April 2024

 

April ... hath put a spirit of youth in everything... And happy birthday, Shakespeare.

 

At the end of April I will be travelling to England and Scotland so there will be no report for May. Back in June!

 

Our thoughts still go to the Ukrainians, to Gaza. One day, I hope to be able to quote something about peace, but again, sadly, I repeat what I have repeated for far too long:

‘O war! thou son of hell’ O Putin! O Netanyahu! Thou sons of hell! Our thoughts and support are still needed to the people of Ukraine, and the people of Russian who hate this war, and now the people of Gaza, and the people of Israel who hate the war. Protest in any way you can! And don’t give up hope. ‘True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings.’

In this time of turmoil and hope I give you this familiar promo for the book Shakespeare calling – the book. Indie authors like me always need support, even now when book signings and lectures can again be scheduled. Only on the Internet can I reach people like you, who are interested in Shakespeare would like to support the Shakespeare Calling project. I do so hope you will help me by ordering the book online. Any sales I make of this book will go directly to Doctors without Borders for their work in Ukraine and Gaza as long as the war lasts. Just let me know and I’ll send the money forthwith. You can also order directly from me. Just write me an email. Thank you.

Anyone from Ukraine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. Anyone from Palestine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. I am also sending contributions to Doctors without Borders and other organisations who are helping the Ukraine and Gaza.

The book is available for those of you in Great Britain and parts of Europe on this site:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/9163782626/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1514378301&sr=8-1

 

Also available on http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Calling-book-Ruby-Jand/dp/9163782626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436073737&sr=1-1&keywords=Ruby+Jand+shakespeare+calling

Or in Sweden

http://www.bokus.com/bok/9789163782626/shakespeare-calling-the-book/

or Adlibris. Or contact the publisher info@vulkan.se

 

I would be thrilled to get an email from you if you bought the book. rubyjandshakespearecalling@gmail.com

 

Shakespeare sightings:

• In the novel Swing Time by Zadie Smith one of the characters was a Kenyan actor who had worked with the RSC and had a ‘plummy Shakespearean voice’.
• In All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue, Fiona is an actor and gets the part of Desdemona.

 

Films with a Shakespeare connection seen this month - see reviews on https://rubyjandsfilmblog.blogspot.com/

 

• St Trinian’s – Oliver Parker directed Othello. Rupert Everett is in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Shakespeare in Love.
• Women Talking - Ben Whishaw is in Richard II and The Tempest.
• Shattered Glass - Steve Zahn is in Hamlet.
• A Raisin in the Sun - David Oyewole is in As You Like It

Further since last time:

• Progressing: rehearsals for our local theatre production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (En midsommarnattsdröm). We’ve booked our premiere weekend, the 8^th and 9^th of June. Fingers crossed!

 

Posted this month:

• This report

 

Shakespeare Calling – the book is promoted by http://shakespearesallskapet.se/

 

Read more about my alter ego’s books, in one of which Shakespeare appears live and in person, on:

• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/shakespeare-calling-the-book/
• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/spoiler-merlin-and-shakespeare/

 

 

 

 

March 2024

 

March 2024

 

Beware those nasty Ides! It’s a cold and foggy day in Stockholm but there are signs of approaching spring.

 

Our thoughts still go to the Ukrainians, to Gaza. One day, I hope to be able to quote something about peace, but again, sadly, I repeat what I have repeated for far too long:

‘O war! thou son of hell’ O Putin! O Netanyahu! Thou sons of hell! Our thoughts and support are still needed to the people of Ukraine, and the people of Russian who hate this war, and now the people of Gaza, and the people of Israel who hate the war. Protest in any way you can! And don’t give up hope. ‘True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings.’

In this time of turmoil and hope I give you this familiar promo for the book Shakespeare calling – the book. Indie authors like me always need support, even now when book signings and lectures can again be scheduled. Only on the Internet can I reach people like you, who are interested in Shakespeare would like to support the Shakespeare Calling project. I do so hope you will help me by ordering the book online. Any sales I make of this book will go directly to Doctors without Borders for their work in Ukraine and Gaza as long as the war lasts. Just let me know and I’ll send the money forthwith. You can also order directly from me. Just write me an email. Thank you.

