St.Peter's church Bournemouth
Photo by M.Troth
Thursday 18 June 2009
Friends of Shelley Manor
By James Morton
WE’LL fight this all the way.
That is the rallying cry from the Friends of Shelley Manor in Boscombe, which yesterday became one of several Dorset projects to fall victim to swingeing South West Regional Development Agency budget cuts. The intended refurbishment of the Grade Two-listed Shelley Theatre was just awaiting final confirmation for £200,000 funding.
But it has been thrown into turmoil by the withdrawal and the Friends’ ambitions now teeter on the brink after five years of hard work to prepare the project.
Cllr Chris Wakefield, part of the Friends group, said they were determined not to let the funding blow derail their plans.
He said: “This is a very large stumbling block but we will continue to fight and fundraise.
“We did everything asked of us and for the agency to pull the rug from under us is disastrous.”
Cllr Wakefield said he would be contacting Bournemouth MP Tobias Ellwood to drum up support.
He also said he would be contacting lawyers with regard to a letter from the agency, sent in June 2007, which he claims agrees a £238,000 grant for the theatre.
“This was a binding document with the Friends for a project already on-going,” said Cllr Wakefield.
“How they can then claim it has not started totally beggars belief.”
The agency contribution would have triggered a £500,000 grant from Bournemouth council under a funding agreement with Grovely Manor Theatre Trust.
Monday 15 June 2009
Bournemouth 200 presentation
Thursday 11th June
Bournemouth 200 invited WavyBlue to give a presentation on the Mary Shelley Festival at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society. This was given by Diane Roberts.
Bournemouth 200 invited WavyBlue to give a presentation on the Mary Shelley Festival at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society. This was given by Diane Roberts.
Photo of Bournemouth Natural Science Society
Friday 29 May 2009
Monday 18 May 2009
Bournemouth 200 logo
Following a meeting with Bournemouth 200 project manager, Jenny Warwick, the Mary Shelley Festival project was approved and we are able to use the Bournemouth 200 logo on our promotional literature.
Thursday 14 May 2009
Echo archive
Mary Shelley 'did not write Frankenstein'
From the archive, first published Monday 2nd Apr 2007.
AN AMERICAN academic has stirred up controversy by claiming that Mary Shelley, who is buried in Bournemouth, was not the true author of the Gothic masterpiece Frankenstein. After seven years of research, Harvard-educated John Lauritson has concluded that the book was actually written by Mary's husband, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who drowned off the coast of Italy in 1822. His theory has emerged as Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood announced he was seeking National Lottery funding for a bronze statue of Frankenstein's monster in Boscombe, to commemorate Mary Shelley and her family's local links. Mr Lauritson's book, The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein, is due to be published in May. He describes Mary as a "poor" writer who had little imagination and was "extremely conventional". Critics may dispute his judgement on the intellectual feminist icon, who scandalised society by eloping to the Continent with the already-married Shelley when she was only 16. But Lauritson, who has closely examined works by both writers, remains convinced that Mary would have been incapable of producing the "great, rich and complex" Frankenstein. "I believe it was a hoax - and Shelley was the one who started the hoax," he said.
Frankenstein was originally published in 1818 and it was immediately assumed that Shelley, already known as a poet, was the author. After his death, it was republished under Mary's name. Bournemouth author Christine Aziz, who wrote a play about Mary Shelley and her monster, said: "Even then, people didn't believe that a woman could write such a good book. "She wrote the story behind her writing of it: Shelley went through the manuscript and did make some changes. She acknowledges that, but certainly she wrote it. "I think it's quite sad that there are still people around saying she didn't. She went on to write more books, which weren't as popular, but they showed her to be an intellectual of great depth. I think she was a remarkable woman. "There are a lot of first novels that are absolutely brilliant. Some people are at their best when they are in the flower of youth, some when they get older. There are no hard and fast rules."
From the archivehttp://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk© Newsquest Media Group 2007
From the archive, first published Monday 2nd Apr 2007.
AN AMERICAN academic has stirred up controversy by claiming that Mary Shelley, who is buried in Bournemouth, was not the true author of the Gothic masterpiece Frankenstein. After seven years of research, Harvard-educated John Lauritson has concluded that the book was actually written by Mary's husband, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who drowned off the coast of Italy in 1822. His theory has emerged as Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood announced he was seeking National Lottery funding for a bronze statue of Frankenstein's monster in Boscombe, to commemorate Mary Shelley and her family's local links. Mr Lauritson's book, The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein, is due to be published in May. He describes Mary as a "poor" writer who had little imagination and was "extremely conventional". Critics may dispute his judgement on the intellectual feminist icon, who scandalised society by eloping to the Continent with the already-married Shelley when she was only 16. But Lauritson, who has closely examined works by both writers, remains convinced that Mary would have been incapable of producing the "great, rich and complex" Frankenstein. "I believe it was a hoax - and Shelley was the one who started the hoax," he said.
