This month I spoke to Professor Jeff Dolven, at Princeton University. He reframed the August eclogue for me as an exploration of the playfulness, comradeship, shame and uncertainty of growing up, and a virtuosic experiment in poetic forms. I am also delighted to introduce actress Helen Schlesinger, reading the part of Cuddie, the third shepherd in this eclogue. Helen had to rush off immediately after recording this to her matinee/evening job: playing The Duke of Buckingham in Richard III at Shakespeare’s Globe. There are some sounds in this episode gathered from Brighton’s anti-racism protest early in August.
Thank you to Chrissie Dobson for describing the woodcut, and to Jeff Dolven for opening up so many resonances of Spenser’s August, thank you to Helen Schlesinger for playing the part of Cuddie, and Joseph Minden for playing Willye. Thank you to N.L. Chaundler for our latest installment of poetic responses to the Calender from the borderlands of Scotland, and to Bud Beginnings for their words and rhythm at the protest. As ever, thank you to Ella Mahony for the logo and Femi Oriogun-Williams for mixing, mastering and theme music. Please send me your own sounds, suggestions and feedback at kma30@sussex.ac.uk with podcast in the subject line.
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