Monthly Archives: July 2015

Bidford-on-Avon and the Shakespeare legend

Back in June 2015 a farm vehicle struck the fifteenth-century stone bridge at Bidford-on-Avon, a few miles downstream from Stratford. Bidford was once, as Stratford still is, a market town and its bridge marks a crossing that goes back to … Continue reading

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Alas, poor Yorick: the spell of Hamlet

On 26 July 1602 Shakespeare’s play Hamlet was registered with the Stationers’ Company in London. It’s an important date, but has done little to settle the burning question of when Shakespeare’s most famous play was first written and first performed. … Continue reading

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Shakespeare: fighting history

This summer Tate Britain is mounting an exhibition entitled Fighting History, on the subject of history painting, a rather unfashionable and neglected genre.   From Ancient Rome to recent political upheavals, Fighting History looks at how artists have transformed significant events into … Continue reading

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Shakespeare and graffiti

Stories that portray Shakespeare as a real person, particularly one who didn’t always behave impeccably, are always appealing, whether or not they are true. One of the earliest and most persistent of legends relating to Shakespeare’s life is the deer-poaching … Continue reading

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Archaeology: uncovering Shakespeare’s England

I always used to think of archaeologists as people who dug up the remains of Roman settlements and prehistoric burial chambers, but in the last few years they seem to have been examining a much wider range of sites, working … Continue reading

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News about Shakespeare’s School

Last week the news broke that Stratford’s King Edward VI School (Shakespeare’s School) has won its bid for £1.4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This is excellent news: this money will enable  the school to carry out much-needed conservation … Continue reading

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Roger Rees: good night, sweet prince

On Saturday 11 July 2015 it was announced that the actor and director Roger Rees had died aged 71. Better known for his more recent TV and film work in the USA, he spent many years in his early career with the … Continue reading

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Hugh Quarshie looking for the Moor

I wrote last October about the news that the distinguished actor Hugh Quarshie was to take on the role of Othello, with another black actor, Lucian Msamati, playing Iago. The story is that in an essay Quarshie wrote some years … Continue reading

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The Wars of the Roses at the Rose, Kingston

In an interview published in February 2014 Trevor Nunn explained that it was his aim to direct all of Shakespeare’s plays “before I hang up my boots”, with only seven left to go. “I’m very keen to do a particular … Continue reading

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All for your delight: Shakespearian summer treats

Now July has arrived, and some summer weather, it’s time for a round-up. Already well under way is the Complete Works: Table Top Shakespeare project being run by  Forced Entertainment, a theatre company based in Sheffield, UK. Over 9 days at … Continue reading

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