Contributing by Email : Dr Liz Hallam, Dr E. Lamb, Prof. J. Sharpe

Contributing by Email : Dr Liz Hallam, Dr E. Lamb, Prof. J. Sharpe

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Minutes of the Meeting of AHRC Filming and Performing History Steering Committee, Queen’s University, Belfast, 21 September 2007-09-23

Present: Ruth Abraham, Prof. M. Burnett, Dr Christie Carson, Majella Devlin, Dr Winifred Glover, Prof. Sue Harper, Prof. Andrew Higson, Adele Lee, Prof. John O’ Brien, Dr A. Streete, Dr R. Wray

Contributing by email: Dr Liz Hallam, Dr E. Lamb, Prof. J. Sharpe

Apologies: Dr Luke McKernan

Symposia: MB welcomed members of the steering group to the networks project, which started on 17 September 2007. After introductions, we discussed revising and defining the areas. We all contributed suggestions as to how the areas might be extended and/or inflected. Email comments of those not present were fed in throughout. It was noted that the broad areas were useful and well-conceived (AH). It was suggested that we might productively involve, either in the steering group or in the symposia, a television studies representative (SH). JS noted the disjunction between academic and popular history (a disjunction which is made manifest in popular history books, TV history and heritage) and reaffirmed the importance of further academic historians to the project. We agreed that the symposia were designed to showcase different kinds of media and representation, that they should put on display a range of methodologies and that they were not intended to be nationally straitjacketed; we also established that Shakespeare was not central, except in cases where a representation concerned itself with a purposeful recreation of the Renaissance period. It was noted that the ‘Temporalities and Materialities’ symposium might not be of immediate appeal to film studies (AH); hence, publicity for all the events needed to be such that film studies representatives were particularly targeted and involved.We also agreed that the ‘Representing Conflict’ symposium was not simply political: textual varieties of conflict were also crucial. LH noted that ‘text’ could be flagged more generally (including speech and popular discourses).

Could we have, AH asked, as the closing event another themed symposium or another committee meeting? The logistics of this were discussed: MB noted the budgetary restraints. The advantages and disadvantages of generic organization were discussed (AL): it was agreed that a virtue of the network was its cross-pollinating potential. EL noted the virtues of mixing genres and/or periods within each meeting.

We discussed the possibilities of approaches to a particular object across a range of media (CC). As a possible case-study, WG and MB noted the how and where the Spanish Armada was and is exhibited. JOB noted the importance of MiddleTemple here and applauded the possibility of an Armada exhibition across Ireland (WG) and the possibility of an Armada trail across the UK. CC mentioned the possibilities of different approaches to Henry V as a case-study belonging to the ‘Representing Conflict’ symposium. LH noted that a cluster of approaches could centre upon images, early modern to contemporary.

The possibilities of an additional meeting at the Society for Renaissance Studies were also noted, although here, too, there are project budgetary restraints.

Formats and Organization: It was helpfully suggested that, in terms of organization, each symposium might be arranged in two halves: a) mapping the field and b) case-studies (CC). EL made a similar suggestion. It was agreed that this would enable a critical engagement with interdisciplinarity.

We agreed that each meeting was a 2-day symposium as opposed to a conference and that each symposium would involve 16 invited participants delivering papers of half an hour that, hopefully, would be written in advance. EH suggested circulating the papers in advance. We would not deploy parallel sessions or workshops (except unless absolutely necessary), and we would set up encounters between different interest groups and disciplines. SH suggested ending each meeting with a round table discussion. Within the scope of each symposium we might devote a session or sessions to a particular theme or object (such as the Spanish Armada). JS suggested that ‘Players and Personalities’ might involve a detailed engagement with the ways in which the reign of Elizabeth has been portrayed in television history, popular biographies, television drama and film but from the perspective of what is ignored in social and cultural terms.

