Reservations for this free event can be made here: https://fishercentertickets.bard.edu/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=243.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
Traitorous Merchant who lost his head
http://thekingsandqueens.wordpress.com/2014/03/
An imaginary portrat of William de la Pole by Thomas Tindall Wildridge, 1888
William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk (16th October 1396 – 2nd May 1450) was an English commander during the Hundred Year War and Lord High Admiral of England from 1447 to 1450. He was born at Cotton Suffolk and was second d son of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Katherine de Stafford, daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford and Philippa de Beauchamp.
He was seriously injured during the Siege of Harfleur in 1415. His father also died of dysentery during the siege. Later in that year his elder brother Michael de la Pole, 3rd Earl of Suffolk died at the Battle of Agincourt. William then succeeded as the 4th Earl of Suffolk. He became co-commander of the English army at the Siege of Orleans in 1429 after the death of Thomas Montacute, 4thEarl of Salisbury. When the city was then relieved by Joan of Arc in the same year he managed to retreat to Jargeau where he was forced to surrender on the 12th June. He remained a prisoner of Charles VII, King of France for three years before he was ransomed.
After his return to England in 1434 he was made Constable of Wallingford Castle. He became a courtier and a close ally to Cardinal Henry Beaufort. His most notable achievement during this period but also his most controversial was his help with negotiating the marriage of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou in 1444. This earned him the elevation to Marques of Suffolk. Although a secret deal with in the marriage contract gave Maine and Anjou back to France was not popular in England and would eventually bring the downfall of William.
His own marriage took place on the 11th November 1430 to Alice Chaucer (1404-1475). Alice was the daughter of Thomas Chaucer of Ewelme, Oxfordshire and granddaughter to the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and his wife Philippa de Roet.
With the deaths of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and Cardinal Beaufort in 1447, Suffolk became the principal power behind the throne. He was appointed Chamberlain, Admiral of England as well as other important offices, and made Earl of Pembroke in 1447 and Duke of Suffolk in 1448.
On 16th July Suffolk met in secret with Jean d’Orleans, comte de Dunois at his mansion of the Rose in Candlewick Street. This was the first of several meetings in London as Suffolk passed Council minutes to Dunois in assistance with the plans for the French invasion of England. Dunois was a French hero from the Siege of Orleans. It was rumoured that Suffolk never paid the £20,000 owed to Dunois for his ransom and because of this he now passed on state secrets.
The following three years saw the near complete loss of England’s possessions in northern France. Suffolk could not avoid the blame for these failures partly because of the loss of Maine and Anjou with the marriage arrangements for Henry. On 28th January 1450 he was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London. The king intervened and tried to save his favourite who was then banished for five years. Suffolk then sailed to Calais by ship but was intercepted by the ship ‘Nicholas of the Tower’ and captured. He was then subject to a mock trial and executed by beheading.
Suffolk was interred in the Carthusian Priory, Hull by his widow Alice. The Priory was founded in 1377, by Suffolk’s grandfather Michael de la Pole, the 1stEarl of Suffolk and then dissolved in 1539. Almost none of the original buildings survive following two English Civil War sieges in Hull in 1642 and 1643
He was one of the first from the merchant class to raise him into a loftier position. For this alone he is an important figure who fought for Henry VI’s father and then twisted himself either by chance or with his known traitorous acts manipulated his way into a higher position. Whichever it was the weakness of Henry VI definitely helped him. William was succeeded as the Duke of Suffolk by his only known legitimate son John, who became the 2nd Duke of Suffolk.
King Arthur and his knights get goofy in ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’
BY CHRISTINE DOLEN http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/03/04/3973358/king-arthur-and-his-knights-get.html
CDOLEN@MIAMIHERALD.COM
David Arisco wasn’t a huge fan of the British comedy troupe Monty Python before company member Eric Idle had an idea. He would apply the group’s witty, goofy aesthetic to one of the few entertainment forms it hadn’t already conquered: the Broadway musical. Monty Python’s Spamalot, winner of the 2005 Tony Award as best musical, became a smash.
And Arisco, the longtime artistic director at Actors’ Playhouse in Coral Gables, finally became a Python aficionado.
