The conference was held at the Institute and is almost more of a training conference...it's very warm and encouraging and is a lot of people's first conference so the pressure is lessened a little bit. It lasted from Thursday to Saturday. Abstracts for papers were submitted beforehand, and then people were grouped into panels depending on the subject of the paper. Panels ran concurrently in two rooms at the Institute and people would deliver there papers and then questions would be taken for all papers together at the end. IN between panels there were breaks for lunch, tea and plenary sessions that included a discussion with people from the Company's current production of Merchant of Venice, a workshop run by Prof. Performance and based around her current production of Macbeth (which looks like its going to be BRILLIANT), talks with fancy people and the performance of a masque (in which I was a dancer!).
My paper was a case study looking at alcohol as a form of witchcraft in Othello and drew on ideas I'm hoping to expand on in my dissertation. I was the first paper of the first panel in the Hall, which meant a lot of people were present. Also, my panel was "Early Modern Fluids," which doesn't sound that exciting until you realize the fluids in question were alcohol, blood and poison. Best. Panel. Ever. But that meant a lot of people stayed to listen, which was intimidating.
However! I got through it! I made some lame jokes about getting the audience drunk, and though no one laughed, but I did such a good job of amusing myself it helped put me at ease. Likewise, whenever I stumbled I just kind of inwardly rolled my eyes at myself. Apparently it didn't show, though, because I got a lot of positive feedback afterwards (including from my supervisor AND complete strangers!) and some good suggestions for where to go next. And then it was done! And I could just enjoy the conference.
Which I did! So, so much. Basically I just spent three days listening to people teach me really cool things about Shakespeare and then sometimes breaking that up with theatre and alcohol. Really, I can't think of a better way to spend my time.
Remainders:
- My dissertation conference presentation went, I have to say, less well than my paper. It was the actual presenting but the fact I think all of my tutors are questioning my topic. I have a follow-up meeting this week, though, and since I'm already thinking of restructuring my thesis, I think it will be okay?
- Got my last two papers back and they were a high merit AND A DISTINCTION. I know it really isn't that big a deal, but it was on a paper that had inspired a not so minor crisis of confidence, and it was also on a subject I really liked (murder) so it was just a huge relief and sense of "oh, okay, yes, this may not be a terrible career choice for me."
- Have seen some theatre, including Merchant of Venice (long, but loved), Much Ado About Nothing (enjoyable but rested too much on its stars), The City Madam (surprisingly hilarious), Cardenio (Shakespeare's greatest hits, but in a great way) and Macbeth (beautiful, strong concept that had nothing to do with the text). At some point I'd like to see something non-Shakespearean..you know, just for a change.
- Four more weekends and then I'M HOME. For three weeks. Can't wait!
Love!
