tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52076889270361165072024-03-13T23:07:26.098-07:00BSHS Strolling BloggersThe blog of the British Society for the History of Science Strolling PlayersStrolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-59737426419540819332011-03-10T02:25:00.001-08:002011-03-10T02:26:46.369-08:00Whipple Museum performance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-otMborNo0K8/TXinUoh3F8I/AAAAAAAAAB0/2P_KXwsWpvg/s1600/Tables%2BTurned%2BWhipple%2Bposter.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-otMborNo0K8/TXinUoh3F8I/AAAAAAAAAB0/2P_KXwsWpvg/s400/Tables%2BTurned%2BWhipple%2Bposter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582395711044392898" border="0" /></a>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-4719089114143163692011-03-10T02:24:00.000-08:002011-03-10T02:25:36.647-08:00The Big BangToday and tomorrow the Strolling Players will be performing 'The Tables Turned' at the Big Bang Festival at the ExCel centre, London.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-39282340915563108062010-05-24T05:29:00.000-07:002010-05-24T05:32:08.153-07:00Science & Seance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1Un60nXL5tY/S_pxp7YSEVI/AAAAAAAAABc/1DBEnugQTK4/s1600/Science+and+Seance.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1Un60nXL5tY/S_pxp7YSEVI/AAAAAAAAABc/1DBEnugQTK4/s400/Science+and+Seance.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474813262150373714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1Un60nXL5tY/S_pxabVBJ_I/AAAAAAAAABU/HuHSyiXg2Ug/s1600/More+strolling+players.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1Un60nXL5tY/S_pxabVBJ_I/AAAAAAAAABU/HuHSyiXg2Ug/s400/More+strolling+players.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474812995848710130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On Saturday 15th May the Strolling Players performed 'The Tables Turned' to a packed house at the Museum of the History of Science. Many thanks to all at the Museum for their invitation to participate in the 'Science & Seance' night.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-24430280945817127302010-05-13T07:43:00.000-07:002010-05-13T07:44:39.007-07:00Museum of the History of Science, Oxford<p><em>Saturday, 15 May 2010, 19:00-23:00</em><br /><strong>Special Event:</strong> Science and Seance</p>The European Night of Museums:<br /><br /><strong>Science and Séance</strong><br />Saturday 15th May, 7-11pm<br /><br />Explore the history of science and spiritual communication – from Renaissance conversations with angels to Guglielmo Marconi’s 20th-century experiments. Full programme:<br /><br /><strong>7.15 </strong>– talks:<br />“John Dee in conversation with angels”, Dr Stephen Johnston<br />"Converted by a Princess": Marconi and the Spirits, Dr Jim Bennett<br /><br /><strong>8pm</strong> - ‘The Tables Turned’ – film and dramatic discussion by The Strolling Players<br /><br /><strong>9pm</strong> – Blithe Spirit – a showing of the 1945 film adaptation of Noel Coward’s play.<br /><br />Admission free<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Further details <a href="http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/events/">here</a>.<br /></span>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-42708628973761512042010-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:002010-06-17T07:26:23.936-07:00Whipple Library, University of CambridgeThe Whipple Library in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, has a special display on <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Adventures in the unknown: mesmerism, spiritualism and the supernatural</span>. Click on the image for further information.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/library/unknown/"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 469px; height: 293px;" src="http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/library/unknown/zollner_plate3_large.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-53617068651638182010-03-31T00:38:00.000-07:002010-03-31T00:40:07.603-07:00Upcoming performancesThe Strolling Players will be performing once again as part of the 'Night at the Museums' event in Oxford. We will put on 'The Tables Turned' at the Museum of the History of Science, on Saturday 15th May.<br /><br />We are also participating in a workshop at the Museum on 24th June, on 'Science or non-science?'<br /><br />Watch out for further details of both of these events soon.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-59297852382068203922010-03-31T00:36:00.000-07:002010-03-31T00:38:18.536-07:00ViewpointThe Strolling Players are featured in the lead article of the February 2010 issue of <a href="http://www.bshs.org.uk/publications/viewpoint"><span style="font-style: italic;">Viewpoint: Newsletter of the British Society for the History of Science</span></a>, which also includes an exclusive extract from the 'Tables Turned' script.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-2115593367628107652010-03-31T00:31:00.000-07:002010-03-31T00:36:13.718-07:00All dressed up and nowhere to go...Yesterday the Strolling Players visited the Royal Society, where we were booked to run two performances of 'The Tables Turned' to school groups. Unfortunately - and to the frustration of the Royal Society education team as well as ourselves - neither of the groups turned up.