‘...an autumn ‘twas that grew the more by reaping.’ Antony and Cleopatra, Act 5 Scene 2 William Shakespeare What News? FOR PATRONS, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS AUTUMN 2018 Welcome x Thank You For Making A Difference x Shreds & Patches Learning x Collections x Houses x International What’s On x Shopping x Friends’ Exclusive x Creative Muse Contents AT A GLANCE Thank You Shreds & Learning 6–7 Collections 8 Houses 9 For Making Patches 4–5 A Difference 3 International What’s On Gift Shop 14 Friends’ Creative 10–11 12–13 Exclusive 15 Muse 20 Welcome A warm welcome to our autumn edition of What News? As you read through this latest issue you will see that there is plenty happening at the Trust over coming months. We now have a new and novel exhibition in the Shakespeare Centre. “ShakespeariANNE” features the provocative work of our first artist-in-residence, Carrie Reichardt, with her unique take on the life and times of Anne Hathaway. Carrie is quite a character in her own right and her artistic take on Anne and her role is refreshing and challenging. Do visit if you can. This exhibition and a number of other events coincide with the centenary of women’s suffrage in the UK and in November we will be showcasing items from our collection with ‘Women Centre Stage’ and publishing the ‘Juliet Files’, continuing to compare and contrast the roles, rights and responsibilities of women in Shakespeare’s time with the present day. In December we will conclude the year with a series of spectacular outdoor performances of “Fierce Sisters”, a dazzling immersive performance by female-led acrobatic troupe Mimbre, at Shakespeare’s New Place. For those of our readers in the United States – don’t miss the opportunity to visit the “Tenacity” exhibition at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Virginia. This special year-long exhibition opening on 10 November will explore little-known, captivating personal stories of real women in Jamestown and Virginia and features some items from our collection on display outside Stratford-upon-Avon for the first time ever. You can also read in this issue about the toll taken on our historic properties by the long, hot summer in the UK. This is a theme we’ll be returning to next year, starting with a month-long focus on conservation at all the Shakespeare Homes in January. We look forward to bringing you more news and insights on this essential work in 2019. As our valued supporters, we rely on you to help deliver key aspects of our work. You help provide the best care for our irreplaceable houses and collection items. You also support us as we endeavour to create innovative ways to use our unique resources to help more people encounter, learn from, and be inspired by Shakespeare. My sincere thanks for all your support and commitment. Tim Cooke 2 CEO Thank You For Making A Difference A new moon You’ve saved the Beasts! The crescent moon at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, We are thrilled to report that our recent appeal has standing resplendent in the gardens, has delighted been very successful and we are now able to restore many visitors since it was first erected more than Topsell’s ‘History of the Four-footed Beasts’. five years ago. The book has gone to the conservator, Arthur Green of Being a natural willow sculpture it has suffered from the Green’s Books, who is already uncovering secrets of its past. elements over the years – plus of course it has been the frame Conserving the binding will stabilise the book and make it to hundreds of visitors’ photographs, continually climbed, sat functional again. Restoration prevents further deterioration on, rubbed against and more. Time for repair! We are pleased and ensures the book can be used safely as part of exhibitions, that we have been able to make this important repair, funded talks and tours. entirely by Friends’ donations. The moon was designed and created by Tom Hare. Tom is based in Leicestershire and travels the world designing and erecting natural structures inspired by nature. The original willow moon was erected in Tom’s workshop and then transported to the cottage and finished on site. This time his team did all the work at the cottage, stripping the shabby and broken willow and replacing it with newly coppiced willow over the steel skeleton. The skill in making it look as it does The book before undergoing repair. depends on selecting the correct willow strands and weaving them in the same rhythm. This is an art that Tom and his The book is in its original 17th-century calf leather binding, but team make look effortless, but years of work go into being has a history of repair. During the 20th century, the book was able to demonstrate this skill! It took a week to complete the re-backed: a technique which enables the spine of the book refurbishment with three workers on site. to be replaced without fully rebinding the book or discarding the original boards. This has helped to preserve most of the binding, but some original material has been lost. This was done at a time when the aesthetics of the book perhaps took precedence over its function, so whilst the original spine leather was replaced very neatly, the cords that hold the boards on were not repaired sufficiently for such a large book. Arthur has now carefully lifted the spine leather and evidence of the repair can be seen. Conservation sometimes provides a unique opportunity to see workings that would otherwise remain hidden. Another such example is the threads from the original 17th-century endbands (now missing) have been uncovered. These endbands have been replaced by modern ‘stick-on’ machine-woven endbands, but the indigo blue threads suggest what might once have been. Arthur’s work will address the structural weakness in the book by sewing in new supports to reattach the boards more firmly. He will also reinstate the hand-sewn blue endbands. Tom Hare busy weaving the new willow. The repaired book will be on display on 24 and 25 November at the Birthplace Gift Shop on Henley Street. Tom uses Flanders Willow which bleaches and mellows in the sun. For the moon repair he used over 5,000 reeds. Thank you for your support that has allowed us Tom says: to preserve this book for future generations to ‘Willow is the perfect example of enjoy. a sustainable material, which can be It is not too late to donate if you would like to help woven into forms with such spontaneity’. us conserve more important early books in our care. Thank you. The moon is now back to its former glory. Thank you for making a difference. You can donate at shakespeare.org.uk/donate or call us on 01789 339804. To find out more about Tom visit: tomhare.net 3 Shreds & Patches ‘Now humble as the ripest mulberry’ Coriolanus, Act 3 Scene 2 James 1 introduced thousands of mulberry trees into Britain in 1609 in an attempt to start a silk industry. There is a belief that Shakespeare planted a mulberry at New Place and the current The Greenwood Tree at Shakespeare’s New Place. trees have grown from cuttings from that tree, which was felled Greenwood Tree celebration by the infamously angry Rev Francis Gastrell. This year’s harvest of mulberries from the large tree On a very warm evening in August we held a special at New Place was a real low-tech affair using shoe covers, event for supporters who have dedicated a leaf on tree loppers, polythene sheets and a very large plastic the Greenwood Tree at Shakespeare’s New Place. container. It was a messy process! The harvest was a good This specially designed artwork has been an important part one with fully ripened fruit, which is extremely sweet. of our fundraising at New Place. Each personal inscription represents a lasting legacy for the donor, with the funds raised The Shakespeare Distillery in Stratford-upon-Avon will be supporting the transformation of New Place. In the Great producing the coveted Mulberry Gin liqueur from this fruit Garden, after the visitors had left, this peaceful and calming as a limited New Place edition of the delectable tipple. place was only for the Greenwood Tree donors. We cooled Available from the shop from £7 (£6.30 with Friends discount). off with a glass of Pimm’s and were entertained by the actors from Shakespeare Aloud! New leaves were admired and we were reunited with our own dedications on the evergrowing tree. It was a way of thanking our supporters and reminding ourselves what a special place we have at New Place. There is still space for more leaves on the tree, although numbers are limited. All the money raised continues to help with our work at New Place. If you would like to dedicate a leaf on the tree as a lasting legacy contact us 01789 339804 or [email protected] Harvest at Mary Arden’s Farm For the first time we have attempted to produce a loaf of bread made from wheat grown on the farm using 16th century techniques. Harvesting mulberries in the Great Garden. Our Tudor farm labourers were sent out to the fields in August with their scythes and sickles to cut the ripened wheat Our volunteers are winners! and stack it into stooks* to dry in the sun. Unfortunately, The West Midlands Volunteer Awards were held the weather chose that week to break and our stooks were at a ceremony at the Birmingham Hippodrome thoroughly soaked.