Anyone from Ukraine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. Anyone from Palestine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. I am also sending contributions to Doctors without Borders and other organisations who are helping the Ukraine and Gaza.

The book is available for those of you in Great Britain and parts of Europe on this site:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/9163782626/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1514378301&sr=8-1

 

Also available on http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Calling-book-Ruby-Jand/dp/9163782626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436073737&sr=1-1&keywords=Ruby+Jand+shakespeare+calling

Or in Sweden

http://www.bokus.com/bok/9789163782626/shakespeare-calling-the-book/

or Adlibris. Or contact the publisher info@vulkan.se

 

I would be thrilled to get an email from you if you bought the book. rubyjandshakespearecalling@gmail.com

 

Shakespeare sightings:

• The novel Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is about actors and one of the veterans wants to do Lear.
• The narrator’s mother in A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn was an actor and did Shakespeare.

 

Films with a Shakespeare connection seen this month - see reviews on https://rubyjandsfilmblog.blogspot.com/

 

• The Truman Show - Peter Weir directed Dead Poet’s Society. Ed Harris is in Cymbeline. Natasha McElhone is in Love’s Labour’s Lost.
• The Talented Mr Ripley - Gwyneth Paltrow is in Shakespeare in Love.
• Regression - Ethan Hawke is in Hamlet.
• The Electrical Life of Louis Wain - Benedict Cumberbatch is in Richard III. 

 

Further since last time:

• Progressing: rehearsals for our local theatre production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (En midsommarnattsdröm). Last week we bought some of the costumes and in a couple of hours I’m going to IKEA with the producer LJ and scenographer FS to buy some props.

 

 

Posted this month:

·       This report

 

Shakespeare Calling – the book is promoted by http://shakespearesallskapet.se/

 

Read more about my alter ego’s books, in one of which Shakespeare appears live and in person, on:

• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/shakespeare-calling-the-book/
• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/spoiler-merlin-and-shakespeare/

 

 

 

 

February 2024

  

Today the sun is shining in my little part of the world on this frosty February morning so I do not have a February face…full of frost and storm and cloudiness. I hope there is sun in your part of the world. But still our thoughts go to 

the Ukrainians, to Gaza. One day, I hope to be able to quote something about peace, but again, sadly, I repeat what I have repeated for far too long:

‘O war! thou son of hell’ O Putin! O Netanyahu! Thou sons of hell! Our thoughts and support are still needed to the people of Ukraine, and the people of Russian who hate this war, and now the people of Gaza, and the people of Israel who hate the war. Protest in any way you can! And don’t give up hope. ‘True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings.’

In this time of turmoil and hope I give you this familiar promo for the book Shakespeare calling – the book. Indie authors like me always need support, even now when book signings and lectures can again be scheduled. Only on the Internet can I reach people like you, who are interested in Shakespeare would like to support the Shakespeare Calling project. I do so hope you will help me by ordering the book online. Any sales I make of this book will go directly to Doctors without Borders for their work in Ukraine and Gaza as long as the war lasts. Just let me know and I’ll send the money forthwith. You can also order directly from me. Just write me an email. Thank you.

Anyone from Ukraine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. Anyone from Palestine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. I am also sending contributions to Doctors without Borders and other organisations who are helping the Ukraine and Gaza.

The book is available for those of you in Great Britain and parts of Europe on this site:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/9163782626/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1514378301&sr=8-1

 Also available on http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Calling-book-Ruby-Jand/dp/9163782626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436073737&sr=1-1&keywords=Ruby+Jand+shakespeare+calling

Or in Sweden

http://www.bokus.com/bok/9789163782626/shakespeare-calling-the-book/

or Adlibris. Or contact the publisher info@vulkan.se

 I would be thrilled to get an email from you if you bought the book. rubyjandshakespearecalling@gmail.com

 Shakespeare sightings:

• The novel The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich, a character’s grandmother had been brought from her tribal reservation to the Carlisle school for Indian children and been taught, among other literature, Shakespeare.
• In the novel Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland, each chapter for the character Jane is headed by a quote from Shakespeare.
• Romateatern on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea is not producing a Shakespeare play this summer and they might never again because the board of directors has resigned. No reason given, on the Culture News, anyway.
• In the novel The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds, the funeral director Mr Ray, tells about the funeral of an actor who arranged for his actor friends to attend the funeral as characters he had played, including an unnamed Shakespeare character.
• In the novel Drifters by Kevin Emerson, one of the main characters is a high school actor and spends a week at a summer Shakespeare camp. 

