Lydia Manley

PhD Student @unibirmingham | Researching into the First World War on the English Stage 1919-1939| Supported by @Midlands4Cities | CBSO Chorus Alto

[Birmingham Archives & Collections @TheIronRoom]

This week guest blogger Lydia Manley has been researching the Sir Barry Jackson Collection [Ref: MS 978]. She explores a controversial 1930s play "Mutiny" looking a newscuttings, the Lord Chamberlains licence and photographs of the set. https://t.co/L4XBebnbKQ @BirminghamRep

[Birmingham Archives & Collections @TheIronRoom]

Do you recognise this unsual staging? This week's blog explores a controversial modern adaptations by Sir Barry Jackson, founder of the Birmingham Rep. By @LydiaSigneM @UniBirmingham supported by @Midlands4Cities 👉 https://t.co/IwZDnVF57p 📷 MS 978, Macbeth, 1928

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Weekend spent exploring Virginia Woolf’s Monks House with my closest uni friend. There is something so magical about seeing where authors lived and wrote. Wish I had a hut like this!

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Very excited (and a bit nervous) to speak tomorrow at this conference — making my debut talking about Cowards relationship with Sherriff’s ‘Journey’s End’ Noël Coward: Past, Present and Future https://t.co/8SQExj3jIj via @unibirmingham

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

So today’s task @TheIronRoom is to finish archiving the correspondence between John Drinkwater and the directors of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Realised how apt my view was - archiving for the old rep whilst looking at the New Rep! @Midlands4Cities

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Forgot to post about this the other day but attended a talk by @DrCP_H on her upcoming book ‘Theatre in the Chocolate Factory’ and wow what a treat it was! Inspired and powered my own writing this week. Let’s hope I continue with this blue sky working

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

If last night was anything to go by, it’s set to be a truly magical season. An absolute pleasure to be conducted by @yamakazu_takt - thanks for making rehearsals fun. Can’t wait for the next projects under Kazuki as part of the CBSO chorus (as long as I pass reaudition 🙈🤣)!

[Classic FM @ClassicFM]

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Classic FM’s Orchestra in the Midlands, has launched its brand new season for 2023-24! 🎻

@TheCBSO
(📷 Andrew Fox)

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

So in my archiving of the Sir Barry Jackson correspondence yesterday I came across a series of letters sent from Sir Edward Elgar. The music nerd in me was very happy. Here’s a picture of Elgar’s seal! Elgar’s handwriting took a while to decipher.

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Gif sums up how my chapter now looks

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Excited and annoyed at having found another 2 plays for my current chapter. The most recent play I’ve discovered highlights a different class perspective which is often overlooked so should be fascinating. Again research has proven to be an amorphous beast!

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Whilst archiving the Sir Barry Jackson collection @TheIronRoom today came across a series of WWI frontline maps. Fascinating opening them up! Now moved onto archiving Jackson’s correspondence and am touching letters written by writers I study - joyful.

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

A wonderful, informative, & entertaining podcast. Great to hear about more texts which were censored and relate to women’s experiences of the war. I’ve studied a play which is anon about a woman ambulance driver but suspected it was written by a man. Not banned but others were

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

@imo_GaymerPhD Congratulations!! What an epic abstract

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Women at War on Netflix raises some really interesting questions for my chapter on women ambulance drivers of WWI. Interesting that the title was translated from Les Combattantes to Women at War. Rather fantastical but a really good watch regardless. #WWI

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Can’t believe it’s been a month since I started my placement @LibraryofBham with the archives team. What a wonderful opportunity to see into the store and be surrounded by so much tangible history. Can’t wait to move from the books to the boxes next week

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Also thanks to @Midlands4Cities for planning a writing retreat with @royallitfund I can’t put into words how much of a positive impact it has had on my research and my confidence. So inspiring!

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

Not tweeted for long but had a wondeful month of researching meets in Feb. Thanks to @uon_chaps for inviting me to speak — you’re feedback was so useful to rethinking my current chapter.

[Contemporary History and Politics Seminar, UoN @uon_chaps]

This week we're excited to welcome @LydiaSigneM✨ Join us on Friday to learn more about commemorative Great War plays in the interwar period!

16 Feb, 4pm, @UoNHumanities A1/Teams

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

First time teaching today — excited to meet my seminar group for prose. Full circle for me as I remember being in their shoes 7 years ago! #UoB

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

@Gheorghe_L_W Thanks Gheorghe— hope you’re well 😊

[Lydia Manley @LydiaSigneM]

I got married on the weekend to my soul mate and it was the most magical of days! But like the true book lover I am books had to make an appearance. With my parents help I collected together books from charity shops so I could share my love with my guests