As I prepare to join an impressive aray of Shakespeare scholars at the Portsmouth Institute in Rhode Island this weekend for a conference on the Catholic Shakespeare, I thought I’d relate an interesting e-mail that I’ve recently received from a lady in Washington DC recounting her encounter with Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. I was particularly intrigued to see that Kahn had publicly acknowledged the growing evidence for the Bard’s Catholicism. Here’s the text of the e-mail with names removed to protect the privacy of the individuals mentioned:

Hi, Prof Joseph!

I’m the lady that threw her arms around you while you stood at the elevator at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center a year ago on your way up to an interview with Raymond Arroyo; afterwards, we talked together with my friends Mark B whom you remembered from beer in Bavaria, and Kathleen S.

I’ve recommended your two Shakespeare books to everyone.

For the last several years, I’ve abstained from going to Shakespeare plays in the area because here, under the direction of Michael Kahn, they become lewd and obscene, and I finally realized that was the pattern and felt there was no reason for my being there.

On Sunday, Michael Kahn was to make a presentation on “Shakespeare’s Italy” at the Smithsonian’s East Gallery of Art, as part of their project of featuring Italy in its 150th anniversary of reunification.

I went in order to see if he’d converted yet. The hour’s presentation was two minutes short of being over when the big bomb was asked—was Shakespeare a—what? in religion—agnostic—but he never says anything religious…? Kahn answered that some think perhaps he was a Catholic, and Kahn sort of filled in a bit of non-knowledge, and the thing was over.

I had purposely not raised my hand earlier to contribute your books, because, as a good lawyer, I’m not going to ask a question in front of a huge audience unless I know what the answer is going to be—didn’t want him to lash out against your book or yourself, for instance, in front of several hundred people.

But I beelined down to the guy who had asked the question and walked him back up the stairs to the auditorium exit, recommending he read your two books, and why. He was impressed enough.

At that point, we were in the small corridor just outside the auditorium door, and that guy disappeared. But I realized within a couple of moments that Michael Kahn had just stepped out behind me, alone. So!! I turned around, told him I was happy to meet him, asked if he’d read the works of Joseph Pearce, Quest… and its followup Eyes…, and gave enough quick info from it (like Southwell’s note to WS to make his writing count). (My shorthand interpretation that always grabs them.) (And also that you’d begun the research with the intention that you were going to stop this nonsense of claiming that Shakespeare was Catholic.) So it grabbed Kahn, and especially when I told him I’m a lawyer and the arguments are just as straight and factual as can be…father, mother, daughter, the priests, wife, etc. He was impressed that I as a lawyer thought the case was made. So, it appears he was hooked quite soberly and said he would definitely read them. He is putting on Merchant of Venice soon (with all the wrong customary interpretations). I made sure I incorporated every glimmer of positive statements he had made to help him relate to the materials and bring him into them.

If you google Michael Kahn, you’ll see he has done an impressive amount of theater direction, so catching him can be a great grace. Please join me in prayer that he reads with humility and openness and can effect what our Beloved Jesus desires.

I’ll write him a brief followup note, repeating your name and the titles.

Margaret