Other formats were usefully suggested to aid variety: a public interview with a filmmaker, a evening event (a film showing or production), a screening of clips centred on a particular historical figure, a costume display, an exhibition from the Branagh archive, local media coverage of each event, a public panel of questions and answers involving a representative from the Globe Theatre. The advantages of involving the Queen’s Film Theatre (AS) were noted. We would aim to start small and grow in ambition and scope across the two years of the project. Throughout, JS noted, we should endeavour to ensure productive media representation.

Dates: the dates, and spacing between them, were welcomed. It was agreed that we would try for late/early April dates that did not conflict with the Easter break and a late September date (just before the start of term). A late September date might not be possible for the final meeting if, as was agreed, we plan a session or sessions and steering group meeting at the British Shakespeare Association.

Speakers: brainstorming provoked a range of additional speaker and contact suggestions: Dr Judith Buchanan (York, Shakespeare and silent film), Dr Anthony Buckley (Belfast, museum studies), Prof. Richard Cave (RHUL, dramatic production), Prof. James Chapman (Leicester, film history), the Courtauld, Dominic Dromgoole (Globe Theatre, director), Prof. Balz Engler (Basel, appropriation), Prof. Andrew Gurr (Reading, Globe Theatre), Peter Greenaway (film director), Tim Harvey (film designer – contact via Branagh’s PA), Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, Tristram Hunt (television documentary), Dr Farah Karim-Cooper (Globe Theatre, cosmetics), Prof. Dennis Kennedy (TCD, theatre production), Prof. David Lindley (Leeds, music), Prof. Alan Macfarlane (Cambridge, witchcraft and television documentary), Dr Naomi McAreavey (UCD, civil wars), Prof. Ian McLean (All Souls, Oxford, European Renaissance), Prof. Kate McLuskie (Shakespeare Institute, heritage), Elijah Moshinsky (opera director), National Centre for Renaissance Studies (CESR, Tours), Dr Stephen O’Neill (NUI, Maynooth, Tudor Ireland/appropriation), Prof. Roberta Pearson (Nottingham, film and television history), Dr Catherine Richardson (Kent, domestic interiors/clothing), Dr Elizabeth Salter (Aberystwyth, biography and historical reconstruction), Dr Rose Marie San Juan (UCL, cabinets of curiosity), Dr Amy Sargeant (Warwick, international filmic collaboration/design), Dr David Starkey (television documentary), Jenny Tiranami (Globe Theatre, costume), Dr Isobel Torres (QUB, Spanish Golden Age), Clare van Kampen (Globe Theatre, music), Prof. Robert Walinski-Kiehl (Portsmouth, film, German history).

AS noted the importance to the project of military historians, equestrian history historians, historians of food history. JOB noted that further contacts could be set up via SOAS. MB noted that there might be some extra monies available in our international fund to support a limited number of speakers from further afield.

We also discussed the pre-circulated list of possible speakers: Prof. Tim Bergfelder (Southampton), Prof. Martin White (Bristol), Dr Carolyn Jess-Cooke (Sunderland), Prof. Kate Chedgzoy (Newcastle), Prof. Michael Dobson (Birkbeck), Dr Susanne Greenhalgh (Roehampton), Dr Neil Kenny (Cambridge), Bridget Forman (Riding Lights Theatre Company), Dr Marta Ajmar (V&A), Dr Mark McDonald (British Museum), Dr Roisin Doherty (Derry City Museum Service), Dr Tom Betteridge (Oxford Brookes), Prof. Ginette Vincendeau (King’s, London), Prof. Robert Shaughnessy (Kent). The interests of Bergfelder and Vincendeau may not exactly match the project, it was suggested, although the need for specialists in the German, French, Spanish and Italian Renaissances was acknowledged.

We discussed the possibilities of extending the generic remit of the project to include fiction writers (Tracy Chevalier and Sarah Dunant were names canvassed – UEA’s creative writing network (Val Striker) would be useful in arranging contacts), but also recognized the usefulness of not overstretching the disciplinary canvass and reflected upon how far the novel was a filmic or performative mode.