“I saw it after the Tonys, and I wanted to do it as soon as the rights were released,” says Arisco, whose production of Spamalot had to wait while the show did several national tours. “The show was just too much fun not to do it with the people we have down here. … Eric Idle and [director] Mike Nichols did a good job; it has all the Python bits and great numbers for all the musical theater geeks out there.”
Opening at Actors’ this weekend, Spamalot is based on the 1974 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It follows the misadventures of King Arthur and his oddball knights as they embark on a quest to find the Holy Grail. The show incorporates characters, bits and songs from the Python oeuvre: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life from 1979’s Monty Python’s Life of Brian, the Killer Rabbit, the French taunters, the knights who say “ni,” Tim the Enchanter. It also sends up musical theater, everything from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s melody recycling in Phantom of the Opera to the bottle dance from Fiddler on the Roof.
Arisco cast the show’s major roles with South Florida-based talent but brought in a favorite leading man, four-time Carbonell Award winner Gary Marachek, to play King Arthur. Marachek, who estimates he has done “25 to 30” shows for Arisco, also became a Python convert when he saw Spamalot on Broadway.
“I loved it. I hadn’t laughed so hard since I saw The Producers,” says Marachek. “My Arthur is a little more physical — friendly, stern when he has to be, charming, likeable. I play kind of a straight guy to everyone else’s over-the-topness.”
In principal roles, “everyone else” includes three cast members from Zoetic Stage’s recent production ofAssassins: Shane Tanner as Sir Galahad, Gabriel Zenone as Sir Robin and Lindsey Forgey as the Lady of the Lake. Jim Ballard plays a different Sir Lancelot, Wayne LeGette is Sir Bedevere, and Paul Louis is King Arthur’s faithful servant Patsy, the guy who claps two coconut shells together to make the sound of Arthur’s clip-clopping horse.
Carbonell winner Ballard, who has also played Sir Lancelot in the far-more-traditional Camelot, says hisSpamalot character is something completely different.
“He’s not from France, for one thing. He’s a grunt from the sewers of England who becomes a knight. He’s the homicidally brave one, and at the end, there’s a big reveal,” the actor says.
Tanner, whose Galahad is transformed by the Lady of the Lake from a muddy farmer into a vain and dashingly handsome knight, recalls that his early exposure to Python humor happened in secret.
“I grew up in a conservative Christian household, and I wasn’t allowed to watch the movies. So of course, I sought them out,” he says. “It’s fun to go into a show where you’re always laughing and having a good time, where you have fantastic people onstage and great music.”
Forgey, who finds the Spamalot music “beautiful but hilarious,” loves that the characters and audience are in on the jokes together. Carbonell winner LeGette, who confesses he started campaigning for a role minutes after he learned Arisco was doing Spamalot, says he loves “how twisted and stupid” the characters are. Zenone contrasts the intricacies of singing Sondheim in Assassins with singing theSpamalot score.
“Sondheim is about words, rhythm, counterpoint and harmony. This is really about the words. But I don’t know that this is any easier,” he observes.
Arisco, who has an affinity for directing comedy, knows he’s not serving up sophisticated laughs inSpamalot. Still, goofy can be funny too.
“The Monty Python humor is so ridiculously twisted, so foolish,” Arisco says. “But I dare anybody not to smile.”
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Napoleon Bonaparte Artefacts Stolen In Australia
Rare artifacts connected to Napoleon Bonaparte, including a lock of his hair, have been stolen from a museum in Australia, local police say.
Police believe thieves broke into The Briars historic homestead, south of Melbourne, through a bathroom window.
The thieves “jemmied open cabinets” on Thursday night and stole items that also included a ring, a statement from the police said.
The collection was assembled by a family with ties to the French emperor.
“The offender/s have jemmied open cabinets inside and stolen numerous priceless antiques,” the Victoria state police said in a statement.
“The stolen items included a ring and flowers containing Napoleon’s hair, a ribbon inscribed by Napoleon in 1815 and a snuff box,” it added.
Local reports quoted museum officials as saying that descendants of Englishman Alexander Balcombe, who met Napoleon in exile on St Helena Island, put the collection together.
“Alexander Balcombe settled here [in Australia] in 1846 and sat on Napoleon’s knee as a little boy,” museum co-ordinator Steve York told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“Really they’re priceless, because they can’t be replaced. We’re quite distraught. Irreplaceable,” Mr York said of the objects taken.
