Hester L-J
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starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Hester L-J
@starcrossed2018.bsky.social
3K followers 1.2K following 2.5K posts
Shakespeare, slowly #SlowShakespeare (currently: #MoonMad); editing (2GV for Arden, ongoing), introducing (R&J, Cambridge, 2023), writing (Textile Shakespeare, Oxford, 2025) & Very Short Intro to the Histories (currently). Teaching in Cambridge (Catz) 🇳🇿
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starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Hester L-J @starcrossed2018.bsky.social · Nov 11
Today is the OFFICIAL publication day for TEXTILE SHAKESPEARE! Please indulge me: I want to say a little (perhaps rather a lot) about it and share my acknowledgements - and a discount code! Appropriately,🧵1/10
The cover of a book. Title reads TEXTILE SHAKESPEARE. The illustration shows black embroidery of flowers, fruit, animals and insects on a stained cream ground.
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Hermia: It's not my fault if Demetrius is an idiot! Helena🙄 #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hermia (Yuki Ellias), Lysander (Chandan Roy Sanyal) & Helena (Shanaya Rafaat, R) dir. Tim Supple @the-rsc.bsky.social/Dash Arts 2006. The characters spoke 6 different languages
A photograph of a play in performance. In the foreground, two young people are crouching down, speaking intensely to each other. They're both wearing silk trousers in shades of orange, and silk tops in shades of lime green. Another young woman is standing behind them, wearing long grey baggy trousers and a blue silk top with a darker striped wrap. They all have bare feet. The stage is covered with a silvery dark vinyl, with wrinkles.
January 23, 2026 at 9:28 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Helena to Hermia: you are enchanting and I am SO not🥹
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Helena (Lucy Briggs-Owen) in the 2011 @the-rsc.bsky.social Dream, dir. Nancy Meckler des. Katrina Lindsay.
A character in a play. A young woman with long red hair and a long fringe, sitting with her knees slanted sideways on a big cream leather sofa. She's wearing cream and black t-bar high heeled shoes, nude tights, and a cream overcoat with big buttons over a cream dress. She is speaking and looking thoughtful, giving side-eye.
January 22, 2026 at 11:10 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Helena: why do birds suddenly appear, stars fall down from the sky, etc? #MoonMad
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
This scene from the 1981 BBC Shakespeare, a beautiful C17 design, dir. Elijah Moshinsky. Hermia (Pippa Guard, L), Lysander (Robert Lindsay) & Helena (Cherish Mellor, bespectacled)
A scene from a television film. A young woman wearing a cream silk 1630s-ish dress with big sleeves, her hair in short ringlets, is sitting at the end of a table covered with a turkey carpet, with a large book, silver inkwell etc on it. A young man wearing similar period dress, a dark peach doublet over a white shirt with a cavalier collar, with long hair, is looking at her. Another young woman, wearing similar period dress with a big white collar, with her red hair in ringlets and wearing wire-rimmed glasses, is leaning on the back of her chair and speaking. There are book shelves in the background, as if in a library. They all look a bit serious.
January 21, 2026 at 9:14 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Hermia: YES! I will elope with you, Lysander, I swear by absolutely everything! #MoonMad
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hermia (Isis Hainsworth) @bridgetheatre.bsky.social 2019, happily agreeing to elope. Also Milton liked this bit the sentimental old thing! (1623 F @freelibrary.bsky.social )
A photograph of a character in a. play. A young woman smiling at someone (wearing a dark suit) in the foreground, with her hands by her sides. She's wearing a long shapeless dark blue linen dress, with long sleeves, buttons down the front, and a white scarf around her head. An extract from an early modern play text (text as in the linked blog post) with a curving vertical line in black ink drawn down the left margin.
