Celebrating Shakespeare in Auckland on World First Folio Day, 23 April 2023.

Join our MC Jane Wild, Rare Books Curator for the world-first celebration. In this podcast series we hear from a book conservator, an academic, an actor and two librarians with a focus on the First Folio four hundred years after it was published.

The recording from the 23rd April celebrations is enhanced by three tracks composed by New Zealand composer John Ritchie from Shakespeare’s plays and the final sonnet reading features a translation of Shakespeare in Te Reo Māori by Merimeri Penfold read by Robert Eruera and Andrew Henry.

You can view a digital copy of the Auckland Libraries' First Folio here:
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/12779/rec/1
or check digital comparisons at: www.firstfolios.com

Find out more about Folio 400 at - folio400.com/celebration-2023/

Read more here: http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2023/05/readers-and-readings-traces-of-use-in.html
"At the start of Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories & tragedies, otherwise known as the ‘First Folio’, there’s a note from Shakespeare’s former colleagues to the book’s potential consumers. “To the great Variety of Readers”, it begins, before outlining the reasons people might want to buy – and read – this unprecedented collection of plays".

Image: Bronze bust sculpted by Paul Beadle, 1917-1992
Completed in 1972 following a bequest from Florence Walker in 1967 and commissioned by Auckland City Council. The bust generally presides over the Reading Room of the Central Library close to the printed folios of Shakespeare’s plays. 
Read more about it here: 
http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-shakespeare-beadle-bust-origin-and.html

Celebrating Shakespeare

In this track, recorded on World First Folio Day, 23 April 2023, we hear from  David Ashman, recently retired manager of Conservation & Digital Preservation at Auckland Libraries.

In 2022, David was able to complete required conservation work on the First Folio, in this talk he describes the background and processes involved in the care of this precious taonga. 

You can view a digital copy of the Auckland Libraries' First Folio here:
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/12779/rec/1
or check digital comparisons: www.firstfolios.com

Watch David talk with pictures about his treatment of the Folio here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzVd_Qv_q-A

Find out more about Folio 400 here: https://folio400.com/celebration-2023/

Read more here: http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2023/05/readers-and-readings-traces-of-use-in.html
"At the start of Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories & tragedies, otherwise known as the ‘First Folio’, there’s a note from Shakespeare’s former colleagues to the book’s potential consumers. “To the great Variety of Readers”, it begins, before outlining the reasons people might want to buy – and read – this unprecedented collection of plays".

Image: David Ashman presents at World First Folio Day, April 2023. Photograph by Jane Wild.

Music Credit: Seringapatam composed by Bruce Paine played by Chris Everest at Auckland Libraries Heritage Concert 2023

David Ashman - Book Conservator

Dr. Sophie Tomlinson, Senior lecturer in English and Drama at the University of Auckland offers her insights into the decades of Summer Shakespeare productions, the performers and the performances.

Recorded live on World First Folio Day, 23 April 2023.

You can view a digital copy of the Auckland Libraries' First Folio here:
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/12779/rec/1
or check digital comparisons: www.firstfolios.com

Find out more about Folio 400 here: https://folio400.com/celebration-2023/

Read more here: http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2023/05/readers-and-readings-traces-of-use-in.html
"At the start of Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories & tragedies, otherwise known as the ‘First Folio’, there’s a note from Shakespeare’s former colleagues to the book’s potential consumers. “To the great Variety of Readers”, it begins, before outlining the reasons people might want to buy – and read – this unprecedented collection of plays".

Image: Sophie Tomlinson presents at World First Folio Day, April 2023. Photograph by Jane Wild.

Music Credit: Seringapatam composed by Bruce Paine played by Chris Everest at Auckland Libraries Heritage Concert 2023

Sophie Tomlinson On Summer Shakespeare

In Auckland, Michael Hurst from the Auckland Theatre Company, is strongly identified with Shakespeare. In this track Michael discusses performing Shakespeare. 

This session was recorded live on First Folio Day, April 2023.

