Dear Symposium Delegates, Speakers and Participants,
2010 Symposium: ‘Spanish Golden Age Drama in Translation and Performance’
at Merton College, Oxford, 18-19 March 2010
This blog post is your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about your journey to Oxford for the Symposium. If you require any additional information, please email me and I’ll post info as and when it’s needed.
TRANSPORTATION TO OXFORD
Airports
The easiest airports from which to reach Oxford are Heathrow and Gatwick. Luton Airport is about two hours away and Stansted is a three-hour journey from Oxford.
There is a direct bus from London Heathrow and Gatwick to Oxford.
The Airline
National Express offers bus service from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
National Express
Travel from London by Train or Bus
Oxford is one hour’s train journey from London’s Paddington station.
National Rail
For travel to London from Oxford there are two competing bus companies, the Oxford Tube and the Oxford Express (note London’s underground metro system is also called the ‘Tube’, although the Oxford Tube is a bus company, confusingly)
The Oxford Tube
The Oxford Espress
Roadways – approaching by car
Oxford is connected to London, the M25 and the Midlands by the M40 motorway. Junctions 8 and 9 link directly to the city. The Oxford ring road provides direct access to the south and west coast ports of Southampton, Portsmouth and Bristol via the A34.
ACCOMMODATION
Single ccommodation for symposium delegates, speakers and participants is available at Merton College. Registration is essential; if you would like accommodation please fill in the Registration Form and send it back to Kathleen Jeffs with payment (if applicable). Rooms for the symposium are available as ensuite rooms (£70) or with shared bath (£56.50).
Check-in is from 3pm, although your room may be available earlier, please phone the Lodge to check if you will be early: (+44) (0)1865 276310
Breakfast is included in the room rate and is served in Merton College Hall from 8-9am for guests staying in College.
Internet is available in the rooms via a data cable which is provided. Please read the instructions in the welcome pack in the rooms or phone the lodge on the number above if you have problems connecting.
Note: The Merton College Lodge has informed me that if you are planning to arrive late (or stay out late) and would like to be let in to the college after about 11pm, it may be best to ring the Lodge to make sure that the porter has not gone on his ‘night rounds’ and will be there to let you in. They are normally there 24-hours, but just in case he goes walking to check the college etc, the phone number to call if you’re going to be late is: (+44) (0)1865 276310.
Alternative accommodation can be booked via the following links:
Official City of Oxford Tourism
Hotels in Oxford
Hostel and B&B bookings
CATERING
Breakfast is included in the room rate for delegates staying at Merton College, and is served in Hall from 8-9am. A day rate for catering will be applicable for both Thursday and Friday which will include tea and coffee during the breaks, as well as a sandwich lunch on both days. Registration is again essential to take advantage of the Symposium catering.
CONFERENCE DINNER
There will be a conference dinner held in Merton College on the evening of Thursday, 18 April. Two rates are available: an option with and without wine. Vegetarian options are also available; please indicate any dietary requirements on the Registration Form to join us for the Symposium dinner.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Now that you know how to get to Oxford, where you’re staying, and where your next meal is coming from, you’ll be ready to take part in the Symposium! You can peruse the Provisional Programme, which, as its title suggests, might be subject to change.
REHEARSED READING
Out of the Wings is dedicated to including the practice of theatre in all our events, as our principal aim is to provide scholars and practitioners with the tools to read and stage Spanish theatre. Central to our programme is thus our rehearsed reading of Gil Vicente’s one-act play ‘Don Duardos’, in Jo Clifford’s translation, directed by Poppy Burton-Morgan. The reading will take place at the Burton-Taylor Studio at the Oxford Playhouse, located on Gloucester Street in Oxford.
Handy map of the Train Station, Merton College, and the Burton-Taylor Studio
EXTRA-SYMPOSIAL ACTIVITIES
During your stay in Oxford you may wish to take advantage of the cultural life of the city; there is much to do and see. Within walking distance of Merton College you will find a wealth of artistic and theatrical entertainments. Such as:
Our main theatre is the Oxford Playhouse, and on the Wednesday before the Symposium begins there is a one-man show about Richard Burton being staged at our Burton-Taylor studio, where our rehearsed reading will be held on the Thursday, and which was originally funded by Burton himself. In the larger, adjoining house there is another mainstage production simultaneously.
Here’s the link for what’s on Wednesday at the Burton-Taylor Studio and Oxford Playhouse
There are other theatres in Oxford, as well as a wealth of musical entertainments, most of which locals will find out about on the Daily Info website.
There are also wonderful museums in the area. Check out the:
Newly Remodelled Ashmolean Museum
Or the fascinating Museum of Natural History where they have a model of the Oxford Dodo bird
Don’t miss the idiosyncratic Pitt-Rivers Museum inside (where they have a collection of shrunken heads worth seeing just to say you’ve seen real shrunken heads)
And don’t forget to visit Oxford’s Colleges
