Banksiders...

At 6pm on Friday 1st June John Constable talks about the theatrical history of the 'Outlaw Borough' from Shakespeare's Bankside to the present day South Bank. In a National Theatre Platform: Hidden London Theatres: SE1 and beyond Chaired by Al Senter. This Platform will be followed by a booksigning. He is sure to mention Philip Henslowe and Edward Alleyn and their theatres the Rose and the Hope, may possibly talk about bear baiting too.

OA translates Harry Potter into Ancient Greek

OA, Andrew Wilson (1950-58), translated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone into Ancient Greek in 2004. His aim was to assist with JK Rowling' s aim to help children overcome the common dread of studying the two dead languages - where wars in Gaul and Virgil's thoughts on beekeeping can be as exciting as it gets. He has built a brillant website about the work:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/harry_potter.htm

Dr Henry Nicholls fails to secure Science Book Prize

On the 15 May 2007 the Royal Society Prize for Science Books was awarded to Daniel Gilbert for his book Stumbling on Happiness. It draws on psychology and neuroscience, as well as personal experience, to take the reader through the various ways people attempt to make themselves happy. Finding happiness is an underlying desire for most of us but how to achieve and sustain it often proves problematic. Gilbert uses science to show that it is not always through conventional routes that we find happiness. Stumbling on Happiness has triumphed over other strong contenders in the shortlist, including OA Dr Henry Nicholl's Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of the World's Most Famous Tortoise.

OA gets film deal on first novel

Tom Rob Smith's (OA 1985-1995) first novel CHILD 44 has just been sold and the films rights bought by Ridley Scott. The book will be published next year by Simon and Schuster, and if all goes to plan the film goes into production next year too. The book is set in Stalinist Russia. His first experience of Russia was through a Dulwich College history trip. For more information see the article posted on the Variety website. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963214.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Steve Jones lecture at Dulwich College

Dulwich Books are hosting a lecture and book signing by Professor Steve Jones author of Coral a pessimist in paradise: why intelligent design is stupid in the Old Library, Dulwich College on Wednesday 23^rd May at 7pm and would like to extend the invitation (complimentary tickets) to any staff who might like to attend.

Tom McCarthy in conversation with JOHN CALDER

Old Alleynian and author of Remainder and Tintin and the Secret of Literature is being interviewed about Remainder by John Calder the greatest publisher of the twentieth century, the person who brought us Beckett, Burroughs, Robbe-Grillet, Simon, Trocchi, Ionesco and, frankly, just about every writer worth reading for the last fifty years. The event's timed to coincide with the UK paperback launch of the novel by Alma Books. It's in the Calder Bookshop, on The Cut, by the Old Vic Theatre, 7 p.m. on Thursday 31st May, free but come in good time as space is limited There will be a reading featuring actors from the Godot Group, a question and answer session and refreshments.