Police are asking the public for any information regarding the theft.
“We think this was a fairly targeted theft,” Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Lamb told ABC, adding that it would be difficult to publicly dispose of the artefacts.
BBC
Henry VI, and where it all started
http://thekingsandqueens.wordpress.com/2014/03/
Henry VI
Henry VI, (6th December 1471 – 21st May 1471) was king of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 and 1471. He also held a disputed claim of the kingship of France between 1422 and 1453. Reports describe him as very pious and peaceful man, who was not suited to the bloodshed of the dynastic wars that blighted his reign, such as the War of the Roses. Bouts of insanity led to his wife Margaret of Anjou taking control of his kingdom. His weakening position led to his own downfall and the collapse of the House of Lancaster and the rise of the House of York, eventually the conflict between the two would become known as the War of the Roses.
Henry was the only child of Henry V and was born on 6th December 1421 at Windsor Castle. He succeeded the throne of England after his father’s death on 31st August 1422 at just the age of nine months old. He was the youngest person ever to succeed the English throne. Two months later and still not one year old Henry also became titular King of France on the death of his grandfather Charles VI in accordance with the Treaty of Troyes. His mother, Catherine of Valois (Charles daughter) was twenty years old herself this point and viewed with considerable suspicion by English nobles preventing her from playing a full roll in her son’s upbringing.
On 28th September 1423 the nobles all swore loyalty to Henry VI and a parliament was summoned in the Kings name as a regency council to govern until the King should come of age. One of Henry V’s surviving brothers; John, Duke of Bedford was appointed senior regent of the realm and was in charge of the ongoing war in France. During Bedford’s absence Henry V’s other surviving brother Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester was appointed Protector and Defender of the Realm. His duties were limited to keeping the peace and summoning parliament. Henry V’s half uncle; Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester was an important member of the council. After the Duke of Bedford’s death in 1435, the Duke of Gloucester claimed the regency for himself but was contested by other members of the council.
Henry’s half brothers Edmund and Jasper, through his mother and her new husband Owen Tudor were both given earldoms. Edmund was the father of Henry Tudor who would become Henry VII, King of England. From 1428 Henry’s tutor was Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick.
In reaction to Charles VII Valois’ coronation as King of France in Reims Cathedral on 17th July 1429, Henry was soon crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on 6th November 1429. He was then crowned King of France at Notre Dame de Paris on 16th December 1431. It was not though until 13th November 1437, just before his sixteenth birthday that he gained some form of independent authority. His want to gain some form of authority was clear to see when the place named of signing writs was changed from Westminster (where the council sat) to Cirencester (where the king was) in 1434. Henry then gained full royal powers when he came of age.
Henry was declared of age in 1437 which was the same year that his mother died. Henry took the reins of government gaining full control, although this shy and pious boy averse to deceit and bloodshed soon allowed the court to be dominated by a few noble favourites who clashed on the matter of the French war. After the death of Henry V, England lost momentum in the Hundred Year War. Military victories by Joan of Arc helped the Valois family gain ground. The young King favoured peace which was preached to him by Cardinal Beaufort and William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk. On the other side Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and Richard, Duke of York preferred a continuation of the war.
Cardinal Beaufort and the Earl of Suffolk persuaded the King that the best way to pursue peace with France was through a marriage to Margaret of Anjou. Margaret, a niece to King Charles VII of France was apparently very beautiful and Henry agreed straight away. Suffolk was sent to negotiate with Charles. Charles agreed to the marriage as long he did not have to provide the customary dowry and instead receive the lands of Maine and Anjou from the English. These conditions were agreed in the Treaty of Tours, but the cession of Maine and Anjou was kept secret from the Parliament in London as it was believed that it would be hugely unpopular with the English populace.
Margaret of Anjou, Henry’s wife
The marriage took place at Tichfield Abbey on 23rd Aril 1445, one month after Margaret’s fifteenth birthday. Henry wavered the agreement to give up Maine and Anjou to Charles after he realised just how unpopular this would have been. Margaret was determined to make him to see it through and after the deal became public knowledge in 1446, public anger was angered at the Earl of Suffolk, with Margaret and Henry determined to protect him.
