Kristine Hughes – Page 269 – Number One London

Meet Benedict Cumberbatch

In a perfect world, thirty-four year old, London born actor Benedict Cumberbatch would be lauded simply for using his real name professionally – he is the son of actors Timothy Carlton (birth name Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch) and Wanda Ventham. As this has not yet happened, it’s a good thing that Cumberbatch has instead been receiving accolades for his acting talents.

Cumberbatch was educated first at Brambletye School in West Sussex, and then at the prestigious Harrow School in northwest London, where he began performing as an actor. After graduation, he took a gap year to teach English in a Tibetan monastery. He then attended the University of Manchester, where he studied drama. At the university, he met his longtime girlfriend, actress Olivia Poulet. After graduating, Cumberbatch trained further in acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Cumberbatch told an interviewer that his parents had “worked incredibly hard to give me a very privileged education, so I could do anything but be as stupid as them and become an actor. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay any notice, like a lot of children, to my parents’ wise words. For awhile, I did toy with being a criminal barrister. I thought that would be quite fun. Then an awful lot of people dissuaded me from that path, basically saying, `It’s unpredictable. You don’t know where your next job is coming from. You have to travel up and down the country to God-forsaken holes of depravity, and it’s very lowly, incredibly hard work.’ I thought, “This sounds a bit like acting, so I’ll stick with that.”

Cumberbatch began his career on the stage, appearing in, amongst other things, Hedda Gabler at the Almeida Theatre in 2005. His performance as Tesman brought him an Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. A year earlier, Cumberbatch had garnered a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Actor for his role as Stephen Hawking in Hawking.

That same year, whilst filimig To The Ends of the Earth, Cumberbatch, along with co-stars Denise Black and Theo Landey, were carjacked in South Africa when they were stopped at the side of the road with a flat tyre. Six men appeared, held the trio up against the car and tied their hands with their own shoelaces. During the car-jacking, which lasted two and a half hours, Cumberbatch was held in the boot of the car.

In 2006, Cumberbatch played William Pitt in Amazing Grace, the film is the story of William Wilberforce’s intense and lengthy political fight in the late 18th century to eliminate slave trade in the British Empire. The role earned Cumberbatch a nomination for the London Film Critics Circle British Breakthrough Acting Award.

Cumberbatch subsequently appeared in major roles in Atonement (2007) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). In 2009, he appeared in Darwin bio-pic Creation, as Darwin’s friend Joseph Hooker.

Speaking to the Guardian about his roles, Cumberbatch said that people think “I just play neurotic, fey people who would have died with a cold compress to their head. But I do work on the variety. I do try.”

And he’s succeeded – he is scheduled to appear in The Whistleblower (2010) and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse (2011). Cumberbatch will also play Peter Guillam in the 2012 adaptation of the John le Carré novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, directed by Tomas Alfredson, also starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. Begining in February, Cumberbatch returns to the stage in Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle’s version of Frankenstein, in which Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller will swap the roles of monster and doctor on alternate nights.

For now, we’ll watch Cumberbatch in PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery! as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic detective Sherlock Holmes. Speaking about the role, Cumberbatch said: “It is the most-played literary, fictional character. It’s in the Guinness Book of World Records for it. I follow in the footsteps of about 230-odd people, in many different languages, at different ages and different times. For any actor to play an iconic character, there’s a huge pressure that’s associated with delivering something that everyone knows culturally, especially in our country. So, it was quite nerve-wracking, but there is an element of a blank canvas because of this brilliant re-invention and re-invigoration of him being a 21st century hero. While it maintains the integrity of Conan Doyle’s original, much to the enjoyment of die-hard fans of the books, hopefully it will turn new people onto the books, which will be a good thing.”

So what’s next? Cumberbatch and his girlfriend, actress Olivia Poulet, would like to have children one day. And Cumberbatch would eventually like to find the time to try his hand at writing. In the meantime, his legions of fans are content to watch, instead of read, him. Check out the ultimate Benedict Cumberbatch fan site here – btw, his female fans have tagged themselves “Cumberbitches.”

