Новостные ленты

Throughout April, I've been focusing on As You Like It - that strange little play that divides opinion.

I've started with some character resources and a plot summary of the play:

• 'As You Like It': Summary
• 'As You Like It' Characters: Duke Frederick and his Court
• 'As You Like It' Characters: Duke Senior and Other Characters
• 'As You Like It' Characters: The de Bois Household

Also, to accompany the new study guide, I've started editing up the original text as a resource. So far we have Act 1 (Scenes 1, 2, 3) and Act 2 (Scenes 1, 2, 3).

Enjoy!

Today is Shakespeare's 448th birthday and people around the world will be remembering our most celebrated playwright in birthday celebrations.

This year with the launch of the World Shakespeare Festival, this year's Bard birthday is extra special.

In fact, it seems almost impossible to imagine a world without Shakespeare. His influence has been pervasive - his work is central to our literary and theatrical traditions and his writing has touched our modern everyday language. I know it's a cliché, but in many ways Shakespeare still lives and breathes in our contemporary culture.

I urge you to mark the day in one way or another and wish the Bard a happy 448th! Undoubtedly, there will be some kind of event taking place in your neighborhood this week, but if you can't attend, I've put together some Shakespeare-related family activities. Why not throw your own Bard birthday bash in the comfort of your own home?

Happy birthday, Shakespeare ... and many happy returns!

Photo © NYPL Digital Gallery

The forthcoming World Shakespeare Festival 2012 is bringing together theater companies from all around the world - but an invite to Israeli theater company Habima to perform The Merchant of Venice at the festival has touched a raw nerve.

A list of 37 theater heavyweights signed an open letter to The Guardian, including Mike Leigh, Caryl Churchill and Emma Thompson to name but a few. All were expressing their "dismay and regret" at the Globe Theatre's inclusion of Habima in the World Shakespeare Festival program.

The letter states:

"By inviting Habima, the Globe is associating itself with policies of exclusion practised by the Israeli state and endorsed by its national theatre company. We ask the Globe to withdraw the invitation so that the festival is not complicit with human rights violations and the illegal colonisation of occupied land."

The festival does include a performance by Ashtar Theatre, a Palestinian company; a fact that seems to have been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Habima.

On one hand this is a festival about Shakespeare and language - not politics; on the other hand, politics, history and state are indelibly part of the culture of theater. It is woven into its DNA - perhaps more tightly than most other art forms. Indeed, Shakespeare's own politics seep through his words written some four centuries ago.

Perhaps it is the nature of theater; perhaps it is plain irresponsible; perhaps it is simply the choice of play - your views, as always, are welcome.

April is once again upon us and the countdown to Shakespeare's Birthday is set to begin.

He was born and died on 23 April - which is convenient!

Celebrations will be taking place all around the world, but the festivities in Stratford-upon-Avon this year will be particularly exciting - with the launch of the World Shakespeare Festival 2012 coinciding.

Potentially, 2012 could be the biggest "Bard Bash" Stratford has ever known. I hope you can make it if you are travelling to this neck of the woods in April.

So, let's set the timer: 23 days to go!

Possibly the secret to Shakespeare's endurance is how he wrote about love. It's a subject that transcends the centuries between us.

Indeed, there are many popular sonnets that are still used today to woo lovers on Valentine's Day or at the wedding.

For the Bard, love is eternal - yet messy! Take a look at my sonnet examples and see how ideal love is soon turned on its head - all in 14 neat lines of iambic pentamter.

I think it's this understanding that is at the heart of Shakespeare's popularity: that where there is love, there is also the potential for great tragedy.

Talking of tragedy: I've just finished the putting the original text to Hamlet on the site (see the final acts here: Act 4 [Scenes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] and Act 5 [Scenes 1, and the final scene in three parts 1, 2 and 3])

Just to keep you updated on a selection of new content recently added to the site:

• Facts About Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
• Magic in 'The Tempest'
• There's also more Hamlet to read online: Act 3 (Scenes 1, 2, 3, 4), Act 4 (Scenes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Here in the UK, we're all a bit apprehensive about London's Olympic Games opening ceremony ... I think we'll struggle to live up to China's ceremony last time around.

But, the UK has an Ace up its sleeve: Shakespeare!

It has been reported that the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest because the play's narrative has "universal appeal".

Alongside this mammoth ceremony, the World Shakespeare Festival will be playing out, drawing together performances from all around the World.

I think it's fitting that William Shakespeare has become central to this event. It demonstrates that the Olympics are not just about the sport ... rather it represents an attitude (sporting, cultural or otherwise) to aspire to excellence.

In this respect, the Bard is perfect!

Just published! I've put together a commentary for each act and scene of The Tempest: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Acts 4 and 5.

I've also touched on the Shakespeare sexuality debate - you can read this little controversy here. I've also been continuing with creating an online edition of Hamlet (Act 1:5, Act 2:1, Act 2:2 and Act 3:1)