Dr Johnson's House

Project Partner

Dr Johnson’s House is a rare, Grade I listed, small historic town house in the City of London, committed to celebrating and exploring the life, work and times of its former resident, the great wit Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784). A prolific writer who excelled as an essayist, journalist, poet, critic, biographer, and debater, he is best remembered as the author of the first comprehensive English dictionary, his monumental Dictionary of the English Language (1755). For over 100 years, 17 Gough Square has operated as a museum, welcoming visitors from all over the world interested in words and witticisms, and today runs a lively programme of exhibitions, events and education throughout the year.

The project London’s Theatre of The East with our neighbours at The Arab British Centre is part of our on-going commitment to exploring – and putting into context – Johnson’s life and work, while considering its legacy today in thought-provoking and engaging ways. Through this collaboration we hope our visitors will gain a greater knowledge of the history of Arabs in London, and the representations of each others’ cultures ‘domestically’ in both literature and art, using Johnson’s only play, Irene (1749), as a springboard for research and (re)interpretation of hundreds of years of shared history.

The City of London Corporation

Supporter

London’s Theatre of The East is supported by The City of London Corporation.