Shakespeare on Toast

Speaking at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival next week, on Thursday 2nd April at 7pm:

Shakespearean actor Ben Crystal brings the language and colourful characters of the world’s greatest writer to life.

In his lighthearted but highly accessible book, he opens the door to a fresh understanding of Shakespeare’s plays, helps us negotiate our way through his more challenging writing, and makes him newly accessible and relevant.

As The Independent said of the book, “Having Crystal as a companion through the stickier parts of Hamlet and Macbeth is like going to the theatre with an intelligent friend.”

Click here for more…

A Happy New Year one and all!

After the near-avalanche of Toast-related events last autumn & winter, the new year is a little quieter, as the US rights to Toast are being sold (watch this space for news on this), and a few other exciting developments slowly unfold (ditto) before the paperback of Toast appears in the summer.

IN THE MEANTIME, there are a few new features to the site:

** Talks at both the Bath Literature Festival and the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival have now been confirmed. Take a stroll over to the Book Festival Dates page for more info…

** There is now an Excerpt of the book for your reading pleasure, so you can grab a wee taste of Toast before you buy, and a Gallery, too.

** I’ve also added a School Talks & Workshops page – I’ve long given workshops and talks at schools around the UK and Europe – mainly to GCSE and A-Level (indeed, such a workshop was part of Toast’s genesis). If you’re a school and would like me to come and give a talk, click here.

** And the Facebook Group is still flourishing, so do come and find me out…

As for those January blues, I find a little Shakespeare always does the trick… but then I would say that… sickening, isn’t it…