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Lecture

Professor David Peimer
Famous Explorers: Livingstone, Magellan, Cook, Shackleton, Cortés, Burton, Hillary, Drake and Others

Saturday 15.11.2025

How to watch

This lecture starts on 15 November at 5:00pm (UK).

Summary

What drives us to explore dangerous, unknown new worlds? What excites us about those who venture far from their comfort zone? Kennedy said it is not “because it is easy, but because it is hard.” Was he right? What lures us into exploring the unknown where life walks on a razor’s edge? Join us as we discover our fascination with the lives of some of the great explorers: Magellan, Livingstone, Cook, Shackleton, Cortes, Burton, Hillary, Drake, da Gama, Scott, Amundsen.

Professor David Peimer

An image of David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published numerous books, including Armed Response: Plays from South Africa and the digital book Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.