Cherry Potts, Writer

Author: Cherry Potts

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 24th January

    Once more, no candidate for the 24th January, so here is Catalina de Erauso 1585 – 1650ish – cross-dresser, soldier, adventurer, aka Antonio de Arauso, Alonzo Dias, the nun lieutenant. A word of warning: Catalina’s ‘memoirs’ weren’t published until the 19th Century. I’ve read two translations of what seem to be the same passage that…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 23rd January

    Yes, I know, it’s a day late. I was singing all right? My and A’s first night at Orpheus & Eurydice, and a fun time we had, threatening the audience as furies. Hissed myself hoarse. Now in bed with a cold, but determined to throw it off by tomorrow lunchtime and the next performance. Anyway,…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 22nd January

    Once more, dear friends, there is no one specific for whom to bake a cake. Therefore, I delve again into the seventeenth century in search of someone to celebrate: Please give a warm welcome to Margaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle 1623 – 15 December 1673. Mad Madge, as she was known to people emphatically…

  • Opening tonight -Orpheus and Eurydice

    Playing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday this week. Platform Theatre, Central St Martins, Kings Cross N1C 4AA. Box Office We’re singing in the chorus Thursday evening, and both performances Saturday and Sunday.

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 21st January

    Today’s birthday girl is Sophia Jex Blake. 1840-1912. Sophia was one of the first women to qualify as a medical doctor in the UK, despite every attempt to prevent her. She was an ardent feminist who lived with and became a life long friend of Lucy Sewell. I am so impressed with Sophia that I…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 20th January

    late again! In my defense, an over-long dress rehearsal for Orpheus followed by a rehearsal for Vocal Chords put a bit of a dent in the day. So the 20th of January: not exactly a vintage day for lesbians, at least that I have found dates for – so lets meet Cicely Cornwallis, 1656 – 1723,…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 19th January

    Sorry this is a bit late, I’ve been putting in new skirtingboard  in the kitchen in preparation for the new flooring. The kitchen is already warmer – no gaps between wall and floor for draughts. Anyway, back to the party. There are still two birthday girls left for today, after yesterday’s early aperitif, but let’s…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 18th January

    No birthday girl today, but three tomorrow, so let’s get in an early celebration of Patricia Highsmith (19th January 1921). Highsmith is one of those people I admire without much liking. I don’t enjoy her crime novels, and consider them sadistic. However she was a bit of a trail blazer with her novel Carol (aka…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 17th January

    I’ve not found anyone with the 17th as their birthday, so another of my 16th Century muses. Catherine Cooke Killigrew 1530-1583. ‘A learned lady’ proficient in several languages, and a poet. There’s not much information on Catherine, apart from her father Anthony Cooke and husband Henry Killigrew, and that she died in childbirth. Apparently Bathsua Makin…

  • The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 16th January

    So did you notice I didn’t post anything yesterday? I was exhausted after the Story Sessions on Wednesday, and slept through my time for posting. So to make up for it, here is  Edith Cooper 1862-1913. Her birthday is actually the 12th but I hadn’t found that out until too late to post her birthday…