You can view a digital copy of the Auckland Libraries' First Folio here:
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/12779/rec/1
or check digital comparisons: www.firstfolios.com

Find out more about Folio 400 here: https://folio400.com/celebration-2023/

Check out King Lear coming to stage: https://www.atc.co.nz/auckland-theatre-company/2023/king-lear/

Read more here: http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2023/05/readers-and-readings-traces-of-use-in.html
"At the start of Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories & tragedies, otherwise known as the ‘First Folio’, there’s a note from Shakespeare’s former colleagues to the book’s potential consumers. “To the great Variety of Readers”, it begins, before outlining the reasons people might want to buy – and read – this unprecedented collection of plays".

Image: Michael Hurst presents at World First Folio Day, April 2023. Photograph by Jane Wild.

Music Credit: Seringapatam composed by Bruce Paine played by Chris Everest at Auckland Libraries Heritage Concert 2023

Michael Hurst on Performing Shakespeare

In this track we hear the final speakers from our Auckland Libraries World First Folio Day event - reading Sonnet 60 from Nga Waiata Aroha A Hekepia - a translation of Shakespeare in Te Reo Māori by Merimeri Penfold. 
Read by Robert Eruera and Andrew Henry.

The publication of Nga Waiata a Hekepia / love sonnets by Shakespeare in 2000 marked a first on the world Shakespearean timeline. Holloway Press at the University of Auckland published nine sonnets translated into te reo Māori by the scholar Merimeri Penfold. The limited edition features an amended version of the Martin Droeshout 1623 portrait of Shakespeare, with a moko, created by Cushla Parekowhai, on the cover. 

The book is available for loan: https://tinyurl.com/ye2554d4

You can view a digital copy of the Auckland Libraries' First Folio here:
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/12779/rec/1
or check digital comparisons at: www.firstfolios.com

Find out more about Folio 400 at - folio400.com/celebration-2023/


Read more here: http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2023/05/readers-and-readings-traces-of-use-in.html
"At the start of Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories & tragedies, otherwise known as the ‘First Folio’, there’s a note from Shakespeare’s former colleagues to the book’s potential consumers. “To the great Variety of Readers”, it begins, before outlining the reasons people might want to buy – and read – this unprecedented collection of plays".

Music Credit: Seringapatam composed by Bruce Paine played by Chris Everest at Auckland Libraries Heritage Concert 2023

Image: Cover page of pukapuka.

Shakespeare in Te Reo Māori by Merimeri Penfold

Nau mai haere mai - Welcome to a session from the Reading Room of Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero, Central City Library, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

In this podcast, we are delighted to share the recording of Greg Doran’s visit to the Auckland First Folio in June 2023.  

Greg Doran, artistic director emeritus of the Royal Shakespeare Company is on a tour of surviving first folios sponsored by the British Council.  https://www.britishcouncil.org.nz

He comes to us after visiting First Folios in Japan and most recently Sydney, at the State Library of New South Wales. Next stop Cape Town. Our First Folio has travelled the furthest from the Print House in London, some 11,386 miles in fact. 

The Folio has had an active life, most recently getting some attention from David Ashman, our Preservation Manager. The Folio can be handled more easily post-treatment. The tangible evidence of the preservation treatment (including leather shavings and “gutter sweeping”) is now stored in a bespoke archival box with the Folio itself.

In this recording, Greg meets our unique annotated Folio and talks with an interested party – including retired rare books librarian Georgia Prince who curated the exhibition Shakespeare in his time which featured 17th century rare books from the Heritage Collections.

 We also had a moment with the Shakespeare bronze, affectionately referred to as the ‘Beadle bust’ – named for the sculptor Paul Beadle. The bust entered stage left during our discussion – returning to its plinth after a stint on the Ground Floor of our busy public library.

Let’s give Greg the floor to share his close reading!

Listen to David Ashman’s preservation treatment: https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/sets/celebrating-shakespeare

Shakespeare in his time – 2016 curator talks: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2016/06/shakespeare-in-his-time-curator-talks.html

The Beadle bust: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-shakespeare-beadle-bust-origin-and.html

Gregory Doran on Auckland Libraries' First Folio

Welcome to Ngā Pātaka Kōrero Auckland Libraries podcast page! Catch up on author talks, events and concerts, and hear more in-depth commentary from the curatorial team behind our taonga treasured collections and exhibitions.

Michael Hurst on Performing Shakespeare

Ngā Pātaka Kōrero - Auckland Libraries