The opening reception for this year’s Royal Shakespeare Company Summer School at the Shakespeare Institute on August 11th doubled as a celebration of its library’s acquisition of the Russell Jackson Archive.
Russell Jackson, Allardyce Nicoll Professor of Drama, and former deputy director and acting director of the Shakespeare Institute, has worked extensively as a consultant to actors, theatre directors and film producers, notably Sir Kenneth Branagh, and the materials he has accumulated as a result include shooting scripts, promptbooks and some extraordinarily revealing correspondence. An exhibition of some highlights from the collection is on display in the Institute library for the remainder of August. Professor Jackson, who has generously allowed the library to hold his archive on permanent loan, is seen here admiring the exhibition.