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To lose one school group may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two..</span>.<br /><br />We did, however, manage to record a podcast about the role-play, which will be made available here soon.<br /><br />Photos of the day are on our Flickr pages.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-55305151534641510402009-10-26T04:29:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:34:44.049-07:00Introducing...Welcome to the blog of the BSHS Strolling Players. We'll be updating this site with details of the three role-play activities we've developed over the past few years - 'Death and the City' (2007), 'The Business of Bodies' (2008), and 'The Tables Turned' (2009) - as well as linking to further resources, announcing upcoming performances, and showing how filming and script-writing for new projects is getting along...<br /><br />The previous posts have been imported from our 'Tables Turned' blog, which will now no longer be updated.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-58265260714599289222009-09-14T08:16:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.367-07:00Madam President<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5eaLbfOFI/AAAAAAAAAJM/prfBDjI6zus/s1600-h/Madam+President.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5eaLbfOFI/AAAAAAAAAJM/prfBDjI6zus/s400/Madam+President.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381342408592013394" border="0" /></a>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-21571973711620439442009-09-11T04:44:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.444-07:00What Spirit-Rapping Can Do<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo4ZpxccuI/AAAAAAAAAIE/9GG2WAQEZ5g/s1600-h/What+Spirit-Rapping+Can+Do.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo4ZpxccuI/AAAAAAAAAIE/9GG2WAQEZ5g/s400/What+Spirit-Rapping+Can+Do.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380174718208602850" border="0" /></a><br />[click on the image to enlarge]Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-90094148130477170042009-09-11T04:41:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.451-07:00Spiritualism Made Useful<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo3lOuYZUI/AAAAAAAAAH8/E7UC1RZ20II/s1600-h/Spiritualism+Made+Useful.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo3lOuYZUI/AAAAAAAAAH8/E7UC1RZ20II/s400/Spiritualism+Made+Useful.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380173817594799426" border="0" /></a>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-63217479539605548852009-09-11T04:27:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.414-07:00The Tables Turned at the British Science Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5b4XwI9MI/AAAAAAAAAIk/R7TUAe5lEKM/s1600-h/100920091497.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5b4XwI9MI/AAAAAAAAAIk/R7TUAe5lEKM/s400/100920091497.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381339628761052354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />'The Tables Turned' was performed at the British Science Festival in Surrey on 9th and 10th September.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-40227724751926592992009-09-04T02:46:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.461-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SqDh-vOwerI/AAAAAAAAAH0/Ni0-NOJz3UY/s1600-h/8419_125718988482_716988482_2512163_5765386_n.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SqDh-vOwerI/AAAAAAAAAH0/Ni0-NOJz3UY/s400/8419_125718988482_716988482_2512163_5765386_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377546423026875058" border="0" /></a>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-9845784636848737752009-08-13T06:49:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.468-07:00The Tables Turned - Dress Rehearsal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SoQf6SHJ5SI/AAAAAAAAAHE/pWHx9Gv_b_A/s1600-h/DSC_0979.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SoQf6SHJ5SI/AAAAAAAAAHE/pWHx9Gv_b_A/s400/DSC_0979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369451741887194402" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A dress rehearsal of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Tables Turned</span> was held as part of the British Society for the History of Science Annual Conference in Leicester, on Saturday 4th July. An audience of historians of science, museum curators, science and history teachers, and outreach workers, witnessed an early cut of the seance film, and participated in a meeting of a literary and scientific society, which hosted the role-play debate on spiritualism. We gained invaluable feedback and advice on refining the event for our upcoming audiences in Surrey.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SoQgLxBxeaI/AAAAAAAAAHM/nSn7Wzz2-jo/s1600-h/DSC_0965.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SoQgLxBxeaI/AAAAAAAAAHM/nSn7Wzz2-jo/s400/DSC_0965.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369452042243897762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />More photos are on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13684602@N02/sets/72157619867312598/">our flickr pages</a> now...