Tag: history

I try to finish blogs, of course. Today I succeeded. This is a blog on seeing ‘The Ragged Trousered Philantrhropists’ performed by Ensemble 84 at Horden.

October 9, 2026

Tell us about your morning routine. View all responses I try to finish blogs, of course. Today I succeeded. This is a blog on seeing ‘The Ragged Trousered Philantrhropists’ performed by Ensemble 84 at Horden. Mark Dornford-May, Artistic Director of Ensemble 84 says of the current production of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists in an adaptation … More I try to finish blogs, of course. Today I succeeded. This is a blog on seeing ‘The Ragged Trousered Philantrhropists’ performed by Ensemble 84 at Horden.

Since Iris Murdoch we no longer have the right to centre our narratives on questions about a morally good person, for that demands consistency. Lets’s instead show how a satifying person in fiction is one who bears their inconsistency. On Edith Hall (2026) ‘Medea: A life’.

October 6, 2026

What does it mean to be a good person? View all responses Since Iris Murdoch we no longer have the right to centre our narratives on questions about a morally good person, for that demands consistency. Lets’s instead show how a satifying person in fiction is one who bears their inconsistency. ‘… determined to make … More Since Iris Murdoch we no longer have the right to centre our narratives on questions about a morally good person, for that demands consistency. Lets’s instead show how a satifying person in fiction is one who bears their inconsistency. On Edith Hall (2026) ‘Medea: A life’.

How can a drama be created out of the fate of a boy who ‘acquired a knowledge of decorative painting and design, and graining and signwriting’ from the fag-end of a remnant of pre-capitalist values, and the sad shadows of that system that followed it. Some personal and otherwise reflection on reading Robert Tressell before seeing the Ensemble ’84 production of ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’: Part One,being ‘My Dad’.

September 30, 2026

What’s the most underrated life skill? View all responses How can a drama be created out of the fate of a boy who ‘acquired a knowledge of decorative painting and design, and graining and signwriting’ from the fag-end of a remnant of pre-capitalist values, and the sad shadows of that system that followed it. Some … More How can a drama be created out of the fate of a boy who ‘acquired a knowledge of decorative painting and design, and graining and signwriting’ from the fag-end of a remnant of pre-capitalist values, and the sad shadows of that system that followed it. Some personal and otherwise reflection on reading Robert Tressell before seeing the Ensemble ’84 production of ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’: Part One,being ‘My Dad’.

This is a blog on seeing the Gwen John exhibition in Edinburgh in 2026, using the catalogue edited by Rachel Stratton and Lucy Wood, ‘Gwen John: Strange Beauties’.

September 2, 2026

In looking at drawings and perhaps even serial paintings whether explicitly named versions of a concept, or ‘studies’ or whatever, something the brilliant Lauren Elkin says about the relationship of found drawings of an artist *speaking of those Gwen John made of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Her Sister and the ultimate form they might … More This is a blog on seeing the Gwen John exhibition in Edinburgh in 2026, using the catalogue edited by Rachel Stratton and Lucy Wood, ‘Gwen John: Strange Beauties’.

Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh: Envisaging Buggers, A wandering Hannah Arendt & Men Hanging Together.

August 21, 2026

Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Buggers, a play exploring the relationship of Francis Bacon and George Dyer (The Fringe Festival); 2. Traverse Theatre Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library (the Fringe) & Lyceum Theatre … More Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh: Envisaging Buggers, A wandering Hannah Arendt & Men Hanging Together.

Lets make it: ‘Can you See me Now!’ — August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh: Visibilising Fools, Queer Life, Voids & the queer comedy in queer lives.

August 18, 2026

Lats make my tatto: Can you See me Now!, such as I designed it below! This is a blog on August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh Highlights: . David Wilson Lear’s Fool at Olive Studio, Greenside at George Street (The Fringe); 2. Catherine Opie: To Be Seen  at the Royal Academy of Scotland, Princes Street … More Lets make it: ‘Can you See me Now!’ — August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh: Visibilising Fools, Queer Life, Voids & the queer comedy in queer lives.

Does anyone ‘relate to’ the ‘Two Peasants Binding Firewood’ by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, ‘as Moralist and Entrepreneur’ as the Barber Institute of Fine Arts identifies their maker? If not, what could be the use of art that approaches humanity through the making of types, not persons?

