Meet Martha Andresen, Emerita Professor of English at Pomona College, recipient of The Crystal Quill Award by Shakespeare Center Los Angeles and other honors too numerous to mention. Her enthusiasm for english literature and theatre is as impossibly lovely as she is herself! Martha addressed a lunch I attended for Curtain Raisers, a civic group supporting performing arts in my new hometown, Claremont. Martha discussed contemporary interpretations of the Bard's plays as they are pared down for the modern audience and the responsibility of directors/performers to maintain the integrity of the language of Shakespeare. I wanted to spend all day with Martha and be part of her world. Just like present-day interpretations of Shakespeare's work, Martha's style is stunningly chic and modern: the gorgeous shirt collar, the shape of her elegant sweater, and upswept hair are a real nod to her passion and reveal much about her reverence for the history and language of the Elizabethan world.
photo of Martha Andresen via The Claremont Courier
Coco Chanel in Ruff Collar
photo by George Hoyningen-Huene via Getty Images
Elizabeth I Ruffed up
Elizabeth I by Marcus Gheeraerts The Younger
Image via Physical Review Focus