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SoQggOitMLI/AAAAAAAAAHU/ZZyUYQ5iycU/s1600-h/DSC_0988.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SoQggOitMLI/AAAAAAAAAHU/ZZyUYQ5iycU/s400/DSC_0988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369452393764040882" border="0" /></a>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-56757770461118422602009-06-29T13:23:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.476-07:00History of Science at the British Science Festival<div><strong>The Tables Turned</strong> is just one of the sessions organised by the History of Science Section of the British Science Association for this year's British Science Festival in Surrey. See our webpage for further details of:<br /></div><ul><li><a href="http://bahistoryofscience.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/darwinfuture/">Does Darwin Have a Future?</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://bahistoryofscience.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/wordsworth/">William Wordsworth at the British Association</a><br /></li><br /><li><a href="http://bahistoryofscience.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/too-hot-to-handle/">Too Hot to Handle?</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://bahistoryofscience.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/funnyscience/">What's so Funny About Science?</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://bahistoryofscience.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/food/">Food in Our Lives</a><br /></li></ul>Tickets for all of these sessions can be booked at the British Science Festival <a href="http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/BritishScienceFestival/Booking/index.htm">webpages</a>.<br /><div> </div>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-83704683982717772182009-06-27T07:35:00.002-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.436-07:00Miss Lizzy Lightman<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo50emGVFI/AAAAAAAAAIM/st8ml_STcZQ/s1600-h/Lizzy+Lightman+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo50emGVFI/AAAAAAAAAIM/st8ml_STcZQ/s400/Lizzy+Lightman+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380176278576321618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />‘Lizzy’ Lightman has been a practising medium for 3 years, making a living by performing primarily at private dinner-party séances. She has worked for the past year with Mr Brookes, as he has attempted to use scientific methodologies to prove the events of the séance. She is unforthcoming about her background, but claims she has always had this ‘gift’, that she herself is alarmed at her supernatural powers, and that her elderly father (with whom she lives) strongly objected to her displaying it when young. She defends her actions against the attacks of Wendell at the meeting, yet is enigmatic when asked to elaborate on how exactly certain effects were created, appealing to ‘spirit forces’, ‘magnetism’, ‘mesmeric’ or ‘hypnotic’ charges. It is unclear to what extent she believes her performance at the séance is ‘acting’, ‘chanelling’, or some mixture of the two.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-21791454097801466032009-06-27T07:35:00.001-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.400-07:00Mr James Wendell, F.R.S.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5dHBrTZ_I/AAAAAAAAAI8/GUV_2H8Z7bM/s1600-h/James+Wendell+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5dHBrTZ_I/AAAAAAAAAI8/GUV_2H8Z7bM/s400/James+Wendell+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381340980044851186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo6of7N7-I/AAAAAAAAAIU/tYBOgknvfDw/s1600-h/James+Wendell.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 362px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sqo6of7N7-I/AAAAAAAAAIU/tYBOgknvfDw/s400/James+Wendell.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380177172286533602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A man of science working at the Royal Institution, Wendell attended the dinner-party séance to investigate the claims of the medium, and is presenting the results of his investigations to the Society for Physical Research. Rather sceptical of spiritualism, he argues that ‘Lizzy’ deceived the attendees, and is not really affected by magnetism, or channelling spirits to ‘rap’ on the tables. He cites instances from the film that contradicted or disrupted the events of the séance, such as where he has concealed a magnet, used instruments, or sat underneath the table. He clashes with Brookes over the findings of ‘scientific’ investigations, picking apart Brookes’ evidence. However, his own physical work – into invisible phenomena and ‘singing’ flames – is compared to the events of the séance: ‘The spirits were consulted, and I was pronounced a first-class medium’; the letters ‘p o e t o f s c i e n c e’ are spelt out. Himself interested in the ‘scientific use of the imagination’, he is perhaps not so close to a modern scientist as the audience might at first believe.