Frankenstein was originally published in 1818 and it was immediately assumed that Shelley, already known as a poet, was the author. After his death, it was republished under Mary's name. Bournemouth author Christine Aziz, who wrote a play about Mary Shelley and her monster, said: "Even then, people didn't believe that a woman could write such a good book. "She wrote the story behind her writing of it: Shelley went through the manuscript and did make some changes. She acknowledges that, but certainly she wrote it. "I think it's quite sad that there are still people around saying she didn't. She went on to write more books, which weren't as popular, but they showed her to be an intellectual of great depth. I think she was a remarkable woman. "There are a lot of first novels that are absolutely brilliant. Some people are at their best when they are in the flower of youth, some when they get older. There are no hard and fast rules."
From the archivehttp://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk© Newsquest Media Group 2007
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Stage:site visit 29 April 2009
Site visit to view the progress of the Shelley Manor Theatre,arranged by Councillors Chris Wakefield and Anne Filer. Photo by C.Shervin
Wednesday 22 April 2009
by Christine Aziz
For too long Mary Shelley's life has been overshadowed by the two men in her life - Percy Shelley and Frankenstein's monster and Bournemouth has shamefully ignored her.
Mary's life was mainly itinerant, and her last resting place offers a focus for the international interest that exists.
The aim of the THE MARY SHELLEY FESTIVAL is to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Mary Shelley and to bring attention to her connection with Bournemouth.
We expect a lot of interest nationally. Her 'monstrous progeny' , has become an iconic figure in Western culture. WavyBlue's aim is to bring her to life as vividly and as creatively as possible through art, drama, performance and music.
Playwright Diane Samuels (of the award winning Kindertransport) will present a premier reading of her new play on Mary Shelley, and there will also be a reading of a play by Christine Aziz; Mary Shelley Goes to Hollywood. It is hoped that the play will be performed for the Festival in the Shelley theatre, subject to funding. Entries from Mary Shelley's journal will be brought to life by actors, along with dramatised readings of her lesser known works . Throughout the two days there will be several short talks by Shelley experts. As Mary was married to poet Percy Shelley a themed poetry evening on the dark side of human nature will be featured.
Mary's life was mainly itinerant, and her last resting place offers a focus for the international interest that exists.
The aim of the THE MARY SHELLEY FESTIVAL is to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Mary Shelley and to bring attention to her connection with Bournemouth.
We expect a lot of interest nationally. Her 'monstrous progeny' , has become an iconic figure in Western culture. WavyBlue's aim is to bring her to life as vividly and as creatively as possible through art, drama, performance and music.
Playwright Diane Samuels (of the award winning Kindertransport) will present a premier reading of her new play on Mary Shelley, and there will also be a reading of a play by Christine Aziz; Mary Shelley Goes to Hollywood. It is hoped that the play will be performed for the Festival in the Shelley theatre, subject to funding. Entries from Mary Shelley's journal will be brought to life by actors, along with dramatised readings of her lesser known works . Throughout the two days there will be several short talks by Shelley experts. As Mary was married to poet Percy Shelley a themed poetry evening on the dark side of human nature will be featured.
Thursday 16 April 2009
theatre
The Grade II Listed family theatre was built for Sir Percy Florence Shelley, son of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley.
The Theatre is undergoing an extensive refurbishment and refit to provide seating for up to 200 people. A new staircase and lift will provide access for all to the newly constructed galleries and upper floor meeting rooms.
Tuesday 14 April 2009
festival events
Bournemouth celebrates the life and works of Mary Shelley as part of its 2010 Bicentenary
The Wavyblue artist’s group will run the Mary Shelley Festival which will take place over the first weekend in October 2010 at the Shelley Theatre Boscombe and the Shelley Manor grounds. We will hire the theatre and two rooms for performances and free open community workshops .
Diane Roberts and Miriam Troth will run creative workshops during the weekend with a drama/historical theme and link in to the national Campaign for Drawing, an annual event which runs every October.
We will hire two performers to perform cameos, read passages from the Mary Shelley journals and speculate about the connection between her unconventional life and her literary heritage.
This will be the stimulus for performances; play, poetry and novel readings and short story writing .
Diane Samuals is a London based , award winning playwright with an interest in Mary Shelley. She is keen to be involved in the early stages of the Shelley Theatre opening which will give the venture added credibility .