January 20, 2026 at 9:35 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Lysander has a plan: ELOPEMENT! #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hermia (Sinead Keenan) and Lysander (Trystan Gravelle) in the 2005 @the-rsc.bsky.social Dream, dir. Gregory Doran
A photograph of a play in performance. On a black set with a black mirrored floor, two young people are kneeling in profile, facing each other. She is wearing a cream strapless dress with black embroidery and her blonde hair is loose; she has her hands on his face as she looks at him and speaks; he's wearing a cream linen jacket and trousers, and dark shoes, and his har is dark and thick. There's a small box, open, sitting next to her.
January 19, 2026 at 9:38 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Hermia: is this just the way it is, then? #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Lysander (Ryan Sutton) & Hermia (Dawn Sievewright) in the 2024 @the-rsc.bsky.social Dream, dir. Eleanor Rhode. Tempting perhaps to race through this, but much potential for complexity in Hermia.
A photograph of a plat in performance. A young man and woman are embracing each other, her hands on his chest, his hands cradling her face. He wears blue trousers and a pale blue polo shirt, tucked in; his hair is curly and brown. Her blonde hair is piled up a bit messily; she's wearing a ruched black and white plaid skirt with a wide black leather belt and a sleeveless grey top.
January 18, 2026 at 11:16 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Lysander: so quick bright things come to confusion⚡ #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Lysander can be an idiot but this SPEECH❤️ Milton liked it, naturally @freelibrary.bsky.social; Hermia (Anna Friel) & Lysander (Dominic West) in the 1999 film dir. Michael Hoffman
Printed text from an early modern book (text as in the linked blog post); there's a curving vertical line inked in the right margin. A still from a film. Against a background of stony walls, a young couple are embracing. She is wearing a ruffled lacy cream Edwardian-style dress with puffed sleeves and peachy ribbons, and her hair is up; he is wearing a dark suit.
January 17, 2026 at 11:59 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Lysander: THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH! It's TRUE! #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hermia (Francesca Mills, fabulously ferocious) and Lysander (Sam Crerar) in the 2023 Globe Dream, dir. Elle While.
A colour photo of a play in performance. A young woman wearing a turquoise blue vaguely Elizabethan dress, with long sleeves and gold embroidery down the front (but it's open to show matching blue shorts) is speaking intensely, with her hands out in front of her. A young man is kneeling next to her, wearing Elizabethan-style baggy velvet breeches, doublet, and a small ruff; his costume is orange and red velvet. He's wearing black boots, and his hair is shaved at the sides with locks on top. The background is wood painted to look like stone.
January 16, 2026 at 9:24 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus, very much in charge... #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hippolyta (Eleanor Matsuura) & Theseus (John Hannah) in the BBC version adapted by Russell T. Davies in 2016 (Theseus as dictator, Hippolyta as POW; not doubling Theseus/Oberon and Hippolyta/Titania)
A still from a television film. Head and shoulders, a man on the right wearing very elaborate military dress uniform with lots of gold braid and a high collar; he has his finger on the lips of a woman with long dark hair. The atmosphere is tense and threatening.
January 15, 2026 at 11:11 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: time out! but Hermia, time to wake up... #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Theseus (Bally Gill) and Hippolyta (Sirine Saba) in the 2024 @the-rsc.bsky.social Dream, dir. Eleanor Rhode
A photograph of characters in aa play. A man wearing a dark suit over a pale shirt with a string tie stands next to a woman wearing a smart black skirt, double breasted pale jacket (very Princess Di) with black gloves and a red clutch bag. They are looking in opposite directions.
January 14, 2026 at 4:08 PM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Lysander: but what about Demetrius and HELENA? #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Disdainful Demetrius & doting Helena in a still from the opening of the BBC Animated Tales Dream; adapted by Leon Garfield, the storytelling stands up well www.dailymotion.com/video/x7umt8z
An image from a cartoon version of a play by Shakespeare. Head and shoulders, a young man with curly hair and a headband wearing an Elizabethan ruff over a Greek-style tunic, showing his hairy chest. He's looking not very kindly at a young woman, also wearing a ruff, with red hair, who is smiling up at him.