Postgraduate Competition: Publicity for the four bursaries at each symposium could make use of ‘BritGrad’ (the British Graduate Shakespeare Association meeting) EL noted. EL also noted the usefulness of other postgraduate conferences as announcement platforms, including our own ‘Renaissance Dualisms’ conference in January 2008. AH directed attention to other outlets, such as MECCSA and the Making Publics Project at McGill. MB mentioned the Faculty administrator’s (Maria Carrick) contacts. Postgraduates, it was agreed, would be invited to give papers, although more general postgraduate involvement was also welcomed. The usefulness of inviting postgraduates from different disciplines was also noted. JS suggested a sub-committee arranged to agree the bursaries: MB, MD, AL and RA echoed this proposal. A sub-committee of MB and the postgraduate representatives will meet to decide awards, with papers being selected on the basis of intellectual merit.

In addition to the general call for papers, there would be a postgraduate call for papers.

Publicity: during the after lunch session, buzz groups met separately to discuss the website ( MB noted that, by using the QUB template for the website, considerable savings could be made and deployed on other parts of the project. It was suggested that the AHRC logo might be less prominent, that the images might be captioned and that a statement demonstrating fair use/educational use of images might be included. The QUB webmaster’s use of images should be further investigated. SH pointed out the usefulness of a greater variety of materials and experiences on the website, including possibilities for a timeline and a noticeboard. EH suggested posting papers, images and discussions on the website. CC mentioned the English Subject Centre’s webpage in terms of interactivity. Other models were suggested by EL ( and EH ( AS suggested links from other sites (such as Voice of the Shuttle). An opening page for the Branagh Archive database was suggested.

Poster: the poster generated excitement and interest, but the difficulty of non-copyrighted images was raised. It was also felt that the poster needed to include more information – key questions, bullet points, the new methodology, the networks affiliation, for instance. Was there mileage, SH and CC wondered, in simply including two representative images (one from the Globe theatre, the other from a film, or one from productions of Henry V and the other from films of Elizabeth)? Resources such as the Kobal Collection and Photofest were mentioned. It was agreed that the poster needed to be redesigned and that, in its final form, it would be sent as an email flier.

Database: it was agreed that, whatever form this takes, MB needs to monitor/oversee. Various models were suggested: a catalogue, a database of databases, a listing designed around either reigns of monarchs or the research projects of the postgraduates, a bibliography, a thematically arranged listing matching the three symposia (RW) or a combination of all or some of the above. Various resources were flagged, such as Dennis Gifford’s British Film Catalogue (SH).

RA mentioned training courses in designing databases: she, AL and MD are to take one of these. It was agreed that RA, AL and MD would each compile a database of databases, distinguishing between primary and secondary sources and including a bibliography. Each is to work for 10 hours each for a period of one month. The work of RA, AL and MD, in this first phase, is to be completed by Christmas. AH suggested locating other databases and experimenting as another possible way forward.

MB noted that the priority for the postgraduates was the completion of their individual theses and that involvement in the project must be supplementary only. A total of 200 hours has been budgeted for QUB postgraduate participation over the two years.

Outputs: in addition to the database, a co-edited collection, based on the symposia, was a projected output. This would be edited by QUB members of the project. It would be important to flag the output, it was suggested, as a new research area that explored a new kind of cultural history, as a venture that made available different patterns of visibility in different cultural/national contexts. Various structures for the book were discussed, such as book in two halves or a book that matched the structure of the symposia. The possibility of three separate volumes was discussed (AH), but this would depend on how well each symposium had gone. It was agreed that the project needed to be up and running for a while before any definite decisions were reached.

Action Points: new poster; call for papers (general); call for papers (postgraduate); contact likely participants; write minutes; organize postgraduates; cover page for Branagh archive; begin ongoing process of revisions to website