Films with a Shakespeare connection seen this month - see reviews on https://rubyjandsfilmblog.blogspot.com/ 

• Only God Forgives - Kristin Scott Thomas is in Richard III.  
• I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Stanley Tucci is in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
• The Father - Anthony Hopkins is in Titus and A Midsummer Night’s Dream Re-Told. Rufus Sewell is in The Taming of the Shrew Re-Told.
• Carolina - Julia Stiles in is 10 Things I Hate about You, O, and Hamlet. Alessandro Nivola is in Love’s Labour’s Lost.
• Martian Child - Sophie Okonedo is in The Hollow Crown. 
• Saving Grace - Brenda Belthyn is in Henry Vi Part One, King Lear. Martin Clunes is in Shakespeare in Love. Phyllida Law is in Much Ado about Nothing, The Life and Death of King John.
• The Incredible Hulk - Tim Roth is in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
• Devil’s Playground - Jaime Murray is in The Taming of the Shrew Re-Told. 

 

Further since last time:

• Progressing: rehearsals and costumes for our local theatre production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (En midsommarnattsdröm).

 Posted this month:

• This report

 Shakespeare Calling – the book is promoted by http://shakespearesallskapet.se/

 

Read more about my alter ego’s books, in one of which Shakespeare appears live and in person, on:

https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/shakespeare-calling-the-book/

https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/spoiler-merlin-and-shakespeare/

 

 

 

January 2024

 

January 2024

 

… True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings…Happy New Year! It’s 2024 and we must hope that it is a better year that 2023.

 

Especially for the Ukrainians, and for Gaza. Hope that the madness and grief ends. One day, I hope to be able to quote something about peace, but again, sadly, I repeat what I have repeated for far too long:

‘O war! thou son of hell’ O Putin! O Netanyahu! Thou sons of hell! Our thoughts and support are still needed to the people of Ukraine, and the people of Russian who hate this war, and now the people of Gaza, and the people of Israel who hate the war. Protest in any way you can! And don’t give up hope. ‘True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings.’

In this time of turmoil and hope I give you this familiar promo for the book Shakespeare calling – the book. Indie authors like me always need support, even now when book signings and lectures can again be scheduled. Only on the Internet can I reach people like you, who are interested in Shakespeare would like to support the Shakespeare Calling project. I do so hope you will help me by ordering the book online. Any sales I make of this book will go directly to Doctors without Borders for their work in Ukraine and Gaza as long as the war lasts. Just let me know and I’ll send the money forthwith. You can also order directly from me. Just write me an email. Thank you.

Anyone from Ukraine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. Anyone from Palestine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. I am also sending contributions to Doctors without Borders and other organisations who are helping the Ukraine and Gaza.

The book is available for those of you in Great Britain and parts of Europe on this site:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/9163782626/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1514378301&sr=8-1

 

Also available on http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Calling-book-Ruby-Jand/dp/9163782626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436073737&sr=1-1&keywords=Ruby+Jand+shakespeare+calling

Or in Sweden

http://www.bokus.com/bok/9789163782626/shakespeare-calling-the-book/

or Adlibris. Or contact the publisher info@vulkan.se

 

I would be thrilled to get an email from you if you bought the book. rubyjandshakespearecalling@gmail.com

 

Shakespeare sightings:

• In the film Angela’s Ashes Frankie is a fan of Shakespeare.
• The novel Booth by Karen Joy Fowler is about John Wilkes Booth’s family of Shakespearean actors, so the book is full of references and quotes.
• The Nine by Gwen Strauss is about nine women who escaped the concentration camp, one of whom helped the others survive by recounting the stories of great literature, including Shakespeare.