January 13, 2026 at 9:21 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Lysander: I am as good as Demetrius! #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Frank Benson as a pleading Lysander in his production at the Lyceum, London, in February 1900. From shakespeare.emory.edu
A souvenir postcard of a character in a a play. A sepia photograph of a man wearing a white draped sort-of classical tunic. He is looking to the right in profile, with his hands clasped in supplication. Text reads: Midsummer Night's Dream, Mr Benson as Lysander.
January 12, 2026 at 10:33 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Demetrius: she's mine! Lysander: she's mine! Egeus: she's MINE actually #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Lysander (R, actual young Dominic West) and Demetrius (L, Christian Bale) in the 1999 film of Dream, dir. Michael Hoffmann
A colour still from a film. Head and shoulders, two elegant young men in Edwardian costume, wearing dark jackets over coloured silk waistcoats and coloured bow ties. The man on the right is speaking and looking a bit upset. The man on the left is looking supercilious.
January 11, 2026 at 10:38 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: the clock is ticking... #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hippolyta (Hedydd Dylan, furious) and Theseus (Michael Marcus, totally unhinged) in the current Dream by Headlong at the Globe
A photograph of a character in a play. A woman wearing an elegant copper satin dress, sitting on a table. A man dressed as a chef is sitting behind A photograph of a character in a play. A man wearing elaborate military dress uniform in blue, with red piping and gold braid. There is a gold belt and his entire chest is covered with medals. He has short dark hair and beard and looks intense. He's standing behind a dining table.
January 10, 2026 at 12:28 PM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: celibacy is v hard; Hermia: still not marrying Demetrius #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
@bridgetheatre.bsky.social Nicholas Hytner imagined Athens as a psalm-singing theocracy, with Hippolyta (Gwendoline Christie 2019, Susannah Fielding 2025) in a glass box
A play in performance. A long view of a woman wearing a long grey dress, standing inside a glass box; there are rows of people in front of her singing, their backs to the camera; the men are wearing dark suits and the women dark dresses with white veils A photograph of a play in performance. A woman wearing a punky black lace and feather long dress looking cross. She is standing inside a glass box labelled 'Queen of the Amazons'
January 9, 2026 at 10:47 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: DEATH or CONVENT! #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Milton liked this bit (in his copy of F1623 @freelibrary.bsky.social) @bridgetheatre.bsky.social 2019 Hermia (Isis Hainsworth) was already nun-like (Gwendoline Christie as Hippolyta, Oliver Chris as Theseus)
A passage of text from an early modern book (as in the linked blog post); there's a wavy inky line down some of the right-hand margin A photograph of a play in performance. A man wearing a black suit and tie is looking stern as he holds the chin of a young woman and looks at her face. She is wearing a dark blue linen dress with long sleeves, and a white headscarf; her expression is defiant. A blonde woman wearing a long grey dress and grey veil is standing behind them, looking worried.
January 8, 2026 at 9:23 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Hermia: what's the worst that could happen if I don't marry Demetrius?? #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
The opening scene of the 1909 Vitagraph silent film of Dream; Rose Tapley as Hermia (kneeling) (this is one of my MOST favourite things & will continue to feature)
A sepia still from a silent film. Against the angle in a vaguely classical looking balustrade, a group of people in 'classical' costume are posed. A young woman is kneeling and gesturing at a young man, watched by another young man who looks cross. There are soldiers in the background wearing helmets, and an old man with a long white beard. There are trees in the background.
January 7, 2026 at 9:24 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: what matters is your father's choice, Hermia #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hermia (Sinead Keenan) is defiant facing Theseus (Miles Richardson); Lysander (Trystan Gravelle, L) & Egeus (Tom Hodgkins, R) watch @the-rsc.bsky.social 2005 dir. Gregory Doran
A photograph of a play in performance. In the foreground, a middle-aged man wearing black military-style uniform stands with his hands behind his back, in profile, looking at a young blonde woman wearing a cream silk dress, sleeveless, who is looking defiant, her right hand on her chest as she speaks. A young man wearing a cream linen suit over a cricket jumper and an older man wearing a black three-piece suit are in the background listening.
