Illustrated lecture-recital with projected images
‘Have I got News for thee! or
The Pack of Autolycus’
- broadside ballads of 17th century England
Lucie Skeaping, with lute and cittern
‘Captivating’ ARTS TELEGRAPH
‘Skeaping’s beautiful flexible voice’ GUARDIAN
‘Full marks’ PENGUIN GUIDE, 3 STARS
Comical, political, scandalous, libellous, and sometimes just plain lewd, the broadside ballads that flooded the streets, taverns and theatres of England from Shakespeare's time to the beginning of the 18th century acted as both the pop songs and the tabloid press of their day.
Printed in their thousands and distributed up and down the land by rough-singing pedlars, they featured everything from royal gossip, romantic fiction and political comment to fashion, moralising stories and lively tales of country bumpkins. The verses were printed alongside crude woodcut illustrations, and sung to some of the most delightful popular tunes England has ever produced.
With song excerpts and more than 50 projected images, we explore the context in which these ballads were written, printed, sold and performed, their language, musical and historical references; and, in the true ballad tradition, the audience is invited to join in a chorus or two.
This illustrated lecture-recital is based on Lucie's award-winning book ‘Broadside Ballads’ (Faber Music) and her many CDs. It is suitable for music, literary and history societies, festivals, universities etc.
‘Skeaping’s engrossing and pioneering book’
ANDREW MOTION
‘Warm, witty and richly informative’
MARINA WARNER
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