One thing is certain within Henry’s early life and with his gain of full royal powers. He was easily led and influenced by others. Shy, pious a peaceful man never having the full set of skills for rule. Maybe his weakness led to the War of the Roses and the power struggle that was going on between his most trusted and powerful advisors. It was clear to see the stage was set by this point and that the audience was about to sit down for a feud that would cause so much bloodshed across England.
The Once and Future King, Arthur, Brings Merlin’s
“Hic iacet Arthurus, rex quondam, rexque futurus” Here Lies Arthur the Once and Future King.
We are all Supa-excited to welcome the Supa-Stars of the smash-hit series, Merlin, to our Sydney and Perth expos this June, as the series may have come to a close in late 2012, however some of the Knights have undertaken a new quest to see their fans and are making their way from Camelot to the sunnier climes of Australia!
The roll-call begins with the fantastic ‘Sir Percival’ (Tom Hopper) who thoroughly enjoyed his time with us in November visiting Brisbane and Adelaide. His fellow Knights, ‘Sir Leon’ (Rupert Young) and ‘Sir Gwaine’ (Eoin Macken), who had to postpone from that same tour due to work commitments, are now ecstatic at being able to join him now that their schedules have cleared.
But this time they’re joined by the big man himself, the man portrayed the knight before he became ‘King Arthur Pendragon’,Bradley James!
The Merlin TV series may have ended but King Arthur and his Knight’s reign continues here at Supanova!
Eoin Macken, Rupert Young and Tom Hopper are joining King Arthur, Bradley James, at Supanova this June!
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Arthur Based on King Arthur by Henry Purcell
King Arthur is one of Henry Purcell’s five semi-operas, stage plays with musical parts. Librettist John Dryden had initially written King Arthur for the 25th anniversary of the Restoration in 1684. However, King Charles preferred a French opera. Dryden’s libretto, which provided “Scenes, Machines, Songs and Dances” was pushed aside. Inspired by Purcell’s music for Dioclesian, Dryden rewrote his libretto in 1690 and asked Purcell to compose music for it for orchestra, choir and soloists.
King Arthur tells the tale of the conflict between the British King Arthur and his enemy Oswald, King of the Saxons. It is a battle not only of good and evil for the control over the empire, but also for the hand of the beautiful and blind Emmeline.Dryden always suggested that King Arthur is a political allegory. The exact meaning, however, can no longer be established.0
At the request of KlaraFestival, the Dutch director Paul Koek and the Belgian author laureate Peter Verhulst transposed the myth of King Arthur to our time. A hundred years after the beginning of World War I, they offer us, through their Arthur, a view of the battlefield when it is all over. As yet, only the buzzing of a fly can be heard and the first plants are cautiously peeping up from the ground. In the land that was previously so flat and that is now suddenly strewn with hills and ponds full of water that was hidden under ground, two women are walking accompanied by a child. One of them is blind and looking for her husband who came from Africa to Flanders to fight in an incomprehensible war. The other one is looking for her country as she knew it but which can no longer be found. Meanwhile the young Arthur is doing what all boys his age do, he’s fantasising about heroism and courage and craving the victor’s pleasure.
The music and songs from Purcell’s King Arthur gives this horror and emotional depth. A glimpse of beauty and hope shines through the darkness.
At the request of KlaraFestival, the Dutch director Paul Koek and the Belgian author laureate Peter Verhulst transposed the myth of King Arthur to our time. A hundred years after the beginning of World War I, they offer us, through their Arthur, a view of the battlefield when it is all over. As yet, only the buzzing of a fly can be heard and the first plants are cautiously peeping up from the ground. In the land that was previously so flat and that is now suddenly strewn with hills and ponds full of water that was hidden under ground, two women are walking accompanied by a child. One of them is blind and looking for her husband who came from Africa to Flanders to fight in an incomprehensible war. The other one is looking for her country as she knew it but which can no longer be found. Meanwhile the young Arthur is doing what all boys his age do, he’s fantasising about heroism and courage and craving the victor’s pleasure.
The music and songs from Purcell’s King Arthur gives this horror and emotional depth. A glimpse of beauty and hope shines through the darkness.
WORLD CREATION
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