<br /><br />Wendell believes that science has established the main forces that govern the world and all it contains. There is no previously unrecognised force that science has failed to establish. A supernatural or spiritual force that ONLY occurs in the presence of a medium is not real because: The physical laws of the universe require that a force be present universally – not just in a drawing room in the presence of a medium and not just recently when not previously apparent. Any force should be measurable with scientific instruments. Thinks this is highly unlikely in the case of ‘spirit forces’. He (Wendall) would dearly like to take Miss Lightman into his laboratory but she says this would scare the spirits. Forces which come and go like this seem likely not to be real. His magnetic forces on the other hand are reliable phenomena which can be observed by anyone and made to perform at any time and they are measurable phenomena. An educated scientific man is able to investigate phenomena and by virtue of his scientific training his intellect can reason what is a genuine phenomenon and what is not. Seeing is not believing. From a distance St Pauls cathedral is measured as only inches tall. But reason tells us how to understand that evidence of our senses and know that this is not the case in actuality. The scientific training he has received means he has a fully clear but also sceptical mind.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-928808796170184092009-06-27T07:35:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.393-07:00Miss Arabella Cloud<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5eOwQ87OI/AAAAAAAAAJE/106JW17Puoo/s1600-h/Arabella+Cloud+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5eOwQ87OI/AAAAAAAAAJE/106JW17Puoo/s400/Arabella+Cloud+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381342212321504482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SqpBpp4wFhI/AAAAAAAAAIc/G5XaCrk6XEg/s1600-h/Arabella+Cloud.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 379px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SqpBpp4wFhI/AAAAAAAAAIc/G5XaCrk6XEg/s400/Arabella+Cloud.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380184888721806866" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A poet, essayist, and philosopher, Miss Cloud is something of a recluse and invalid. She is a longstanding believer in spiritualism, and claims, whilst on her sick-bed, to have experienced ‘liminal’ sensations herself, where she has been trapped ‘between worlds’ and given privileged insights into the workings of the universe. She believes the men of science have not approached the question of life after death with an open mind, and that there are limits to scientific knowledge – not only things about the universe that science does not know, but that it cannot know – there are ‘more things in heaven and earth’. Articulate and impassioned, she challenges the assumptions of scientific methodology as pronounced by Wendell. She remains unconvinced by some of the medium’s more theatrical claims, perhaps deriding them as ‘sensational’ parlour amusements, whilst believing in spiritualism and mysticism writ large.<br /><br />Miss Cloud thinks that the hostile attitude of Mr Wendall and Mr Middleton is borne of arrogance and a need to impose their views on others. Why are they so scared that there may be forces at work that they had not previously known of? There are strange phenomena and special forces can only be divined by certain people. As a poet she understands that artists often experience the world in ways different to the common man – why do they deny this?Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-4696066655537375712009-06-27T07:34:00.001-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.428-07:00Mr Robert MiddletonA journalist, Middleton approaches the discussion of the séance with an open mind. He organised the evening’s events in an attempt to put spiritualism to the test, and to see for himself the actions of ‘Lizzy’ Lightman. He can be critical of blind faith both in spiritualism and in science, can see the potential similarities between the two, and is an advocate of first-hand observation, and of transparency and reportage to a wider public.<br /><br />Middleton knows just how popular spiritualism has become with the public: hundreds of letters have been sent to the paper and plenty of articles are appearing about table turning. He thinks that it has become a bit of a craze and the public are probably just seeking entertainment – it is a very silly fashion. But by enthusiastically attending séances and allowing themselves to be entertained in this way there are:<br />1) Making fools of themselves and showing themselves to be less rational and more ignorant than they should be. It is a very said indictment upon the British education system that people would be such fools. Does not do the standing of Britain as a nation any good whatsoever. Britain has an empire and has to maintain authority over millions of people – this authority is predicated on the superior nature of British civilisation.<br />2) Lining the pockets of fraudsters.