January 6, 2026 at 9:41 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Marriage or DEATH, Hermia! #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hermia (Yuki Ellias, R) Egeus (J Jayakumar, L) and Theseus (PR Jijoy) in the 2006 @the-rsc.bsky.social production dir. Tim Supple: a stunningly beautiful production, in English & 6 other Indian languages
A photograph of a play in performance. The stage is covered with silver canvas. Three people are having a heated discussion, two men wearing long brown silk coats over blue or orange robes, and a young woman wearing a green sleeveless silk top, an orange sash, and red baggy trousers. They all have bare feet. Another woman, similarly dressed in gold and magenta, is standing in the background.
January 5, 2026 at 10:08 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Egeus: you've stolen my daughter! #MoonMad
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Brook's Dream @the-rsc.bsky.social 1970; the white box of Sally Jacobs's set. Hermia (Mary Rutherford) kneels, with Egeus (Philip Locke), Demetrius (Ben Kingsley, blue) & Lysander (Christopher Gable, orange) 📸Reg Wilson
A photograph of a play in performance. The stage has a white floor and walls, with two doors at the rear. A man wearing a long black sleeveless robe over a white shirt stands centre stage, with a woman in white kneeling in front of him. Two young men, both wearing white trousers with coloured silk shirts, one blue, one orange, are standing to the side. Other people, wearing long white silk robes, are crouching at the front of the stage or standing on a gallery above at the back.
January 4, 2026 at 11:00 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
The world is mad but theatre is good & Headlong's Midsummer Night's Dream at the Wanamaker is ice-cool & interesting & clever (esp about the darkness of ballet, oh the shiver of white tights) & while I may not entirely endorse the last 5 minutes (if you know you know) it's well worth seeing 1/2
A play in performance - people wearing black tutus; most of them are standing around a piano but one is dancing at the front of the stage, which is covered in shiny white
January 3, 2026 at 7:25 PM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
A love triangle: enter Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Hippolyta (Gwendoline Christie) looks on with concern, as Egeus and Hermia plead before Theseus, in the @bridgetheatre.bsky.social Dream (the 2019 production), dir. Nick Hytner.
A photograph of a play in performance. A woman wearing a long grey dress with long sleeves and a grey veil stands inside a glass box on a green stage; her hands are clasped and she looks worried. There is a similarly dressed younger woman standing with her back to the camera, watched by two men in black suits with black ties. The audience are standing around the stage.
January 3, 2026 at 10:30 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: Athens WILL rejoice! make it so! #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
Theseus (Nicholas Jones) and Hippolyta (Josette Simon) in the 1999 @the-rsc.bsky.social Dream, dir. Michael Boyd des. Tom Piper (this might be the end of the play, not the first scene??)
A photograph of characters in a play. A man with a shaved head, wearing a long white coat over white trousers and shirt, with a pale blue cummerbund, stands close to a woman wearing a one-shouldered blue dress. Her hair is swept up and she is holding a small white flower in her hands.
January 2, 2026 at 11:14 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Theseus: we're getting married! soon but not soon enough! Hippolyta: *thrilled* #MoonMad #SlowShakespeare
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
The (London transfer) poster for the great 1970 @the-rsc.bsky.social Dream, dir. Peter Brook. It changed theatre; my parents saw it & we had the poster...
A theatre poster. Main text reads RSC in A Midsummer Night's Dream. There is a cast list at the bottom of the poster. The main graphic is a circular design of faces with punky hair, as if a kaleidoscope; the circle is divided into 8 segments, each in 2 colours (green/black, red/yellow) each with a face.
January 1, 2026 at 11:42 AM
starcrossed2018.bsky.social
Well I still haven't finished the thing I wanted to get sent off before Christmas, and I'll never even attempt inbox zero, but I have just, fleetingly, achieved ironing basket zero, so, ring out the old, I guess...
December 31, 2025 at 8:30 PM