English & Comparative Literary Studies News
Jane Austen Society of America Essay Award
Many congratulations to Almila Dükel, who won second-prize in the essay competition organised by the Jane Austen Society of America, on the topic of 'Jane Austen's Novels: Still Relevant after 200 Years?': https://jasna.org/programs/essay-contest/
Her essay on '“There Is No Enjoyment Like Reading”: Examining Jane Austen’s Relevance Through Her Depictions of Reading’ was awarded second prize. It can be read here: https://jasna.org/publications-2/essay-contest-winning-entries/2024/dukel/
Further success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Congratulations to Siyani Sheth, who will start studying English & Theatre this October for her success at the Edinburgh Fringe with the play ’The Expulsion of Exulansis’, which she not only wrote, directed, and casted, but also acted in. The play has received glowing reviews from both press and audience. As Kate Saffin wrote in ’The Fringe Review’: 'The Expulsion of Exulansis is a powerful piece of new writing telling an important story in a clear, unfussy way by a talented young cast. It is an outstanding production that deserves a wide audience—an unmissable gem of the Fringe.’
Congratulations to WATE Winners and all nominees
Many congratulations to all who have been recognised for their teaching via the recent WATE Awards.
Nancy Haijing Jiang and Michael Meeuwis were both short-listed and in the postgraduate group, Owain Burrell and Andy Irwin received a Commendation, and Elizabeth Sharrock was declared a winner.
TRANSFORMATIONS - Shakespeare's theatre in Poland and the Woman's voice (Panel Discussion) - 23rd June 2024
The following event will be moderated by an Emeritus Professor from your department, Professor Tony Howard.
The event is a Panel Discussion, entitled 'Transformations – Shakespeare’s theatre in Poland and the woman’s voice’ and will feature appearances by Dame Janet Suzman and Helena Kaut-Howson as well as academics Professor Tiffany Stern (The Shakespeare Institute), Professor Elizabeth Schafer (Royal Holloway University of London) and Aneta Mancewicz (Royal Holloway University of London).
During the discussion, amongst others:
· Helena Kaut-Howson, will talk to Professor Elizabeth Schafer (author of "Ms-Directing Shakespeare : women direct Shakespeare") about her revolutionary staging of award-winning actor Kathryn Hunter as King Lear in the 1997 production of the play at the Young Vic when Kathryn became the first English-speaking woman to take on the titular role of King Lear.
· Both Dame Janet Suzman and Helena Kaut-Howson will also speak about their extraordinary careers and will discuss the ways in which Shakespeare's writing about women has released innumerable possibilities for artists' self-expression that continue to challenge centuries of gender stereotyping and social limitation.
· There will be a dramatic performance from actress Hara Yannas of one of Poland’s most recognisable literary texts inspired by Shakespeare, the beautiful and almost forgotten one-woman play, 'The Death of Ophelia' written by Stanislaw Wyspianski. Dame Janet Suzman will also read from another Polish classic, play 'Cleopatra and Caesar' by Cyprian Kamil Norwid, which takes its inspiration from Shakespeare's play 'Antony and Cleopatra'.
The discussion will be moderated Professor Tony Howard (Emeritus Professor Warwick University)
The event is FREE but Tickets must be booked via this link, which also contains a full description of the event:
We very much hope you will be able to join us and that the event will provide interesting insights on a different aspect of Shakespeare.
ECLS again in the Top 10
English & Comparative Literary Studies continues strong as it has been listed 6th in the Complete University Guide for 2025: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/english