A production of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” returned home to London’s Globe Theatre after spending the last two years traveling to nearly every country in the world.
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Visitors, performers, literature buffs and notable people, including Prince Charles, gathered in the central English market town to pay tribute to one of the world’s most prominent playwrights.
Benedict Cumberbatch performs as Hamlet in the play’s performance at the Barbican Centre, London a year ago. “Let me shake hands with everyone”.
A theatrical parade through Stratford-upon-Avon was attended by more than 10,000 people paying homage to the Bard, who was born and died on April 23. “That was wonderful. I don’t want it to stop”, Obama said.
Dominic Dromgoole, the artistic director of the Globe theatre who spends his last days in the role this weekend, said he had not been surprised by the level of attention Shakespeare’s 400 commemorations had received across the country.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall later attended a TV gala performance featuring Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen and David Tennant at the town’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre – with the Prince even joining the actors on stage and speaking a few lines during a Hamlet segment.
“He’s a great wit, a great entertainer and his plays are generous – they make you feel more and understand more”, he told AFP.
Shakespeare Live! From The RSC served up some of the biggest names of stage and screen on Saturday night to celebrate the legacy of William Shakespeare.
Later, the celebrations will gain the royal seal of approval with Prince Charles touring the writer’s former home and his graveside at Stratford’s Holy Trinity Church.
From Warsaw, to Dubai and Las Vegas, Shakespeare’s plays were to play to packed houses to mark the occasion, highlighting the worldwide appeal of the English language’s leading playwright.
A parade took place in Stratford to mark the anniversary.
Known for his tragedies with catastrophic ends like Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear, Shakespeare also wrote romantic plays like Romeo and Juliet. “Those iconic shapes speak to everyone because they are embedded in human culture”.
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“I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of how much Shakespeare can do in the world”, he added.
