Mark Rylance
We heard about the appearance together of two great actors, Mark Rylance and Sir Derek Jacobi, at Brunel University, where both again expressed their strong doubts that William Shakspere of Stratford-upon-Avon (1564-1616) wrote the works attributed to “Shakespeare” — and where Jacobi told the audience that he was “99 percent” certain that the real author had been Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604).
Derek Jacobi
No, these men are not snobs; no, they are not conspiracy theorists. On the contrary, they are brilliant artists of the stage (and screen) who have decided to shed the shackles of blind tradition in order to investigate the matter with their minds, their instincts and their common sense. Folks, this is the biggest literary hoax in world history and the detective work is fascinating as well as exciting and, yes, important.
We also heard (by the grapevine) that during their joint appearance Mark Rylance made positive mention of The Monument, my book on the Sonnets, for which we’re profoundly grateful. A fine article by Frank McNally in the Irish Times focuses on Rylance, who “reiterated a call for more investigation” of the question of who wrote the great poems, plays and sonnets. Mark is also chairman of the Shakespearean Authorship Trust, which is dedicated to precisely such investigation.
Oh, yes – by now readers of this blog undoubtedly know about the front-page article in The Wall Street Journal (weekend edition, April 18-19, 2009), with word that Justice John Paul Stevens, who has served 34 years on the Court, believes that the Earl of Oxford wrote the “Shakespeare” works: “EVIDENCE IS BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.” The NewYorker picked up the story….
I’d say we’re on a roll!
Dr. Daniel Wright
Meanwhile, check out Bill Boyle’s Adventure Page for a report on the annual Shakespeare Authorship Studies Conference at Concordia University in Portland Oregon this month, under the direction of Professor Daniel Wright.
Cheers from Hank
Hank Whittemore's Shakespeare Blog 
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