Swordplay in Shakespeare

Courtesy:  Long Beach Shakespeare Company

Since fencing is the sport of the day at the Olympics, I was reminded of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 when, as part of an accompanying cultural festival that included lots of Shakespeare plays (Derek Jacobi in Much Ado About Nothing, a French version of Henry V, an Italian version of The Tempest), actor Anthony De Longis and a group of actors provided a fabulous performance of swordsmanship that was like a bladed weapon version of Cirque du Soleil.  I can't remember what it was called--I want to say "Circle of Steel" but if you Google that, all that comes up is a Gordon Lightfoot song.
One of Shakespeare's contemporaries in London was a sword master named George Silver.  Silver was noted as a master teacher but in addition to the sword, he was also fond of the quarterstaff. By Shakespeare's time, fencing was a sport and no longer the deadly martial art it had been in previous centuries when it was used to settle judicial quarrels and all the fights were to the death.
There are a lot of places that teach fencing and stage combat but it's harder to find schools that specialize in historical western martial arts. In the Los Angeles area, there's the Academy of Arms. 

Second photograph of the day--flamingo mother and child

So, yes, I am someone who writes stories in which animals die and yet, I am a sucker for cute animal pictures.  (That's why we have Pinterest.) I don't usually tweet or email or post cute animal pictures because if everyone did that, there'd be no room for news about Kim Kardashian.
This beautiful picture grabbed my attention though. I saw it on FB and had to share.
Maybe I'm a sap.
Maybe I just like pink birds.

Photograph of the Day-Michael Rosenbaum

There's a wonderful exhibit at the Museum of Natural History, the winning images from their annual "Nature's Best Photography" contest. A lot of the winning images are of family groups of wild animals. My favorite photo was an artfully composed shot of two roseate spoonbills on a tree. It looks like a Japanese scroll. The photograph was taken by Michael Rosenbaum. You can find out more about him and the photo here.
You can read more about this year's contest here.

Shakespeare in DC--the Folger Library

The Folger Shakespeare Library is located in Washington, on Capitol Hill, not far from the multiple museums that make up the Smithsonian. It is a wonderful place, homethe world’s largest and finest collection of Shakespeare materials and to major collections of other rare Renaissance books, manuscripts, and works of art.  There is an Elizabethan garden on the grounds, and the actual building is so lovely you can rent it for events.

Photo by Julie Ainsworth

Imagine mounting a play in this jewelbox of a theater.
For people who can't visit in person, they have a lively Digital Folger program that includes podcasts (Shakespeare in American life), lectures, audio tours of the grounds and exhibitions, poetry readings, acting tutorials, play deconstruction, and recordings from the Folger Consort.  They also have a variety of newsletters to serve a variety of interests, particularly teachers and academics. You can find the catalogue for the library here.
They also have a great gift store with t-shirts and posters and prints and all the other stuff you expect from a museum gift shop. There are some lovely posters, including a map of Shakespeare's Britain, nesting dolls of Henry VIII and his wives and the t-shirt I got my brother as a present when he graduated from law school--decorated with the quotation, "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."
In September it will be the first stop in the US tour of a new Shakespeare's Globe production of Hamlet, starringMichael Benz and directed by Dominic Dromgoole and Bill Buckhurst. 

Here's a little teaser for the production, which is touring the UK now.

I'm baaaack.

I'd forgotten how really beautiful DC and the surrounding 'burbs are.
I am so envious of the Metro system, which goes everywhere. In LA, you can get downtown on the metro and that's about it.
The Smithsonian Institution's museums are FREE.
Will be back to posting tomorrow.

Shakespeare Geek for the Shakespeare Geek.

"You had me at forsooth!"  Shakespeare Geek is a fun little site with jokes and news (release date for Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing), random Shakespeare posts (a gift guide for the Shakespeare Geek) and resources. You can buy message t-shirts ("Mercutio drew first") and Shakespeare-imaged iPad covers. Check it out.

Ms. Tomlinson is going to Washington

Photo by Mihal Tamasila

I have been in an eye study for the past three and a half years. My doctors are testing the use of a drug called Lucentis (already approved for age-related macular degeneration) on diabetes-rekated retinal bleeding. (Judi Dench has the age-related kind and she's going blind, so it's a serious condition.) I was an undiagnosed diabetic (none of the symptoms) for several years (no medical insurance) and damaged my eyes significantly before a routine eye exam discovered  my retinas were in bad shape.
Lucentis is a miracle drug.  When I started the study I was losing my color vision, which meant I really wasn't comfortable driving. I had a lot of trouble seeing gray cars if the morning was cloudy. Reading was a challenge. And I read for a living. Enter Lucentis...and three years later, I'm driving again. I'm reading books again.
So I've been asked to come to DC and talk to the Feds about the drug as part of the approval process. I am happy to do this for all the right reasons but also happy because my brother lives and works in the area and I'll be able to see him for the first time in a couple of years.
I've served on a jury. I vote. And now I'm testifying to a committee.  That about ticks off the list of participatory Democracy actions.  (I guess I could run for office.)  I have to say, I think it's kind of cool.
I'll be back on Friday. Stay cool.