The Wavyblue artist’s group will run the Mary Shelley Festival which will take place over the first weekend in October 2010 at the Shelley Theatre Boscombe and the Shelley Manor grounds. We will hire the theatre and two rooms for performances and free open community workshops .
Diane Roberts and Miriam Troth will run creative workshops during the weekend with a drama/historical theme and link in to the national Campaign for Drawing, an annual event which runs every October.
We will hire two performers to perform cameos, read passages from the Mary Shelley journals and speculate about the connection between her unconventional life and her literary heritage.
This will be the stimulus for performances; play, poetry and novel readings and short story writing .
Diane Samuals is a London based , award winning playwright with an interest in Mary Shelley. She is keen to be involved in the early stages of the Shelley Theatre opening which will give the venture added credibility .
Tuesday 24 March 2009
flyer
M a r y S h e l l e y F e s t i v a l
Would you like to see a Mary Shelley Festival based at The Shelley Theatre Boscombe?
Mary Shelley is buried in Bournemouth along with the heart of Percy Shelley and her parents Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin.
The Shelley Theatre is undergoing refurbishment and is due to be opened in 2010. The WavyBlue artists group aims to work towards The Mary Shelley Festival launch in October 2010.
2010 is also the year of the Bournemouth Bicentennial.
We have received enthusiastic support for the venture from the former mayor, councillors and The Friends of Shelley Manor. If you like this idea , would like to attend related events and be kept informed please leave your contact information.
wavybluebh@yahoo.com
Would you like to see a Mary Shelley Festival based at The Shelley Theatre Boscombe?
Mary Shelley is buried in Bournemouth along with the heart of Percy Shelley and her parents Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin.
The Shelley Theatre is undergoing refurbishment and is due to be opened in 2010. The WavyBlue artists group aims to work towards The Mary Shelley Festival launch in October 2010.
2010 is also the year of the Bournemouth Bicentennial.
We have received enthusiastic support for the venture from the former mayor, councillors and The Friends of Shelley Manor. If you like this idea , would like to attend related events and be kept informed please leave your contact information.
wavybluebh@yahoo.com
Monday 23 March 2009
biography
Despite being the daughter of two famous political writers Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin, Mary Shelley only began writing at the insistence of her husband, Romantic poet Percy Shelley.
Mary Shelley tells that her literary evolution began with the writing of Frankenstein: 'My husband, however, from the first, very anxious that I should prove myself Worthy of my parentage and enrol myself on the page of fame.
He was forever Inciting me to obtain literary reputation, which even on my own part I cared for Then, though since I have become infinitely indifferent to it. At this time he Desired that I should write, not so much with the idea that I could produce Anything worthy of notice, but that he might himself judge how far I possessed The promise of better things hereafter. Still I did nothing. Travelling, and the Cares of the family occupied my time; and study, in the way of reading or improving my ideas in communication with his far more cultivated mind, was all Of literary employment that engaged my attention '
Critics consider Frankenstein one of the best Gothic novels because it synthesized natural philosophy and 19th century scientific experimentation with Mary Shelley's own literary influences and personal vision. Percy Shelley's assessment of his wife's writing: 'Frankenstein is} one of the most original and complete productions of the day. We debate with ourselves in wonder, as we read it, what could have been the Series of thoughtswhat could have been the peculiar experiences that Awakened themwhich conduced, in the author's mind, to the astonishing Combinations of motives and incidents and the startling catastrophe, which Compose this tale'
Critics consider Frankenstein one of the best Gothic novels because it synthesized natural philosophy and 19th century scientific experimentation with Mary Shelley's own literary influences and personal vision. Percy Shelley's assessment of his wife's writing: 'Frankenstein is} one of the most original and complete productions of the day. We debate with ourselves in wonder, as we read it, what could have been the Series of thoughtswhat could have been the peculiar experiences that Awakened themwhich conduced, in the author's mind, to the astonishing Combinations of motives and incidents and the startling catastrophe, which Compose this tale'
Sunday 22 March 2009
Mary Shelley painted by Rothwell
Richard Rothwell's portrait of
Mary Shelley was shown at the
Royal Academy in 1840, accompanied
by lines from Percy Shelley's poem
The Revolt of Islam calling her a
"child of love and light".
Mary Shelley was shown at the
Royal Academy in 1840, accompanied
by lines from Percy Shelley's poem
The Revolt of Islam calling her a
"child of love and light".
Mary Shelley ( née Mary
Wollstonecraft Godwin; 30 August
1797 – 1 February 1851)
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