 

 

Films with a Shakespeare connection seen this month - see reviews on https://rubyjandsfilmblog.blogspot.com/

 

• Tea with Mussolini – Shakespeare connection: Franco Zefirelli directed  Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew
• Dead Ringers – Jeremy Irons is in The Hollow Crown, The Merchant of Venice.
• The Flowers of War - Christian Bale is in Henry V.
• An Unfinished Life - Damian Lewis is in Much Ado about Nothing Re-Told
• Taking Woodstock - Imelda Staunton is in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Re-Told, Shakespeare in Love, Twelfth Night, Much Ado about Nothing. Liev Schreiber is in Hamlet.
• Relic – Emily Mortimer is in Love’s Labour’s Lost.
• Black Phone - Ethan Hawke is in Cymbeline and Hamlet
• De-Lovely - Kevin Kline is in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet. Jonathan Pryce is in the Globe production of The Merchant of Venice which I saw in London in 2015. Brilliant!
• I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Stanley Tucci is in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

 Further since last time:

• A quiet Shakespeare month

Posted this month:

• This report

 

Shakespeare Calling – the book is promoted by http://shakespearesallskapet.se/

 

Read more about my alter ego’s books, in one of which Shakespeare appears live and in person, on:

• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/shakespeare-calling-the-book/
• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/spoiler-merlin-and-shakespeare/

December 2023

 

December 2023

 

… The icy fang and churlish chiding of the winter’s wind… That’s the way it has been in Sweden for a week or so. Winter is here!

 

It’s also here for the Ukrainians, and for Gaza. A different kind of winter. One day, I hope to be able to quote something about peace, but again, sadly, I repeat what I have repeated for far too long:

‘O war! thou son of hell’ O Putin! O Netanyahu! Thou sons of hell! Our thoughts and support are still needed to the people of Ukraine, and the people of Russian who hate this war, and now the people of Gaza, and the people of Israel who hate the war. Protest in any way you can! And don’t give up hope. ‘True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings.’

In this time of turmoil and hope I give you this familiar promo for the book Shakespeare calling – the book. Indie authors like me always need support, even now when book signings and lectures can again be scheduled. Only on the Internet can I reach people like you, who are interested in Shakespeare would like to support the Shakespeare Calling project. I do so hope you will help me by ordering the book online. Any sales I make of this book will go directly to Doctors without Borders for their work in Ukraine and Gaza as long as the war lasts. Just let me know and I’ll send the money forthwith. You can also order directly from me. Just write me an email. Thank you.

Anyone from Ukraine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. Anyone from Palestine – send me an email and I will send you the book free of charge. I am also sending contributions to Doctors without Borders and other organisations who are helping the Ukraine and Gaza.

The book is available for those of you in Great Britain and parts of Europe on this site:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/9163782626/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1514378301&sr=8-1

 

Also available on http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Calling-book-Ruby-Jand/dp/9163782626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436073737&sr=1-1&keywords=Ruby+Jand+shakespeare+calling

Or in Sweden

http://www.bokus.com/bok/9789163782626/shakespeare-calling-the-book/

or Adlibris. Or contact the publisher info@vulkan.se

 

I would be thrilled to get an email from you if you bought the book. rubyjandshakespearecalling@gmail.com

 

Shakespeare sightings:

• In the novel Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Marx was an avid Shakespearean actor while in college and that interest is mentioned several times throughout the novel. Not surprisingly, the title is from Macbeth and the reason becomes clear towards the end.

 

 

Films with a Shakespeare connection seen this month - see reviews on https://rubyjandsfilmblog.blogspot.com/

 

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? – Lawrence Fishburne is in Othello.
• Where the Crawdads Sing - David Strathairn is in The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
• Waking the Dead - Janet McTeer is in As You Like It
• Grand Avenue - Daniel Sackheim directed the Hamlet spin-off The Glass House.
• Storm - Jonas Karlsson was in The Tempest on stage at Dramaten in Stockholm
• The Caveman’s Valentine - Colm Feore is in Slings and Arrows, Titus.
• 30 Days of Night - Josh Hartnett is in O.
• Hairspray - Michelle Pfeiffer is in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Allison Janney is in 10 Things I Hate about You.
• The Impostor - Mekhi Phifer is in O.