At the JASNA AGM, Portland OR, October 2010

It was an exhilarating experience to be with 600+ Jane Austen fans in Portland OR from October 27-31, 2010, for the yearly AGM on the topic of “Jane Austen and the Abbey: Mystery, Mayhem and Muslin.” At right, a collection of costumes on exhibit in the Milsom Street Emporium. Frankly, I was much more interested in all the books on sale — but I tried to be judicious in my choices.

Team Tilney

A pre-conference offering was the presentation:

“Team Tilney Explains It All,” a light-hearted look at the (beloved) hero (center) of Northanger Abbey.

Our hero

Team TilneyL l-r, Margaret Sullivan, Kelly Brown, Henry Tilney, Heather Laurence, Lynn Marie Macy.

Stephanie Barron

On Friday afternoon, the AGM officially opened with a talk by Stephanie Barron, author of the Jane Austen mystery series. She analyzed Northanger Abbey as a mystery plot by which Catherine and Henry learn about each other and grow toward a lasting relationship, a very clever take on the novel.

Ms. Barron has a new book, Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron, which promises to be another fascinating read for those of us who love her imaginative style. She said she combs through Austen’s letters for kernels of information she turns into her stories.

In between sessions, our colleagues in the Wisconsin chapter of JASNA sold our wonderful 2011 calendars. Here, l-r, Area coordinator Liz Cooper, Susan Richard and Yolanda Jensen stand by to make the sales. If you are interested in all the dates in Jane’s life and in her novels, they are here! For more information, click here and click again on Merchandise.

Farleigh Hungerford Castle

Janine Barchas of the University of Texas, Austin, spoke on Bluebeard’s Castle. She suggested that Jane Austen had probably visited the ruins of Farley Hungerford Castle near Bath. A period guide to Bath and its environs was owned by the Austens and contained information the castle and its bloody history, which could well have been one of JA’s inspiratons for Catherine’s suspicions of mayhem at Northanger Abbey.

The next break out I attended was –MINE! Kim Wilson, left, author of Tea with Jane Austen and Jane Austen in the Garden, and I presented “About Those Abbeys…in Fact, Fiction and Landscape.” I will post about our talk soon. This is a picture of Kim and me at a previous event. I was too busy with our power point to take photos.

The evening presentation was by popular speaker Jeff Nigro, Area Coordinator for the Greater Chicago Chapter of JASNA. His topic was “Mystery Meets Muslin: Regency Gothic Dress in Art, Fashion and the Theatre.” As always, Jeff (a Chicago Art Institute staffer) was knowledgable and charming. I show him at right in his modeling debut from the Philadelphia AGM in 2009 (because I forgot my camera at his talk this year.)

The next morning, Saturday, we prepared for a busy day. Juliet McMaster gave the opening plenary talk on “A Surmise of Such Horror: Catherine Morland’s Imagination.” As with Jeff’s talk, the audience was charmed, amused and illuminated by Juliet.

She is a leading Austen scholar, as well as an artist and playwright. She and Jeff exhibit the best of what AGM’s provide: worthwhile talks that also entertain. Just like Jane Austen’s novels.

Dr. McMaster pointed out how Henry Tilney relished Catherine’s freshness. The naive Catherine, who has lost herself in gothic novels, is susceptible to Henry’s teasing about the horrors awaiting her at Northanger Abbey. But after he catches her snooping and realizes she actually believes she will find evidence of terrible crimes committed there, he chastizes her. And with his gentle teaching, she grows to appreciate realy natural beauty and truth, gains confidence in her instincts and grows into the kind of woman he can not only admire and tease but love. This is a very rough approximation of Dr. McMaster’s theses, but it will have to do, I’m afraid. Above and right is Dr. McMaster in the center, with admiring throngs.

I fear I have run out of space, so I will conclude now, and report on other AGM events in Parts Two, Three, and Four upcoming.

