ThatShakespeareLife

I don’t usually respond to rudeness, but he called me ‘sweetie.’ And honey, I’m from the South. Around here, we expect good manners and good conversation—so if you show up, bring both. And just for the record, ‘sweetie’ is only acceptable if it comes with a glass of sweet tea.

Want to see some paintings of Tudor toys and childhood games? Come inside That Shakespeare Society where you can see visual history related to our conversation and participate in the after-show discussion with our guest! patreon.com/posts/152328164

You know I love early modern games (+ playing cards especially)—and speaking French (though you may not have known that)— I can’t get enough of this 1544 woodcut from Guillaume de La Perrière. What will I do with it? No idea. Did I have to share it? Absolutely.

One popular children's toy during Shakespeare's lifetime was the pinwheel. A child playing with one is shown here in 1500. cassidycash.com/ep413

It's time for Weird Word Wednesday, and this week we look at "apple john" which gets used three times in Shakespeare's plays. Think you know what it is? Find out right now: youtube.com/shorts/q03B0KY…

One of the popular baby toys for children were pieces of coral that were used as teethers. cassidycash.com/ep413

NEW EPISODE: What did children play with in Shakespeare's lifetime? Historian Dr. Julia Martins joins me to explore Tudor childhood—from rattles and dolls to playground games and hobby horses. cassidycash.com/ep413

In Shakespeare’s London, people didn’t just rent houses—they rented clothes. Velvet gowns, silk doublets, and jeweled outfits could be hired to look like nobility for a day. Today’s episode explores the surprising history of clothing rentals in Tudor England. youtu.be/80thfHsLRNA

@SHistorians It's hard not to just stare at it constantly! I keep finding more details that I love.

@ThatShakespeare That is fantastic

Historian, illustrator, & member of That Shakespeare Society, Nick Craine, mailed me his incredible illustration based on Wenceslaus Hollar's Longview of London (1647). Going to find it a place in my office, I just love looking at it! Thank you, Nick! nickcraine.com/About-Nick-Cra…

If seeing the documentation we've shared this week on socials has you interested to learn more, come inside That Shakespeare Society to see the full detailed show notes for this week's show. Click on "That Shakespeare Society" to browse primary documents, archival evidence, and more. cassidycash.com/ep412

1612 Bellott v. Mountjoy Deposition: Court record from a London lawsuit where William Shakespeare appears as a witness, revealing he was living with the Mountjoy family on Silver Street at the time. cassidycash.com/ep412

EDIT: 330pmCT, not 230pmCT (still 830UK).

Have a spare 10 minutes? Lend me your ears! I'll be on @VirginRadioUK talking w Geoff Lloyd about Shakespeare & Macbeth. Just 10 mins, I've had no prep, so this will be on the fly! Come cheer me on (+ see how I do!) at 230pm CT/830pmUK virginradio.co.uk

@ListenNotes writes, "[That Shakespeare Life] is one of the top 2% most popular shows out of 3,735,713 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score (the estimated popularity score)." Well, that's down to you my dear, dear listeners. THANK YOU!

1596 Draft Grant of Arms: One of the surviving drafts from the Shakespeare family’s coat of arms application at the College of Arms, recording the design and motto "Non sanz droict"(“Not without right”). cassidycash.com/ep412

Recording today (a rare Monday instead of my usual Tuesday!) with the fantastic early modern historian Dave Hitchcock about vagrancy and homelessness in Shakespeare’s England. Wonderful conversation—can’t wait to share it. Join the email list to hear it first when it drops.

NEW EPISODE: Joined by historian Susan D. Amussen, we explore the historical records that confirm William Shakespeare as a real working playwright in early modern England. From theatre company documents to property records, we look at how historians know Shakespeare is Shakespeare. cassidycash.com/ep412

Late-night Did Shakespeare drop tonight. If you’re awake, come explore Columbus, early world maps, and the discoveries that shaped how Shakespeare’s world understood the globe. youtu.be/8zqvbkrpRhI