As I write, it’s the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare — playwright, poet and man of enduring fascination to tourists.
Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of England’s (and perhaps the world’s) greatest writer, is a major draw. Few packaged tours exclude it. His birthplace, his mother’s house, the church where he was christened, the school he attended and the theatres where his plays are still performed attract many thousands of people every week.
There’s a Shakespeare trail, too, in London, including a reasonably faithful reconstruction of the playhouse where many of his works were first performed, the Globe. Few nights go by when you can’t catch a performance of a Shakespeare play by the Royal Shakespeare Company or another troupe.
But it doesn’t stop there. Apart from his plays being presented in countries across the world, Shakespeare’s work has been embraced by Hollywood. From faithful renderings to modern adaptations, the likes of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Macbeth, Henry V and The Tempest have lit up the screen since cinema began.
And so there are Shakespeare connections not just at the Globe but around the globe.
It’s not too late to get in on the excitement of the 400th, and it’s never too late to see a play, so here are some suggestions for your travels:
The obvious attractions are in Stratford, and this link has them all.
Here are lists of Shakespeare festivals in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. There’s also one in Germany. Australia’s Bell Shakespeare company produces the Bard’s works and organises educational activities.
If you like visiting movie locations, here are details for Shakespeare in Love, Richard III (1995), Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh, 1996) and Macbeth (1971). The main site has others.
And there’s a Shakespeare Week every year, with details of all the events posted here.