 

 

Further since last time:

• More meetings: with my Shakespeare theatre group doing A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
• Seen at Stadsteatern in Stockholm: Absolute Shakespeare.
• Seen at Stadsteatern in Stockholm: A Temporary Ensemble Put on King Lear)

 

 

Posted this month:

• This report
• A review of Absolute Shakespeare. Shakespeare Calling: Absolute Shakespeare (rubyjandshakespearecalling.blogspot.com)
• A review of A Temporary Ensemble Put on King Lear) Shakespeare Calling: A Temporary Ensemble Puts on King Lear (rubyjandshakespearecalling.blogspot.com)

 

Shakespeare Calling – the book is promoted by http://shakespearesallskapet.se/

 

Read more about my alter ego’s books, in one of which Shakespeare appears live and in person, on:

• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/shakespeare-calling-the-book/
• https://themerlinchronicles.wordpress.com/ruby-and-shakespeare/spoiler-merlin-and-shakespeare/
•  

 

A Temporary Ensemble Puts on King Lear

 

En tillfällig ensemble sätter upp Kung Lear (A Temporary Ensemble Puts on King Lear)

Lilla scen, Stadsteatern, Stockholm

Seen with friends MR and AR 24 November 2023

A hapless director, Andreas (Meyer) is a heart-warming bumbler who agrees with everybody, whose wife is the star of another production, and whose kids he has to fetch from school, while trying to direct King Lear with three actors:

Ulf (Rabaeus) – a pro and he lets everyone know it. Essentially Rabaeus plays himself, he’s known as an arrogant, ego-tripping know-it-all and it reveals a healthy dose of humour and sardonic self-awareness to play this part.

Berit (Benson) – a has-been still living in her glorious past as an actor in the radical theatre of the 70s (which, in fact, Mia Benson was, but she’s far from a has-been). Here, she reads her lines like a robot and Ulf is quick to tell her the right way to do it.

Larissa (Lazcano, who also wrote and directed the play) – a young radical feminist ghetto poet who hates the whole idea of King Lear but gave up several big roles at the Royal Dramatic Theatre to be in this production. And she has a secret…

Then they get directives from the bosses of Stadsteatern – they are to shorten the play, accept commercial sponsors and see to it that they get huge audiences.

It’s laugh-out-loud funny, it’s satirical, it pokes wicked fun at the cold commercialised cultural climate in todays’ right-wing Sweden. The cast is brilliant and the Melody Festival ending is wonderfully glittery and foot-stomping.

There isn’t a whole lot of Lear, but, oh, it’s a lovely spin-off.

 

Absolute Shakespeare

ABSOLUTE SHAKESPEARE

By and with: Malin Sternbrink & Niklas Atterhall

Soppteatern, Kulturhuset, Stockholm

Seen with friend LJ (thank you!) 11 November, 2023

 

A melancholy man in a black overcoat, alone on the stage playing 16th century music on a lute. A woman in red, high-heeled shoes, big 80's hair, enters the stage, singing 'What a Feeling.'

Man: 'To be or not to be...' Woman: 'I want to dance with somebody...'

Shakespeare meets the 1980s.

It starts light-heartedly with new love, quotes from Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream interwoven with 'Let's Dance,' 'A Lady in Red,' 'Kiss.' Then comes jealousy. 'Every breath you take.' 'The Green-Eyed Monster'. Love is not enough. Sadness, betrayal, anguish.

 

Many of my favorite quotes from Shakespeare are included, both in English and Swedish. 'I have of late and wherefore I know not lost all my mirth.' 'Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...', 'there was a star danced, under that was I born'. Jealousy and infidelity? Sternbrink and Atterhall use one of Shakespeare's best scenes: Otello, Emilia explains to Desdemona why it is just as right for women to be unfaithful as men.

 

Also ingenious is that it was Ophelia who quoted 'I have of late...' not Hamlet, and 'Take me to a nunnery,' instead of Hamlet's 'Get thee to a nunnery.' Hamlet says, 'She stared at me...' instead of Ophelia's, 'He stared at me.'

 

Sternbrink and Atterhall have put on a brilliant, funny, emotional and beautiful interpretation of Shakespeare that shows, as many have done, that Shakespeare is as relevant as ever.

 

If you live in Stockholm, see it.

Absolute Shakespeare (kulturhusetstadsteatern.se)