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Oxford Literary Festival

I’m delighted to be speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival later this month! I’ll be speaking about Searching for Juliet, romance, and the myth of Verona’s most famous teenager (from Shakespeare to West Side Story) in Lincoln College’s Oakeshott Room at 10 am on Friday, 22 March. It’s my first time at the Oxford Literary Festival and a lovely way to mark Searching for Juliet’s publication in…

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BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking

Last month, I had a great time on Free Thinking discussing Shakespeare’s Women with Anne McElvoy, Hailey Bachrach, Anouska Lester, and Emma Whipday. I also saw absolutely enormous posters of The Traitors: thrilled. Listen to us talk about Ellen Terry, Marie Corelli, the incomparable Harriet Walter, and also yes technically W. Shakespeare himself. 

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HistoryExtra podcast

Earlier this term I was delighted to appear on the BBC History Extra podcast discussing Romeo and Juliet and what Shakespeare’s play can teach us about Tudor youth in Early Modern England. You can listen on Spotify or Apple (and, I should think, plenty of other places too). If you enjoyed it, please let me know! Some of the research in this episode is taken from my book Searching for Juliet,…

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Cambridge Literary Festival – 20 April

On 20 April I’ll be in conversation with the amazing Preti Taneja at the Cambridge Literary Festival, talking about Searching for Juliet. Our event is at the Old Divinity Schools from 4–5 pm. Tickets are £14 fully-priced, but I’m delighted to say that they’re free for the under 25s, unwaged, and anyone who would otherwise be unable to attend. Find out more and book here. I’m really excited about…

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[REVIEW] Sunday Times – Searching for Juliet

There’s a lovely & generous review of Searching for Juliet by Sophie Elmhirst in The Sunday Times today, specifically the Culture magazine. I love Culture magazine so reading such kind words about my book is a dream. I was especially glad that the reviewer talked about the work I did with older people at the Oxford Playhouse – for me, this was one of the book’s great joys. Run, do not walk to buy…

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Advance praise for Searching for Juliet

It’s less than a month until Searching for Juliet is published in the UK, and I’m so excited to share the advance reviews with you! There’ll be quite a bit of info coming up on the blog over the next few weeks about where you can see/hear me in conversation about the book, and come to a signing, so please stay tuned! Here is what people have been saying so far…. I love the combination of…

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[REVIEW] - In Love With Hell

[REVIEW] – In Love With Hell

My review of William Palmer’s In Love With Hell: Drink in the Lives and Work of Eleven Writers (Robinson, 262pp, £20) is out now in May’s issue of Literary Review. Subscribers can also read the review via the Literary Review website. To my mind, the best aspects of the book are the passages describing postwar backstreet & provincial pub culture. Parts chimed sometimes of the work of C.P. Snow…

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Race and the history of theatre criticism

Race and the history of theatre criticism

I’m quoted in playwright Naomi Obeng’s lengthy article for The Stage‘s special issue on theatre and race this week, guest edited by Naomi with actor Emmanuel Kojo. https://twitter.com/TheStage/status/1385127239080153089 You can read the article here – although The Stage is usually subscription-only, a free registration will let you read all the new articles on race. It was great to talk to…

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On Playreadings

On Playreadings: drama and community, offline and on. Also cheese straws.

I didn't know theatrical wonder was possible on Teams: guess what— Dr Sophie Duncan (@clamorousvoice) November 23, 2020 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js I am wearing a jumper with Rock & Roll written on it, and to honour that garment I have spent the past hour finalising the cast list for Monday’s online Christ Church playreading, which will be Romeo and Juliet. I was surprised to realise…

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Searching for Juliet

Searching for Juliet - rights announcement

I should have posted this sooner, but I’m so pleased to share that my book, Searching for Juliet, will be published by Sceptre in April 2023. They have worldwide rights and there will be an announcement about the US publication very soon! Here’s the Bookseller blurb for those who don’t subscribe (I do now subscribe – you can probably guess when I narcissistically started! – and really recommend…

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[Review] The Lying Life of Adults – Elena Ferrante

[Review] The Lying Life of Adults – Elena Ferrante

I’m in the September issue of the Literary Review, with my review of Ferrante’s latest novel, (out now in translation in Europa Editions). I do get further than “dun like”, promise. I love the headline, too (not my choice) – “In All Honesty”. My other Literary Review pieces can be found here.

Hope you enjoy!

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Coronavirus and help for A Level/GCSE English students

Are you a GCSE or A Level English Literature student, teacher, or homeschooling parent? If so, please feel free to get in touch with me, either via this website or on my email (sophie dot duncan at chch dot ox dot ac dot uk). I’m very happy to help with resources/discussion for either Shakespeare, 19th century literature, or 20th century drama.

I have online filmed lecture series on Twelfth…

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I'm on Radio 4 today at 1.45 pm! I'm on Radio 4 today! At 1.45 p.m. you can catch playwright Laura Wade and me discussing…

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[REVIEW] Why Women Read Fiction I reviewed Helen Taylor's marvellous new book, Why Women Read Fiction, for Literary Review this month I reviewed Helen Taylor's marvellous new book, Why Women Read Fiction, for Literary Review this month (Feb 2020). The magazine is out now, and you can also read my review online here!

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Jack The Ripper, domestic abuse, and the amateur detective

Jack The Ripper, domestic abuse, and the amateur detective

My new article on Jack The Ripper, civilian performance, transvestite prostitution, domestic abuse, and amateur detectives in London and beyond is now published in Nineteenth Century Theatre and Film. I’ve been reading this journal since I was an undergraduate so it’s a great pleasure to be published there. You can read the article, Personating the Ripper: Civilian Performance and the…

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10 tips for sitting Finals in English (good luck!)

10 tips for sitting Finals in English (good luck!)

Final Honour School exams for BA (Hons) English Language and Literature begin at Oxford on Monday. Grey-faced third-years wearing full sub fusc and white carnations will be at the Exam Schoolssitting three-hour papers. Eleven of those English finalists are my students, and for the past few weeks we’ve been revising papers in English 1550–1660, 1660–1760 and 1760–1830. Said students are now…

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[CFP] Infinite Variety: The Older Actress On Stage 1660–Present

[CFP] Infinite Variety: The Older Actress On Stage 1660–Present

Dame Judi Dench as Titania (2014). Photo by Nobby Clark.

Infinite Variety: The Older Actress on Stage 1660–present

A two-day symposium on 18–19 October 2019, taking place at Christ Church, University of Oxford, UK. 

Symposium Directors are Dr Sophie Duncan and Professor Mary Luckhurst 

The event is jointly convened by the School of Arts, University of Bristoland Christ…

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