Let's explore Life at Court! Welcome to Episode #001, the Pilot Episode, of That Shakespeare Life, the podcast that takes you behind the curtain and into the life of William Shakespeare.

I believe that if you want to understand Shakespeare's plays, then understanding the life of William Shakespeare is essential. This podcast will help you explore early modern England as Shakespeare would have lived it by interviewing the historians, performers, authors, and experts that know him best.

To get started, we dive into the world of life at court. For instance, William Shakespeare performed many times "at court" before Queen Elizabeth. Later, under the official royal patronage of King James, Shakespeare enjoyed a prosperous career. But what was life at court really like?

Our guest this week, Philippa Brewell, owner and lead historian at British History Tours joins us this week to set the stage and share with us what Shakespeare would have experienced when appearing at court.

Join the conversation below.

Philippa Brewell specializes in helping historians of all levels explore the real places behind the history you read about through expertly curated tours, and most recently, an online membership forum featuring expert interviews, virtual tours, and printable guides to the world of British History. Learn more about British History Tours here.

Inside this episode, I ask Philippa about:

• The purpose of holding court
• The significance of White Hall palace
• The role of the Master of the Revels
• the surprising myth about Shakespeare's patronage you may not realize is true!

Books Philippa Recommends:

Julian of Norwich - Dr Janina Ramirez (Read Philippa's Review here)

Glory and Bollocks - Colin Brown

Resources mentioned in today's episode:

• Find out more about Philippa at her website
• Connect with Philippa on Twitter or Facebook
• Join British History Tours Membership and go in depth into British History with live virtual tours with Philippa.
• Check out one of Philippa's history guides (for free if you're a member)

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