Vanbrugh300
March 2026 Bulletin
March 26th 2026 marks the tercentenary of Sir John Vanbrugh’s death and I’m currently trying to get to as many events and exhibitions as I can. I’m also delighted to be taking part in the Vanbrugh300 festival - many thanks to the Georgian Group for inviting me.
This weekend, I’m going to be visiting the Vanbrugh: The Drama of Architecture exhibition at Sir John Soane's Museum (more on that shortly), and I’m also squeezing in a visit to the Turner and Constable exhibition at Tate Britain. I will probably take my sketching materials, although I suspect there won’t be much elbow room.
I’ve recently written a few pieces for Vanbrugh300, including this one about his debut as a playwright, and I’m including my speaking dates below, in case you’re around to say hello:
Friday March 20th 2026, 10am: I’ll be interviewing Charles Saumarez Smith at the George Hotel, Lichfield, about his new book, John Vanbrugh: The Drama of Architecture. The event is part of the Lichfield Literature Festival.
Friday March 27th 2026, all day: Vanbrugh: From Stage to Stone at Downing College, Cambridge; I’ll be presenting the paper: “I confess I have not at all stuck to the original”: John Vanbrugh as translator & adaptor.
Thursday October 8th 2026, 6.30pm: Theatre talk at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland, with Dr Nicholas Helm. Details on the Vanbrugh300 website >>
There are all sorts of events ahead, including online talks (I’m particularly looking forward to Rory Fraser’s talk on Vanbrugh in India) and I hope to get to Blenheim before the Blueprints of Power exhibition closes (you can go on the roof apparently). As soon as I have time, I will get back to some Shakespeare; I have tickets to see Kenneth Branagh in Stratford later this year (both in The Tempest and The Cherry Orchard), so those are two plays I’ll be (re)reading and talking about here.
In the meantime, on with the festivities!
What a fun month ahead! Do keep us posted.