'll be regularly releasing audio of TAZ live shows early for all MaxFun members! Dadlands 4, TAZ Vs. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and TAZ Vs. A Midsummer Night's Dream are all available in the BoCo feed RIGHT NOW, so be sure to check them out, or go to MaximumFun.Org/Join to become a member.