Victoria 200

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 24 June 2019 > Celebrate

2019 marks the bicentenary of the births of Britain’s Queen Victoria and her beloved husband Prince Albert. Victoria reigned from 1837 until 1899, the longest reign of any British monarch until the current Queen overtook the record in 2015. Victoria reigned over an era of imperial expansion, ultimately ruling over a quarter of the world’s … Continue reading “Victoria 200”

Native Voice

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 24 June 2019 > In the News

In 2019, for the first time, the U.S.A.’s poet laureate — the nation’s “official” poet — will be a Native American. Joy Harjo is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation from Alabama. She aims to honour both the “Native” and the “American”, saying, “When you grow up as a person in your culture, you … Continue reading “Native Voice”

Yesterday

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 20 June 2019 > What's On

It’s always great to have an excuse to play Beatles songs in class and the latest one is this summer’s feel-good movie, Yesterday. In it a wannabe pop star from England wakes up from a bike accident caused by a global power cut to discover that he is the only person left on Earth who … Continue reading “Yesterday”

Staging the Brontë Sisters

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 12 June 2019 > What's On

Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë were wonderful storytellers, but their lives have fascinated generations of audiences almost as much as their books. The play Brontë by Polly Teale combines their biographies and their fiction. We talked to Barry Purves, who directed a recent production. Brontë by Polly Teale (2005), intertwines the biography of the Brontë … Continue reading “Staging the Brontë Sisters”

May Leaves

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 07 June 2019 > In the News

British Prime Minister Theresa May stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party on 9 June, starting the process of electing a new leader, who will take over as Prime Minister. For three years, May has tried to deliver Britain’s exit from the European Union, despite having campaigned for Remain in the Brexit referendum. But … Continue reading “May Leaves”

On the Ball

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 05 June 2019 > In the News

The eighth FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in France from 7 June to 7 July. Women’s football has come a long way since the inaugural tournament took place in China in 1991. And the players are beginning to demand closer pay and status to men’s teams. The eighth FIFA Women’s World Cup will … Continue reading “On the Ball”

D-Day in Sound and Poetry

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 03 June 2019 > Celebrate

As part of the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the town of Bayeux is hosting an immersive audio performance in English about British war poet and D-Day veteran Keith Douglas. Douglas was a WWII tank commander, who fought in North Africa and participated in the Normandy landings. He was killed three … Continue reading “D-Day in Sound and Poetry”

Dark Phoenix: back to black

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 29 May 2019 > What's On

While it may be the last film of the current X-Men movie franchise, Dark Phoenix is also shaping up to be the absolute darkest chapter of the series yet.    What’s the Dark Phoenix story?   The Dark Phoenix story is based on Chris Claremont’s iconic 1980s X-Men comic book (specifically The Dark Phoenix Saga). … Continue reading “Dark Phoenix: back to black”