From Friday 15 March 2024, visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon are invited to the beautiful surroundings of Shakespeare’s New Place to experience intimate ‘’After Hours Talks’’, exploring the Women Who Made Shakespeare with a host of academics and experts.
Across the year, authors, historians and academics will be joining the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) to delve deeper into the remarkable lives of the women who were living and working during the time of Shakespeare, inviting audiences in discussions on topics such as women writers in the English Renaissance period and the use of plants for domestic purposes.
New for 2024, ‘’After Hours Talks at New Place’’ forms part of a special programme of events and activities taking place across the Shakespeare’s family homes in Stratford-upon-Avon and online as the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust explore the impact of the women closest to William Shakespeare and the lived experience of women in the late Tudor and early Jacobean period.
‘’These new talks are a unique opportunity for visitors to enjoy engaging discussion and debate led by experts in their field and our team in the idyllic surroundings of Shakespeare’s New Place.
‘’Inspired by our new theme, we want guests to walk away learning something new about the incredible women in Shakespeare’s life and the experience of those in the period.’’
Commented Rachael North, Director of Museum and Public Programmes at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Organisers are promising an enriching series of talks throughout the year, with confirmed speakers including authors Amy McElroy, Margaret Willes, Nandini Das and members of the Trust’s learning team.
To launch the programme in March, Professor Ramie Targoff will shed light on her latest book, Shakespeare’s Sisters, which explores the less understood and celebrated role of women writers in the Renaissance period.
Following the talk, audiences are invited to engage in lively debate with a question-and-answer session with the author, followed by an exclusive book signing at the New Place shop.
Guests can also explore the Trust’s new exhibition, Hidden Voices: The Women Who Made Shakespeare, where they can discover the often-overlooked stories of the women who lived and worked alongside William Shakespeare before and after the talk.
Attendees will be encouraged to make the most of their experience by chatting with likeminded guests over a drink from the bar, with alcoholic or non-alcoholic options available.
‘After Hours Talks at New Place’ will run monthly from Friday 15 March to November 2024, between 6pm and 8pm, with talks starting at 6.30pm.
Tickets are £10 per person and includes exclusive access to the Hidden Voices exhibition at Shakespeare’s New Place.
For more information, please visit https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/visit/whats-on/after-hours-talks-at-new-place/.