It really has been some time since I posted. But who wants to write yet more after trying to write another novel? And the discovery that a one-and-a-half hour train journey to London is quite ‘do-able’ has meant my attention switches to there rather than here. Visits to museums, art galleries, shops not available in a closing-down seaside town, and now lectures and courses at colleges and museums has taken up my time.
As a new member of the British Museum, I have been impressed with their courses and lectures and members’ tours. This coming Saturday we shall be attending their yearly Classics Day, three or four lectures by eminent historians and writers. With a 10.30 start and the Museum only opening at 10.00, we took the (expensive) decision to go up on the Friday and stay over until Sunday. A Saturday evening looming free in London, we were amazed how many theatre shows had tickets available at such a relatively late date. We have booked a visit to the Cambridge Theatre to see Matilda, having seen an exert on TV recently and been blown away by the young actors. So, what started as a spend on train fares and a Museum lecture has snowballed into a two-night hotel stay and a musical, with all the extra meals thrown in to the total. This third book had better be a bestseller!
The British Museum’s Classics Day is partly held through City Lit, a college sited just off the Strand near Charing Cross station. I had signed up to City Lit a year or so ago for some reason but had never been to any of their courses or watched one online. As I was signing up for the Museum’s day through the City Lit website I noticed a course on the archaeology of Southwark, an area along the south bank of the Thames and where I had created my imaginary theatre for my most recent books. Being outside the city walls in the 16th century, the area was outside the laws of the city and that is why the theatres, gambling houses, stews (brothels) and many taverns were established there, as others were to the north of the wall in Smithfield and Shoreditch. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, and the coincidence, and went to it last Saturday. Starting a little later at 11.00, it was no hassle getting up to London on time, trains busy but no problem, everyone going out somewhere or on a journey and not worried about work…at least not many. An excellent day, nine people there, enough to get a mix of views and a chance to talk with all at some point. I am considering two or three other courses in June and July and then the college closes for August so will have to wait until September for more. Some courses last over several weeks, others form part of a qualification, but I think I will settle for a variety of one-day courses on any subject I’m attracted to…rail strikes and engineering works permitting…hmm.
What else? The third novel in what has become a series about the boy actor at this imaginary late 16th century London theatre is complete in its first draft and editing has started. It stalled several times so it will be interesting to see how it reads. I definitely brought in too many characters early on and will have to sacrifice or combine a few. These three seem to have covered approximately Spring, Summer and Autumn 1590 so I think another will have to move forward a year or so. A plague struck London around 1591/2 and the theatres had to close with the troupes going ‘on tour’ to avoid the disease and to make a living. It would make an interesting back-drop for another story. I also just recently got the idea of a biography of the main female character, a kind of woman who had to write under a man’s name and had to remain unnamed despite her important ideas and contributions. Whether she writes her autobiography or her husband writes her life or a modern-day historian does after stumbling on her papers, I have not decided, and it may never take off, it’s just a vague idea at present.
Whatever you’re doing in your life, remember never to stop learning – find a course or museum near you and discover new things. It will keep you young and may just stave off those terrible illnesses of old age.
Jamie Neve 