Founded by Angus Bowmer in 1935 and victor of a 1983 Tony Award for outstanding achievement in regional theatre, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents an eight-month season of 11 plays that include works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals, and new works.
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Today marks 400 years since the passing of the world’s most famous playwright and poet – William Shakespeare.
The Bard of Avon is believed to have spelt his name in more than 80 different ways – “Willm Shaksp”, “William Shakespe”, “Wm Shakspe”, “William Shakspere”, “Willm Shakspere”, and “William Shakspeare.’ There is no record of Shakespeare writing his name as ‘William Shakespeare”, so we probably don’t spell his name correctly.
“What this wonderful keepsake reveals is that Shakespeare’s work, his characters and themes intersect with each other in fascinating ways”, said Farah Karim-Cooper, head of research at Shakespeare’s Globe.
Irish actress Shaw, who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, which is based at the Stratford theatre, said the anniversary had triggered a reawakening of awareness about the Bard.
David Tennant will host a BBC Two celebration on Saturday night live from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Shakespeare will be celebrated in the town Saturday with parties, a jazz procession in the New Orleans style and, of course, plays.
The low-ceilinged, heavily beamed dwelling has a parlour, hall, workshop and bedchambers, which are furnished as they would have looked in the 1570s, when William and his siblings lived there with their father John, a glove-maker, and their mother, Mary.
It was called New Place and, after it passed out of the Shakespeare family’s hands, it was demolished in 1759, and the site has remained a garden ever since.
Other famed Shakespeare lines fared even worse: just 12% knew that he was the author of “Strong reasons make strong actions”, while 17% recognised “All that glitters is not gold” as being penned by the bard.
“Shakespeare doesn’t worry about time; he’s eternal”.
If Bardly beauty is your bag, and you want more dramatic treats throughout the calendar, and beyond this special anniversary weekend, best give a “forsooth!” and follow Shakespeare in LA, which regularly casts a (candle)light on William-wonderful goings-on across ye olde Southern California.
Her older sister Isobel, who plays Cassius in Julius Caesar, added: “When I am acting I like it when I speak, but I prefer acting as you can move around the stage more”.
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“Part of it is a status thing”, he said.