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-24970841238240840202009-06-27T07:34:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.407-07:00Mr Arthur Brookes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5c-rCor5I/AAAAAAAAAI0/v27wQI8wt58/s1600-h/Arthur+Brookes+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5c-rCor5I/AAAAAAAAAI0/v27wQI8wt58/s400/Arthur+Brookes+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381340836529745810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5c7AuciYI/AAAAAAAAAIs/Ub-nbnlwSDs/s1600-h/Arthur+Brookes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sq5c7AuciYI/AAAAAAAAAIs/Ub-nbnlwSDs/s400/Arthur+Brookes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381340773631166850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Brookes is a well-respected chemist, editor of a leading periodical in the field, and is about to become internationally famous for his work on glowing tubes and invisible particles. He believes in the existence of spiritual phenomena; that the instruments of the laboratory and the practices of observation he uses in his day-to-day scientific work can be brought to bear on the séance, and will one day provide a natural explanation for the movements, noises, and apparations. Whilst seeing is not necessarily believing we should keep an open mind until we have actual proof that the evidence is not as it seems. Mr Wendell has not provided actual proof that there was not forces at work in the séance room that night – only his supposition. The evidence of his (Brookes') senses is clear enough: an open mind must be kept until either the cause is found or absolute proof provided of fraud. Wendall is confusing truth determined by scientific method with the expression of his own opinions. Many things that science now sees as fact were once upon a time seen as fantastic. Take the telegraph. Or Mr Wendall’s magnetic forces. The key characteristic of a scientist is objectivity, not qualifications, and objectivity requires an open mind on any question until proof in either direction has been found.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-73409975288113629132009-06-17T06:38:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.483-07:00Filming begins...<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SjjzSqpBBJI/AAAAAAAAAEw/NUVAd9KZOmk/s1600-h/DSC_2155.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SjjzSqpBBJI/AAAAAAAAAEw/NUVAd9KZOmk/s400/DSC_2155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348292059511981202" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sjjyt1zbjcI/AAAAAAAAAEo/3siysTC6boY/s1600-h/Lizzy+Lightman.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/Sjjyt1zbjcI/AAAAAAAAAEo/3siysTC6boY/s400/Lizzy+Lightman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348291426853293506" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Photos from filming <span style="font-style: italic;">The Tables Turned</span> are now online <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13684602@N02/">here</a>.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-69484326216957039102009-06-02T08:37:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.419-07:00Dramatis PersonaeThe characters appearing in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Tables Turned</span> will include the following:<br /><ul><li>Mr James Wendell, F.R.S.<br /></li><li>Mr Arthur Brookes</li><li>Mr Robert Middleton</li><li>Miss Lizzy Lightman</li><li>Miss Arabella Cloud</li><li>The President of the Guildford Literary and Scientific Society<br /></li></ul>Watch out for further information coming soon...Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-886896286617431512009-06-02T08:35:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.489-07:00British Science Festival Performances<span style="font-style: italic;">The Tables Turned</span> will be performed over Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th September at this year's <a href="http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/BritishScienceFestival/">British Science Festival</a> at the <a href="http://www2.surrey.ac.uk/">University of Surrey</a>, Guildford. In the day will be performances for pre-booked school groups of Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 students. On Wednesday evening at 8pm there will be a public performance for all ages.<br /><br />For further details on the Schools Programme for the Festival, and to pre-book, see <a href="http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/BritishScienceFestival/SchoolsProgramme/index.htm">here</a>.<br /><br />Booking for the evening performance for all audiences will soon be available <a href="http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/BritishScienceFestival/Booking/index.htm">here</a>.Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5207688927036116507.post-53223158561827308842009-06-01T05:09:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:33:49.499-07:00Resources 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SiU3HTtpvMI/AAAAAAAAAEg/aePHosoj5nI/s1600-h/Sprirtualism+-+Strange+Manifestations+Image.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SiU3HTtpvMI/AAAAAAAAAEg/aePHosoj5nI/s400/Sprirtualism+-+Strange+Manifestations+Image.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342737131635326146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SiU3AnT8nFI/AAAAAAAAAEY/dYyMIFXvNIQ/s1600-h/Spirit-Faces.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2DsFrAzafo/SiU3AnT8nFI/AAAAAAAAAEY/dYyMIFXvNIQ/s400/Spirit-Faces.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342737016637135954" border="0" /></a>Strolling Playershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17252267543406291805noreply@blogger.com0