November 9, 2021
2021-11-09T18:30:00
Laconia Rotary Hall (Auditorium)
695 N Main St
Laconia, NH 03246
Life Downstairs: British Servant Culture in Fact, Fiction, and Film
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
While servant narratives have been popular for centuries, there seems to be a resurging interest in these stories in recent decades. Many contemporary British and North American writers, filmmakers, and television executives have turned to master/servant relationships as their subject matter.
Join Ann McClellan, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Plymouth State University, as she explores the history behind the rise and fall of British servants and why Americans are so fascinated by their stories on page and screen.
Attendees will be entered to win a limited edition Downton Abbey Collector's Set, complete with all six seasons of the hit series and a working Downton Abbey pull-bell. Please sign-up by emailing info@laconialibrary.org, or calling 524-4775 ext. 12 as space is limited. This program is sponsored by the NH Humanities and the Laconia Public Library.
While servant narratives have been popular for centuries, there seems to be a resurging interest in these stories in recent decades. Many contemporary British and North American writers, filmmakers, and television executives have turned to master/servant relationships as their subject matter. Films like The Remains of the Day and Gosford Park garnered numerous Oscar nominations and substantial box office profits. PBS created such classics as Upstairs, Downstairs, and Manor House, as well as the phenomenally successful Downton Abbey! Even mainstream American television has piloted its own versions of the British servant in shows as wide-ranging as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to reality TV's Supernanny.
Join Ann McClellan, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Plymouth State University, as she explores the history behind the rise and fall of British servants and why Americans are so fascinated by their stories on page and screen.
Attendees will be entered to win a limited edition Downton Abbey Collector's Set, complete with all six seasons of the hit series and a working Downton Abbey pull-bell. Please sign-up by emailing info@laconialibrary.org, or calling 524-4775 ext. 12 as space is limited. This program is sponsored by the NH Humanities and the Laconia Public Library.