August 1, 2026

Who is the fictional character you relate to the most? Does anyone ‘relate to’ the Two Peasants Binding Firewood by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, ‘as Moralist and Entrepreneur’ as the Barber Institute of Fine Arts identifies their maker? If not, what could be the use of art that approaches humanity through the making of types, … More Does anyone ‘relate to’ the ‘Two Peasants Binding Firewood’ by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, ‘as Moralist and Entrepreneur’ as the Barber Institute of Fine Arts identifies their maker? If not, what could be the use of art that approaches humanity through the making of types, not persons?

Some reaons for missing a technology that still required a person to drive and regulate its process: the case of the hand loom and cottage industry in literature. A blog on extracts from George Eliot’s ‘Silas Marner’ and Douglas Stuart’s ‘John of John’.

July 26, 2026

Which outdated technology do you miss the most, and why? Some reaons for missing a technology that still required a person to drive and regulate its process: the case of the hand loom and cottage industry in literature. A blog on extracts from George Eliot’s ‘Silas Marner’ and Douglas Stuart’s ‘John of John’. My collage … More Some reaons for missing a technology that still required a person to drive and regulate its process: the case of the hand loom and cottage industry in literature. A blog on extracts from George Eliot’s ‘Silas Marner’ and Douglas Stuart’s ‘John of John’.

Changing the ending? The issue is not with ‘books’, so to speak, but with stories, where changed endings are only one form of a work, which must exist through history as ‘translations, versions, or adaptations of works’ that involve ‘a conversation with an earlier writer’. Let’s choose, then, as so many have already done, a story where conversations with the original are ‘an encounter … across the span of two-and-a-half millennia’. Part One of an examination of three versions of ‘The Oresteia’ before Simon Stone’s brilliant version: the Psychopolitical Orestes and Sartre.

July 22, 2026

Changing the ending? The issue is not with ‘books’, so to speak, but with stories, where changed endings are only one form of a work, which must exist through history as ‘translations, versions, or adaptations of works’ that involve ‘a conversation with an earlier writer’. Let’s choose, then, as so many have already done, a … More Changing the ending? The issue is not with ‘books’, so to speak, but with stories, where changed endings are only one form of a work, which must exist through history as ‘translations, versions, or adaptations of works’ that involve ‘a conversation with an earlier writer’. Let’s choose, then, as so many have already done, a story where conversations with the original are ‘an encounter … across the span of two-and-a-half millennia’. Part One of an examination of three versions of ‘The Oresteia’ before Simon Stone’s brilliant version: the Psychopolitical Orestes and Sartre.

The ease of modern ‘travel’ can hardly be inspired. Only when ‘travel’ equates to ‘travail’ (hard labour and unforeseen difficulty) does it require that input of strong breath from without.

July 19, 2026

For some travel will always be made to include hard work and uncertainties If you test an AI searcher like Co-Pilot on the origins of the word ‘travel’ these days, you get something like this (what I got today): The validity of some of those sources used by the AI tool can be queried but … More The ease of modern ‘travel’ can hardly be inspired. Only when ‘travel’ equates to ‘travail’ (hard labour and unforeseen difficulty) does it require that input of strong breath from without.

This blog reflects on why I enjoyed Geoff Andrews’ 2026 book ‘Radicals: The Working Classes and The Making of Modern Britain’, and why, perhaps it is a as deeply flawed a book as my enjoyment of it.

July 6, 2026

This blog reflects on why I enjoyed Geoff Andrews’ 2026 book Radicals: The Working Classes and The Making of Modern Britain, New Haven & London, Yale University Press, and why, perhaps it is a as deeply flawed a book as my enjoyment of it. I did, despite its portentous title, Radicals: The Working Classes and … More This blog reflects on why I enjoyed Geoff Andrews’ 2026 book ‘Radicals: The Working Classes and The Making of Modern Britain’, and why, perhaps it is a as deeply flawed a book as my enjoyment of it.

There is life in the old portrait yet! A visit to the Laing Art Gallery’s reframing of the ‘Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award Show 2025’

July 1, 2026

There is life in the old portrait yet! A visit to the Laing Art Gallery’s reframing of the ‘Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award Show 2025‘ This blog follows on from yesterday’s which reported a visit to The Hatton Gallery to see their new exhibition Lines of Action (see it at this link). The day-trip … More There is life in the old portrait yet! A visit to the Laing Art Gallery’s reframing of the ‘Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award Show 2025’