Ronorama

In celebration of a new season of my favourite BBC detective show Fake or Fortune? (instead of crime scenes, forensics is used to identify works of art), now seemed to be a good time to revisit my exploration of paintings that could depict Miss Elizabeth Searle – the chief character in my series of Regency-era novels. It has been nearly 18 months since I looked into theories that I had regarding…

Manipulative stage parents exploiting their child? Nothing new about that. Crazed and adoring fans screaming until they faint? It’s been done before. Child stars struggling to rekindle their past successes when reaching adulthood? Hit the history books! I love exploring parallels between modern times and the past. And when it comes to the world of entertainment and celebrity, it is fascinating to…

How skeletons in the family history can inspire writing.

Sergeant Sven Stenander, wearing the Russian St George’s Cross medal, 5th Class If anyone reaches into their family history, it is quite likely that they will find a relative with a questionable past. In my genealogical journey, a cousin informed me that our three times great grandfather, Sergeant Sven Stenander, had been a knight in Sweden. She emailed me a copy of his photograph and a poem in…

One of my favourite ‘reality’ shows on television is the BBC’s Fake or Fortune? Experts get to use the latest research and forensics to try and determine whether an artwork is a hidden masterpiece, or something less valuable. It is a good thing that I was so attentive as I have had the opportunity to do a little variation of this sleuthing from behind my laptop keyboard. This all kicked off…

I used to find looking at historical painted portraits to be a rather tiresome exercise. So many interchangeable faces in stuffy suits, uniforms and frilly dresses. But having the good fortune of living in the UK, where most museum entrances are free, I have had the opportunity to re-evaluate my initial misgivings. I began to appreciate the subtle hints of personality and genius brought to life…

I have been keeping rather quiet about a writing project that I have been involved with, as it isn’t my usual sort of thing. I have been rather reticent at promoting it as I haven’t been completely sure how to go about it. This all came about rather suddenly. My wife’s cousin was at a pub in Wigan and began discussing about her great- great-grandfather, who lived in the town. Samuel Woods grew up…

Readings at Stowe Gardens

Stowe Gardens, near Buckingham I recently (well…last Summer) published a hardback edition of my novel An Actress of Repute. In celebration of the event and to coincide with the first anniversary of the novel being published, I decided to go to one of my favourite National Trust properties: Stowe Gardens in Buckinghamshire. I then ran around the place, filming myself reading chapter excerpts in…

With the debut of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical version of Cinderella, I thought it would be a good time to explore the theatrical history of the Glass Slipper. Cinderella: the First Theatrical Performance

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest musical production, a musical version of the story of Cinderella, has been receiving plaudits and rave reviews. As one of the oldest and best loved fairy-tales, it seems as if the story is as old as time itself. Versions of the story have long been a staple of the Christmas pantomime circuit in British theatres. But how did it all begin? There are many variations of…

'Bridgerton' and the Plight of the Female Theatrical Performer - the Life of an Actress, Dancer or Singer was still very dependent on the whims of men of wealth. Here are some examples:

 I am always up for a good period drama series, and so I binge-watched the delightful series of Bridgerton on Netflix recently. As an author of a novel set in a late Georgian-era theatre, I was particularly pleased to see some scenes taking place at an opera house (presumably a portrayal of the King’s Theatre in Haymarket). I often find my eye homing in on minute details, such as the stage…

Tears of a Clown – the Great Joseph Grimaldi

Joe Grimaldi as a clown by George Cruikshank I was recently doing a bit of research on one of my main character’s co-stars, prompted by a photographic memory of a most unusual church service held in London every year which I attended. The service is attended by clowns in full costume, all in tribute to the man considered to be the ‘King of Clowns’ – Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837). His biography was…