Humanities research to be turned into gameshow and drama on FrightFRIDAY

Tonight, The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH) and the Ashmolean Museum are teaming up for FRIGHTFriday, a free, awe-inspiring evening of events exploring the art and science of hope and fear. There are intimate talks, interactive workshops and inspiring installations to discover throughout the museum's galleries. The evening brings together actors, musicians, performers and researchers from across Oxfordshire to explore our deepest, and most human, hopes and fears. At the Ashmolean, Oxford humanities academics will engage the public with their research in a number of unusual ways. Oxford historian Steven Gunn will ask an audience questions about his research into accidental deaths in Tudor England. Participants will guess whether a Tudor servant died from being knocked over by a large quantity of bacon, and whether a butcher died in church because a theological book fell on his head. Oxford University English literature expert Professor Sally Shuttleworth will tell visitors about the phobias that have been recorded in Early Modern England, including a fear of cats.