Competition ends tomorrow!

The Cafédirect competition to WIN TICKETS to see a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe AND a signed copy of Shakespeare on Toast ends tomorrow (Tues 30th) at midday!

Click here to find details on how to enter…

Show & Tell, tonight 7pm, at The School of Life

I’ll be bringing one of my very favourite things to Show & Tell tonight at The School of Life, hosted by the very wonderful Damian Barr. Also with Laura Lockington and David Nicholls…

Come see what we’ll bring. Details here…

BBC Radio 3 – Listen to the interview here…

The interview clip from last week’s The Verb on BBC Radio 3, where I talked in & about Original Pronunciation – Shakespeare’s accent – with Ian McMillan is now up.

Listen here…!

Win tickets to the Globe Theatre!

After their sponsorship of my talk at the Hay Festival a few weeks ago, Cafédirect, the Globe Theatre and Shakespeare on Toast are teaming up!

All Friends of Cafédirect have the chance to WIN TICKETS to see Troilus & Cressida at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, AND a signed copy of Shakespeare on Toast!

In order to enter the competition simply become a Friend of Cafédirect by clicking here: www.cafedirect.co.uk/friends/newsletter/june09competition… and then get snapping…*

It’s free to become a Friend of Cafédirect, and from what I’ve seen, Troilus at the Globe will be quite an event…

Competition closes midday June 30th 2009.

*the Cafédirect blog will explain all…

Story of London Talk @ Shakespeare’s Globe – 6pm Mon 22nd June

As part of the Story of London Festival, Dad and I will be giving a talk at Shakespeare’s Globe on Monday 22nd June at 6pm.

The Sounds of the Streets and Stage in Shakespearean London:

David and Ben Crystal take an entertaining look at how English was spoken in 1600 London. What was distinctive about the language, and how did the diversity of London at that time impact on evolution of language? This event will explore the slang, insults and accents of Shakespeare’s London.

See The Story of London or Shakespeare’s Globe site for more…

BBC Radio 3 – tonight!

I’ll be speaking about Shakespeare’s accent, and giving a few blasts of Original Pronunciation, tonight on BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, at 9.15pm…

Guests include the poets Caroline Bird, Laura Dockrill aka Dockers MC, Jen Hadfield and the musician Leafcutter John…

Tune in if you can…

Radio…

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the BBC Radio Somerset interview scheduled for this morning has been cancelled!

Fear not, though, as the edition of The Verb recorded yesterday will play out tomorrow night on BBC Radio 3, at 9.15pm… Guests include the poets Caroline Bird, Laura Dockrill aka Dockers MC, Jen Hadfield and the musician Leafcutter John…

Tune in if you can…

BBC Radio Somerset & BBC Radio 3

Two radio interviews over the next two days…

Tomorrow (18th June, 11.05am) I’m catching up with BBC Radio Somerset’s Elise Rayner, after last week’s wonderful bookshop event at Brendan Books…

And then on 19th June, 9.15pm, I’ll be on BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, with Ian McMillan, talking in & about the accent Shakespeare spoke in, Original Pronunciation, ahead of next week’s talk at the Globe…

Tune in, if you can…

“Fizz and sparkle” — WhatsOnStage

A review of the paperback of Toast, from WhatsOnStage.com’s Laura Silverman:

Crystal’s explanations fizz and sparkle with educated clarity and infectious enthusiasm. One for all ages.

Click here to read more…

“Engaging” — Folger Magazine

A new review just in, from the Spring edition of the esteemed Folger Magazine in Washington, USA (home to the Folger Institute and the biggest collection of First Folios!):

Notions that Shakespeare is stuffy, elitist, or just plain boring are knocked soundly on their heads in this engaging look at Shakespeare’s plays, characters, and language.

Click here to read more…