A Camel's Sad Tale

Camel Conveying a Bride to Her Husband by Captain Lyon

From Sophy Bagot’s Journal, published in Links with the Past (1901)

1829.—Captain (George Francis) Lyon, on his return from his African travels, obtained a white dromedary of extraordinary beauty, and from its colour, which is very uncommon, it was very valuable. He was also very spirited, but Captain Lyon treated him kindly and judiciously, and frequently he said he was indebted for his life to that animal’s speed and exertions; and his great wish was to present it to the King on his arrival in England. This was done, and the dromedary, in the finest possible order, was placed in the Royal Mews, exact orders having been also transmitted as to how it ought to be treated. Some time afterwards, Captain Lyon went with a party to see his old friend, and was told by the keeper it had become very fierce. Captain L went up to the noble animal, who was holding its head very high, as they do when displeased, but he instantly recognised his master, and without the slightest opposition suffered him to mount. Captain Lyon soon discovered his favourite was nearly starved, and remonstrated strongly and it may be supposed angrily. The next morning he received a note requesting him to remove the dromedary, as his Majesty could not afford to keep it. This order was promptly obeyed, and not without indignation, and the poor animal under kind treatment soon regained its flesh and its temper. The fame of his beauty spread, and the Master of Exeter Change, having seen and greatly admired it, said to Captain Lyon, ” You are going abroad, and cannot want this creature, and I will gladly give you 500 pounds for it.” ” No,” said Lyon, ” the King cannot afford to keep it; of course, no one else can.” After putting his arms round the dromedary’s neck and kissing it, he shot it to the heart. It may now be seen stuffed in the British Museum.

You can read more about the interesting life and travels of Captain Lyon here.

It's Official!

Clarence House has just issued the official engagement announcement – read about it here.

Christmas Shopping in England – Part One

Once again, Christmas is right around the corner and it’s time we Anglophiles made a crack at checking those names off our lists. After all, Harrod’s and Selfridge’s have had their Christmas Departments up and running since August (!?). While some of us can’t actually do our Xmas shopping in England, we’ve rounded up some fabulous items found on websites across Britain that would be perfect for gift giving – or keeping – and we’re bringing them to you early enough to take shipping times into consideration.

These lovely pillows from the Jan Constantine Collection can be found at Sugar and Spice Furnishings. Do be sure to browse for more English themed pillows on their site, as well as for charming cottage-type decorative items.

Or go directly to the Jan Constantine website for even more London themed gifts

Everyone needs a solar powered waving QEII figurine, available from Findgift.com, who also purveys Xmas ornaments and a wide range of other British themed goods.

At Thebritishshoppe.com you’ll find everything for the tea drinker on your list, including authentic Brown Betty teapots, sugar tongs and strainers.

Don’t forget the digestives!

The distinctly British motto on this apron from Decorative Things can be applied to tasks in the kitchen, as well as to life in general – Keep Calm and Carry On.

Or be very naughty and order yourself a tee that’s fit for a queen from Cafe Press

As every girl knows, the perfect handbag is a must, at Christmas or any time. Drop by Harrod’s and snap up this padded Union Jack Lips clutch by LuLu Guinness at a price just shy of four hundred pounds. While you’re there, pick up this tin filled with biscuits in the shapes of iconic London landmarks.

If you want to make a larger splash, opt for the Mayfair Hamper below from Fortnum and Mason

At a cost of close to $500, you or your gift recipient will receive, among other things: Champagne Truffles, PicKadilly Blend Coffee, Gigantissimi Florentines, Regent’s Blend Tea, Vintage Champagne, Claret Jelly, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, a bottle of St Emilion, a bottle of Sancerre Blanc, Goose Foie Gras en Gelée, 200g Valencay and Green’s Cheddar, all of which is of course presented in a traditional wicker basket.

At The Royal Collection Online Giftshop you can shop for items inspired by the Royals or by the various Palaces. There’s china inspired by the Great Exhbition . . . .

Grape scissors . . . . .

and books, videos and exhibition catalogues galore.

Booklovers on your list will be a snap to shop for with these suggestions, all available from the Signals catalogue.

For the Jane Austen lover . . .

The Jane Austen Collection Audios

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen’s novels are delicious read aloud. Sit back and listen to five great novels and a short story read by some of England’s top actresses: Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous), Belinda Lang (Inspector Alleyn), Anna Massey, and Harriet Walter. Set includes Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and “The Watsons.” Abridged. 15 hours on 12 CDs in a compact box.

T-shirt or sweatshirt for the avid booklover