Oberon Shakespeare Study Group

Sir Derek Jacobi in PBS series Shakespeare Uncovered, Richard II episode by Linda Theil In a new six-part PBS series, Shakespeare Uncovered, elucidating the glories of the Bard’s plays, Sir Derek Jacobi “ . . . sets the fur flying”, as he says in his one-hour segment on the play, Richard II , by advocating Edward de Vere  as the author of the work known under the pseudonym William Shakespeare. The Richard II segment aired February 1, 2013 on PBS stations and is available on DVD and for viewing online from the Shakespeare Uncovered site at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespeare-uncovered/video/richard-ii-with-derek-jacobi/ Retired humanities professor James Norwood of St. Paul, Minnesota has given Oberon permission to publish his commentary on the Shakespeare Uncovered series that Norwood originally posted to the late Robert Brazil’s private authorship discussion list, Elizaforum. Professor Norwood taught a course on the topic of Shakespeare authorship at the University...

Michiganders will be able to see Sir Derek Jacobi's acclaimed  King Lear  here in Michigan via the University Musical Society's   sponsorship of a National Theater Live broadcast at 7 p.m. Sunday, February 20, 2011 at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor . This program is one of a series of high-definition broadcasts from the National Theater in London that are being shown throughout the US and worldwide. UMS says: UMS and the Michigan Theater have joined forces to bring high definition screenings of live theater broadcasts by London’s National Theatre to Ann Arbor. NT Live broadcasts performances of plays produced by London’s National Theatre onto cinema screens worldwide. In the US, these screenings are delayed broadcasts to accommodate the time difference. Broadcasts will also feature behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with actors.  Resources: US venues for NT Live broadcasts: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/61172/venues-amp-booking/usa-venues.html...

In yesterday's London Telegraph  contributor William Langley wrote an interesting essay on Sir Derek Jacobi's decision to play Shakespeare's  King Lear at long last. Langley's mini-bio is titled "Sir Derek Jacobi: Bard to the bone" with the subtitle: "Sir Derek Jacobi doesn't believe Shakespeare wrote King Lear -- but he's still given one of the greatest performances in the role, says William Langley." Jacobi's anti-Stratfordian viewpoint is given some prominence in the article: In recent years, Jacobi has emerged as a leading Shakespeare sceptic, taking the view that a semi-educated country boy from Stratford-upon-Avon couldn’t possibly have written the great works attributed to him. Three years ago, he co-launched the Shakespeare Authorship Coalition – a group dedicated to proving that the plays must have been penned by others, and later, in a speech to a like-minded American research organisation, declared: “The only evidence of S...

The  Shakespearean Authorship Trust  -- headed by chairman Mark Rylance -- in collaboration with  Brunel University  will hold a one-day conference at Shakespeare's Globe in London from 11 a.m. go 6 p.m. Sunday, November 28, 2010. The topic of the gathering is  "Shakinomics: Building bridges in Shakespeare studies" . The group defines  Shakinomics   as:  making new connections in Shakespeare studies with particular reference to the cultural capital of Shakespeare; the Shakespeare industry, heritage, tourism, authority, and authorship issues. The bringing together of and mutual respect for knowledge produced by academics, independent scholars, actors, directors, film makers, biographers, and creative writers in the field of Shakespeare studies. Brunel's Dr. William Leahy will host guest speakers: Prof. Willy Maley of Glasgow University  Dr. Sean Gaston of Brunel University Prof. William Rubenstein of Aberwstwyth University Charles Beauc...

Our Pennsylvania correspondent alerted us that the International Movie Database site on Roland Emmerich's upcoming film on the Shakespeare authorship controversy, Anonymous , recently updated information about the film including the fact that Oxfordians Sir Derek Jacobi and Mark Rylance have been added to the cast. Jacobi is slated to enact a prologue, and Rylance will play Gloucester. Other additions include Australian Twilight veteran Xavier Samuel  who will play Southampton. Relative unknown Antje Thiele will play Lady de Vere, although the site doesn't specify whether Thiele plays Anne Cecil or Elizabeth Trentham. Newcomer Sebastian Reid will play Essex. Tony Way and Robert Emms will play Elizabethan scribblers Thomas Nashe and Thomas Dekker. These actors join the Anonymous cast headed by Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter Joely Richardson as Elizabeth (old and young), Rhys Ifans as Shakespeare/Edward de Vere, David Thewlis as Cecil (pere) and Edward Hogg as Cecil (f...