Shakespeare festival begins
Among the prestigious names that have launched programmes to commemorate this momentous day is the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). This organisation, in a theatre project in Shakespeare's birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, has a year-long complete works festival to mark the anniversary of the bard's death. The event will stage Shakespeare's sonnets, poems and all 37 of his plays.
Among the notable performers are Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen. In an interview with BBC News, RSC artistic director Michael Boyd said, "Our ambition is to stage one of the most significant cultural festivals of the year in Stratfor-upon-Avon."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The other USP of RSC's endeavour is that the festival marks the first time all the plays have been staged in one continuous season.
Seventeen overseas theatre companies and 14 UK theatre companies will perform at the festival, as well as the 23 productions being staged by the RSC. BBC arts correspondent Rebecca Jones dubbed the project "a gamble" but said that ticket sales were already up by a 25 percent on the equivalent period last year.
Source: BBC News