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November 5 2005, Saturday,
10am-5pm (continues until February 2006, daily, 10am to 5pm)
Thanks to a
variety of national organisations… in Hatfield (Hatfield House), London
(Metropolitan Police Service, Palace of Westminster, etc.) and Oxford (Ashmolean
Museum and Bodleian Library)… there is - according to one of the press
releases from Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre - a, ‘major new exhibition… to
mark the 400th anniversary of the conspiracy to blow up king and
parliament on 5th November 1605.’ We were fortunate enough to attend the
exhibition’s opening reception – away back in the Spring, and we enjoyed
what we saw. In fact, we wished we had more time to take in all the
information presented by Alan King and other members of the Metropolitan
Police Service, together with the dozen other contributing organisations
(which include Dulwich College and the National Portrait Gallery). The
good news is that the exhibition will continue until February 2006. That
is plenty of time for you to enjoy it! So, what is in store for you and
other visitors? Well, the press release is comprehensive and states, ‘A
partnership of well-known institutions across England has created
Gunpowder 400, a series of exciting events to mark this famous
anniversary. Shakespeare and The King’s Men first performed Macbeth in
1606, demonstrating their loyalty to the Crown in response to the plot
to kill King James 1, an event that had a profound influence on the bard
for the rest of his life. But what do we really know about Catesby, the
architect of the plot, and his co-conspirators? Was it in fact a Jesuit
conspiracy to destroy Protestant England or simply a group of young men
whose ill-conceived actions were used by those in power to subjugate the
Catholic community? Working with The National Archives, the Globe will
be showing the original crown prosecution evidence – including the
controversial letter to Lord Monteagle – and the confessions of the
conspirators, assessing their authenticity and analysing the
correspondence of the major characters involved to reveal the intriguing
and disturbing story of the Plot.
The Globe’s curatorial
team, with Metropolitan Police experts and the Forensic Science Services, has
pieced together the facts, comparing the detective methods of a modern
investigation with those applied 400 years ago. There will be a police incident
room to help visitors turn detective and uncover for themselves the facts behind
the fireworks. All 93 documents used by the prosecution against the conspirators
will be on display, including Guy Fawkes’ confession and the mysterious
Monteagle letter delivered on 26th October warning his lordship to stay away
from the next meeting of Parliament. Visitors can also listen to taped dialogues
between key protagonists in the plot. Opinions will be canvassed in a
questionnaire to find out if the public agree with the Crown Prosecution’s
version of events or whether they think the government used the plot to its own
advantage. The Metropolitan Police in Southwark have provided funding to allow
the Globe to offer free workshops to every school in the borough. Students will
investigate the plot and consider why social inclusion is such an important
aspect of society – be it 400 years ago or today.’ You will have to agree that
whilst there are currently several Guy Fawkes exhibitions across the capital,
the Gunpowder Plot at Shakespeare’s Globe is the genuine event… at least it
hosts the genuine documents!
MENU
A: £9
B: 11, 15, 17, 23, 26, 45, 63, 76, 100, 344, 381 or RV1
C: £7.50
E: (see shakespearesglobe.com website)
F: 020 7902 1515
L: Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition, Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk,
Bankside, London, SE1 9DT
N: 020 7902 1500
T: Cannon Street (Circle & District lines)
W:
http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/
X:
http://www.howtoenjoy.co.uk/cities/oxford.htm
http://www.howtoenjoy.info/interests/guy_fawkes.htm
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