Category Archives: Stratford-upon-Avon

Macbeth: what happens next?

So what does happen after the end of Macbeth? For Shakespeare, needing a politically-acceptable conclusion, the answer was straightforward, Malcolm filling the vacuum left by the death of the tyrant and his queen.  David Greig, in his new play Dunsinane, has … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s Avon, Act 4: river of life

The River Avon has always been of central importance to the town of Stratford and the area surrounding it. In Shakespeare’s day, it was an important artery for trade and a source of power (the mill is mentioned in the … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s Avon, Act 3: David Garrick’s Jubilee

The story of Stratford’s rise from being a typical market town into an international tourist destination is often said to start in 1769 when the greatest actor of the day, David Garrick, put on a three-day celebration of Shakespeare. The fact … Continue reading

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More Ophelia contenders: Jane Shaxspere v. Katherine Hamlet and Margaret Clopton

Over the last couple of days Shakespeare’s inspiration for the death of Ophelia in Hamlet has provoked a surprising amount of media coverage. University of Oxford lecturer Dr Steven Gunn has been researching records of inquests at the National Archives, … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man in glass

Glass is the most mysterious of substances, translucent yet intensely colourful, hard but fragile and easily broken. A friend has just celebrated the first firing of her new glass kiln, and over the weekend a group of us crowded into … Continue reading

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Thomas Hardy and Shakespeare

A few days ago, on June 2nd  it was the birthday of the novelist Thomas Hardy, a giant of literature whose long career spanned the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In a discussion on this morning’s Radio 4 Broadcasting House (about 37 … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s Avon, Act 2: The inspiration for Ophelia?

I’ve never had a lot of time for the myths and legends that surround Shakespeare’s life, many of which probably sprung up in order to satisfy the curiosity of visitors wanting to find out more about the man. I’ve always … Continue reading

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Shakespearian stars 1: Richard Burton as Henry V

This is the first in a series about actors and their greatest Shakespearian parts.  Henry V is a gift of a part for a young actor. It’s a varied role, particularly if  Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, which show … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s Avon, Act 1: Clopton Bridge

 This is the first of a series I’m going to be posting weekly on the subject of the River Avon and its connections with Shakespeare.   Clopton Bridge was built about 100 years before Shakespeare’s time by Sir Hugh Clopton, a … Continue reading

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A rose by any other word

The scent of roses is in the air already this year. With whole gardens devoted to its many varieties, no flower has a closer association with summertime in England. As national flower, it also has a special link with the … Continue reading

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