by CCash | Jul 6, 2026 | Blog, Podcast Episodes
Elaborate theatrical performances in Shakespeare’s lifetime presented before the reigning monarch were known as court masques. These intricate and complex stories were presented in grand fashion, sparing no expense on costumes, props, and special effects. The...
by CCash | Dec 29, 2025 | Blog, Podcast Episodes
with Martin Butler “Say, what abridgement have you for this evening? What masque? what music? How shall we beguile The lazy time, if not with some delight?” — A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act V, Scene 1 There are over a dozen mentions of...
by CCash | Dec 15, 2025 | Blog, Podcast Episodes
with Clare McManus In Hamlet, Claudius introduces Gertrude as “our sometime sister, now our queen” (Hamlet I.2.8–9). It’s a moment that reminds us how queenship stood at the heart of dynastic politics, court performance, and cultural identity in Shakespeare’s England....
